May 19, 2024 is the 34th National Day for the Disabled, and this year's theme is "Technology for the Disabled, Sharing a Better Life". Helping patients get rid of or avoid the doom of disability through innovative drug research and development is also a powerful embodiment of "science and technology to help the disabled", and innovative enterprises in the pharmaceutical field are an important force that cannot be ignored.
With the continuous advancement of the Healthy China strategy, the health concept from "treatment" to "prevention" has gradually taken root in the hearts of the people. Through innovative R&D to improve drug quality, reduce medical costs, and actively participate in the practice of social responsibility and sustainable development, domestic innovative pharmaceutical companies such as Shenzhou Cell have contributed their own strength to the construction of a healthy China. With the continuous progress of China's pharmaceutical industry, these innovative pharmaceutical companies will continue to contribute to the development of the health industry.
"Going to work to cure the disease"
In traditional Chinese medicine, there is an old saying that "work to cure the disease before it happens", which means that the most astute doctors can prevent the occurrence of diseases, rather than just treat the diseases that have already occurred. This concept is still of profound significance in the medical practice of modern society, especially in the field of hemophilia prevention and treatment.
Hemophilia is an inherited blood clotting disorder in which patients lack sufficient clotting factors, resulting in bleeding that is difficult to control, and in severe cases, it can be disabling or even fatal. Data show that the disability rate of hemophilia in China is as high as 70%, and two-thirds of patients will have muscle and joint deformity or disability in adulthood, affecting normal life and work ability.
The traditional treatment of hemophilia is mainly to deal with acute bleeding events, that is, on-demand treatment, but with the advancement of medicine, preventive treatment has gradually become mainstream. Through the regular use of coagulation factor preparations, the occurrence of bleeding events can be effectively prevented, and the risk of teratogenicity, disability and death can be significantly reduced.
The change from "cure" to "prevention" of health concept is not only reflected in the promotion of policies at the national level, but also in the improvement of people's health awareness and the innovation of medical practice. From the perspective of pharmacoeconomics, although the cost of preventive treatment is high, it can significantly reduce the risk of bleeding and disability, improve the quality of life, and is a more cost-effective treatment option than on-demand treatment.
Pharmaceutical companies provide new solutions for the prevention and treatment of hemophilia through the research and development of innovative drugs. After years of research and development, Shenzhou Cell launched the first domestic recombinant human coagulation factor VIII. product, Anjiain, which not only reduces the economic burden of patients, but also improves the accessibility of drugs, so that more patients can enjoy high-quality treatment.
The continuous improvement of the social security system has accelerated the process of benefiting patients with high-quality domestic innovative drugs. With the support of various policies, the convenience, accessibility and treatment concept of hemophilia treatment in mainland China have been significantly improved. With the continuous advancement of the Healthy China strategy, the progress made in the field of hemophilia treatment will be replicated and promoted in more disease fields to meet the people's yearning for a healthy and beautiful life.
Contribute to the construction of a healthy China
Through technological innovation and drug research and development, domestic pharmaceutical companies have made substantial contributions to improving the level of national health. Taking cancer treatment as an example, improving the overall 5-year cancer survival rate by 15% by 2030 is one of the important goals related to Healthy China. Behind this, it is inseparable from the unremitting efforts of pharmaceutical companies in the research and development of anti-cancer drugs. For example, lymphoma, especially B-cell lymphoma, is one of the malignant tumors that seriously affects national health, and there is an unmet and urgent clinical need in China. It is in this context that Shenzhou Cell has started the research and development of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, in order to bring new treatment options to patients through structural optimization and safety upgrades.
As we all know, technological innovation is the underlying driving force for the development of the pharmaceutical industry. In recent years, new strategies and technologies such as personalized treatment and precision medicine, biological big data and artificial intelligence, gene editing technology, cancer immunotherapy, and CAR-T cell therapy technology have been emerging, bringing new opportunities and challenges to the research and development of new drugs. In this context, many domestic pharmaceutical companies continue to increase R&D investment and seek new breakthroughs. There are 40 Category 1 innovative drugs approved for marketing in 2023, nearly twice the number approved in 2022. At present, DCC has signed contracts with partners in 15 countries or regions, including India, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia, to promote the commercialization of its recombinant human coagulation factor VIII. products in the local market.
In addition, pharmaceutical companies have also demonstrated their social responsibility by participating in public welfare activities and supporting medical reform. For example, Shenzhou Cell has further alleviated the financial pressure of some patients through a charitable assistance program to support patients' medication, bringing good news to more hemophilia A patients. Through these actions, pharmaceutical companies have not only promoted the construction of a healthy China, but also enhanced their social influence and brand value.
The pharmaceutical industry, which shoulders the strategic task of implementing a healthy China, is not only the backbone of responding to the health needs of the people based on the present, but also a future industry full of unlimited potential. In the future, more and more participants will actively participate in the construction of a healthy China, continue to play a role, and jointly gather new momentum to drive the vigorous development of the industry.
Text: Wu Yaling, Geng Yan
Editor: Zhang Cao
Review: Liu Zhiyong
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