China in the fast lane

Brett Gardiner and Boon Yap from Research Partnership discuss access opportunities for novel therapies in the world’s hottest emerging market

The sheer size of China’s population (1.4 billion) has long made it an attractive market for pharma in terms of potential volume, especially in the context of rising affluence associated with a growing middle class. In 2017, China was ranked the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world, behind the US. However, it has traditionally been a challenging market to launch into, particularly for manufacturers developing innovative and novel therapies.

Recent changes to China’s regulations under its 2025 Made in China strategic plan – including an expedited market access process, more frequent updates to Reimbursed Drugs Listings and additional routes to reimbursement – look set to transform this paradigm and necessitate a reconsideration of manufacturers’ strategies to obtaining optimal pricing and reimbursement (P&R).

• Read the full article in pharmaphorum's Deep Dive digital magazine here