The Paper's reporter Li Xiaoxiao
"I am very optimistic about the development prospects of China's big health industry. I am honored and look forward to leading Bayer to a new stage of development in the field of great health. Before the opening of the fourth CIIE, Zhou Xiaolan, global executive vice president of Bayer Group's prescription drug division, president of China and president of Bayer Group Greater China, expressed the above views in an exclusive interview with the surging news reporter.
Xiaolan Zhou joined Bayer in 2013 and was appointed Senior Vice President of the Prescription Drugs Division and President of Asia Pacific at Bayer Group in 2019. From July 1 this year, Zhou Xiaolan took over as Global Executive Vice President and President of Bayer Group's Prescription Drugs Division, President of China, and President of Bayer Group Greater China from October 1.
At the Expo, Zhou Xiaolan made her debut as the Chinese leader of a multinational pharmaceutical company. Speaking of the evaluation of the Expo, Zhou Xiaolan said that the Expo is a national platform for China to promote the "double cycle" strategy and promote foreign exchanges, providing a window for multinational enterprises, including Bayer, to show their innovative strength and advanced technology. Every year during the Expo, Bayer holds a number of signing ceremonies and press conferences, demonstrating Bayer's strong strength in meeting the two basic needs of mankind - medical health and agricultural sciences and its confidence in the Chinese market.
"Through the Expo, we have further expanded our interaction channels with governments at all levels, industry partners and consumers, and enhanced multi-faceted collaboration with local partners. By establishing partnerships with local companies, we accelerate innovation, empower Chinese consumers, and bring more opportunities and impetus to Bayer's development in China. Zhou Xiaolan said.
Bayer is an innovative life sciences company headquartered in Germany with a history of almost 160 years. Unlike other multinational pharmaceutical companies, their businesses include not only medical health, but also agricultural sciences. At this year's Expo, Bayer's three divisions – Prescription Drugs, Consumer Health and Crop Science – will be unveiled.
Zhou Xiaolan introduced that last year, Bayer announced at the Expo that it would launch the "Better Farm, Better Life" Chinese small farmer donation project this year, providing about 40 tons of plant protection products to 200,000 Chinese farmers affected by the new crown epidemic. At present, the project has been completed in Hubei, Henan and other places.
In the field of medicine and health, Bayer's BOOTH at this year's EXPO will showcase a number of innovative products, such as the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (cgms), which was approved in Hainan in August this year, at the Expo. This is a wearable "black technology" brought to Chinese diabetic patients, providing a basis for patients' self-glucose management and clinical treatment by providing minute-level continuous inter-tissue fluid glucose information.
Under the background of deepening the national medical reform, the medical insurance catalogue has been continuously updated, the speed of review and approval of new drugs has accelerated, and the procurement with quantity has been steadily advanced. For the current Chinese pharmaceutical policy environment, Zhou Xiaolan believes that these policies show the Determination of the Chinese Government to optimize the pharmaceutical environment and encourage pharmaceutical innovation, which also means that the country's emphasis on innovation and innovative drugs has increased rapidly. At present, Bayer has a number of drugs in the fields of oncology, ophthalmology, gynecology and blood have been included in the national medical insurance directory, especially the star product "Bai Tang Ping", which has also been included in the national drug collection, which can effectively improve the burden of diabetic patients. She said she was pleased to see that more Chinese patients could benefit from Bayer's high-quality original drug treatment.
The continuous integration of multinational pharmaceutical companies into China's local innovation environment has been the choice of many multinational pharmaceutical companies in recent years, and Bayer is no exception. In 2020, Bayer established a strategic partnership with Hua Ling Pharmaceutical, a leading innovative drug company in China, to reach an agreement on the commercialization of the new diabetes drug Doglia Edin in China. In addition, Bayer has launched a global clinical collaboration with CStone, with a focus on China, to assess the potential of byvango and pd-L1 monoclonal antibody combination therapy for the treatment of multiple types of tumors.
Zhou Xiaolan commented that for multinational pharmaceutical companies and local innovative pharmaceutical companies, the cooperation between the two sides will be a win-win situation, organically combining advanced technology, research and development resources, local insights and channel advantages to achieve the effect of 1+1 greater than 2.
"After nearly 140 years of deep experience in China, China has become one of the most important pillars of Bayer's global business. At present, China is the world's largest market for Bayer's prescription drugs and the second largest market for consumer health products. Each business unit has formulated its own China strategy and is ready or has further increased its size in the Chinese market. Zhou Xiaolan stressed that Bayer, as one of the first multinational enterprises to enter China, has the confidence and determination rooted in China.
Editor-in-Charge: It's Winter
Proofreader: Shi Gong