China More accessible and affordable healthcare for all: China’s government has outlined several proposals to expand healthcare reform in a report released 4th June by the General Office of the State Council. These proposals include improving disease and treatment systems, expanding rural healthcare, and reforming hospital management and pricing.    Health…

China The pharmaceutical industries of China and India, historically focused on their large domestic markets and exports to developed nations, are increasingly forging closer links. With US trade tariffs affecting both countries and regulatory reform underway in China, Indian firms are jumping at the chance to bring their competitively-priced drugs to…

China The company sold 551 million shares in the latest IPO on the Hong Kong Exchange and plans to invest half of its earnings in R&D. Hong Kong is now the second largest biotech funding hub in the world.    Hansoh Pharmaceutical, one of China’s fastest-growing pharma companies, raised a billion…

Hong Kong With Hong Kong now established as the world’s second largest funding hub for biotech, at this week’s BIO 2019 conference in Philadelphia, the HKEX’s Michael Chan outlined some of the successes that the Hong Kong exchange has already seen and the exciting and diverse future listings in the pipeline.  …

China China is a hot topic in Big Pharma investor updates these days. The world’s second-largest pharmaceutical market boasts sales growth that continuously surpasses that of the US and other developed regions. However, with the rollout of the “4+7” procurement scheme slashing drug prices, industry insiders are predicting a more turbulent…

Biotech Hong Kong is now the world’s second largest funding hub for biotech according to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. During her speech at the 2nd HKEx Biotech Summit on May 29, Lam stated that innovation and technology have become a clear priority in government policy.   We have invested…

China On May 30th, and with much fanfare, Pfizer Upjohn officially inaugurated its global headquarters in the heart of Shanghai, China. Following a global re-organization mid-2018, Pfizer now operates three business units, namely Innovative Medicines (including biosimilars and a new hospital business unit dealing with anti-infectives and sterile injectables), Consumer Healthcare,…

Taiwan Taiwan boasts one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive public health systems in Asia. However, mounting costs and the pressures of a rapidly ageing population mean that the National Health Insurance (NHI) system may run out of money within the next two years without significant reform.   NHI expenditures have…

China Better known for its panda sanctuary and spicy local cuisine, Chengdu could be the first Chinese city to offer mutual health insurance. Eric Bouteiller examines French firm VYV’s first steps into China and the potential impact of mutual insurance – whereby the insurance company is owned entirely by its policyholders…

Taiwan Researchers from Taiwan and the USA may have found a vaccine for the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – a deadly emerging disease with a mortality rate of over 34 percent.   The vaccine mimics the characteristics of the virus Hu Che-Ming, Academica Sinica Focus Taiwan reports that scientists…

Korea One of the indisputable economic success stories of the last half-century, South Korea now stands as the world’s 11th largest economy, with a reputation for industrial excellence and innovation. As the Korean state shifts its focus towards healthcare and the life sciences and Korean firms begin to internationalize with greater…

Korea The Korean cosmetics market is now the 8th largest in the world, with 2.9 percent of the global market share, capitalising on the global rise in interest for Korean culture, a phenomenon known as ‘Hallyu’ – ‘the Korean wave’. “In the past, Korean cosmetics had lower product quality and brand…