Novartis (NYSE: NVS) announced a further strategic collaboration with the Bo’Ao Lecheng Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, where it will establish a Novartis Hainan office and a real-world study center. The initiative aims to strengthen cooperation and exchange in real-world studies and clinical drug research and development, as well as promote the development of translational medicine and talent training in the region.
Partnership Details
Novartis is among the earliest multinational companies to partner with Lecheng’s pilot zone and has launched six “novel overseas special drugs” in the area. The establishment of the Hainan office and real-world study center marks a significant step in expanding its presence and capabilities in China.
Historical Context and Future Outlook
Since 1987, Novartis has secured marketing approvals for nearly 90 novel drugs in China. Notably, its Cosentyx (secukinumab), an IL-17A antagonist used to treat auto-immune diseases, was first administered in Boao Super Hospital in August 2018, even before it was approved in China. The Swiss major has continued to collaborate with Lecheng, bringing more new products and technologies to the region in 2020 and 2021. Currently, eight of Novartis’s novel drugs are reimbursed under the area’s global special drug insurance scheme.-Fineline Info & Tech
