Didier Déréglais, Chief Commercial Officer of International Business at U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, revealed that China has taken the lead over Europe in pharmaceutical innovation and drug R&D, and is gradually becoming a major force in new drug development and clinical research, reshaping the global pharmaceutical industry landscape.
Speaking Tuesday at an event organized by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Déréglais said that China has become an important force in global innovative drug research and development.
He said: “Today, 40% of global oncology clinical studies are conducted in China. The innovative achievements emerging from China’s biotechnology sector are remarkable.”
Déréglais pointed out that, according to Pfizer’s current assessment, clinical development in China can proceed about three times faster than in Europe, with costs at roughly half of Europe’s.
He also cited data indicating that China has become a more important source of innovative drugs than Europe. “Of the 81 innovative drugs launched globally in 2024, 28 came from China, while only 18 came from Europe.”
Currently, European pharmaceutical companies and policymakers are discussing how to maintain Europe’s competitiveness in medical R&D and production amid intensifying competition from China and the United States.
Déréglais said: “We not only have to compete with the U.S., but we must also compete with China. We need to recognize that the challenge posed by China is real.”
In response to the rapid rise of China’s biotech industry, the United States is also accelerating drug R&D. On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a program called Operation Trial Blazer and updated its early-stage clinical research guidelines to shorten drug development cycles. The FDA expects the new measures to save pharmaceutical companies six months to one year in R&D time.