CCCMHPIE Joins Hands with International Organizations to Build New Access Channels for Pharmaceutical Markets in Low- and Middle-Income Countries — Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) Docking and Exchange Event Successfully Held in Shanghai

July 7, 2025  Source: drugdu 55

"/On June 25, 2025, the "Exchange Meeting for Assisting Chinese Enterprises in Entering Pharmaceutical Markets of Low - and Middle - Income Countries" co - hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products (CCCMHPIE) and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) – a global health organization supported by the United Nations – successfully concluded at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

The event gathered experts from MPP, the United Nations International Drug Purchase Facility (UNITAID), and over 50 Chinese pharmaceutical companies to jointly explore strategic paths for tapping into the global pharmaceutical blue - ocean market with a population of 4.5 billion through innovative international cooperation mechanisms. President Zhou Hui of CCCMHPIE and Dr. Judith Federhofer, Director of Business Development at MPP, attended the forum and delivered speeches. Director Zhang Beibei of the Legal and Comprehensive Department presided over the forum.
I. Breaking the Trade Dilemma: Building a "Non-US-Centered" Overseas Expansion Channel

Against the backdrop of global supply chain restructuring and escalating China-US trade frictions, MPP and UNITAID have provided a new paradigm for international pharmaceutical cooperation for Chinese enterprises. In his opening speech, President Zhou Hui of CCCMHPIE pointed out: "Low- and middle-income countries bear 70% of the global disease burden, yet nearly 2 billion people there face the predicament of lacking access to medical care and medicines. China's pharmaceutical industry has the responsibility and capability to transform 'Made in China' into global health solutions through mechanisms such as MPP."
Dr. Judith Federhofer, Director of Business Development at MPP, confirmed the opportunities with data: "MPP has facilitated 5.22 billion doses of medicines to benefit 148 countries. Chinese API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) enterprises can become core suppliers of multinational companies through authorization; generic drug enterprises can avoid patent risks of innovative drugs and reach over 100 low- and middle-income countries; and innovative pharmaceutical enterprises can accelerate technology transformation and market access – this is a win-win strategic choice."
II. Three Innovative Pathways to Address Market Pain Points

1. Compliance Passport: "One Submission, Multi-Country Access" for International Registration

Mr. Parag Nimbolkar, MPP’s patent licensing expert, systematically elaborated on feasible paths and strategies for Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises to enter low- and middle-income country markets through MPP’s cooperation mechanisms. He stated: "With MPP’s support, Chinese pharmaceutical companies can efficiently pass procedures such as WHO Prequalification (PQ) and EU-M4all, breaking the bottleneck of ‘insufficiency of only NMPA approval’. Through MPP’s cooperation platforms with regional alliances like ASEAN APRF and Africa’s ZAZIBONA, they can achieve simultaneous market access in over 10 countries."

2. New Business Model: Volume-Price Binding + Flexible Royalty

MPP pioneered a "demand forecasting + tiered licensing" mechanism, which locks in procurement volumes based on disease burden data (e.g., 70% of global lung cancer patients are in low- and middle-income countries) and adjusts rates according to the income level of target countries, ensuring that drug prices in low-income countries drop to 1/20 of the original research price.

Mr. Vignesh Shivanath, BD Director of India’s Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, shared the achievements of strategic cooperation with MPP. He said: "Through MPP’s authorization for COVID-19 drugs covering 37 countries, the company saved over 2 million US dollars in patent litigation costs during the same period."

Mr. Zhou Bin, General Manager of International Sales at Shanghai Desano Pharmaceuticals—the first Chinese enterprise authorized by MPP—shared a decade of strategic cooperation experience with MPP, providing valuable references for Chinese pharmaceutical companies to explore low- and middle-income country markets. He stated: "It is hoped that more Chinese enterprises will recognize and make good use of MPP’s business system, allowing global patients to feel the wisdom and warmth of Chinese pharmaceutical professionals, and achieving shared patents, shared responsibilities, and a win-win future."

3. Shaping New Markets: International Organizations Collaborate to Empower Chinese Strength

Shaping the pharmaceutical market in low- and middle-income countries and establishing an efficient, sustainable value chain are key to the commercial success of Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises’ overseas expansion. Mr. Robert Matiru, Director of International Development and Global Health Programs at UNITAID, detailed UNITAID’s strategies and practices to improve drug accessibility in low- and middle-income countries through innovative models. He emphasized: "We invest over 300 million US dollars annually in purchasing cost-effective drugs, prioritizing support for Chinese production lines certified by WHO-PQ to help enterprises establish regional supply chain hubs."

Ms. Zhang Beibei, Director of the Legal and Comprehensive Department of CCCMHPIE, systematically elaborated on the development process of China’s pharmaceutical industry from API exports to 制剂国际化 (pharmaceutical preparation internationalization) and then to innovative drug globalization. She introduced the internal driving forces, latest situation, development opportunities, and challenges faced by Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises in their overseas expansion. She stated: "Emerging markets have become a major source of growth in the global pharmaceutical market, providing new opportunities and a broad stage for the international development of China’s pharmaceutical industry. CCCMHPIE will continue to play its role as an industry spokesperson, leverage its professional and technical advantages, and utilize its international cooperation resources to support Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises in integrating their internationalization strategies with global health needs through diversified market development and localized layout."

III. Future Actions: Building a Global Health Community

This event marks a key step in the transformation of China’s pharmaceutical industry towards a "global health partner." CCCMHPIE will establish a long-term cooperation mechanism with MPP and UNITAID, continuously promoting standard alignment, patent pool expansion, and localized production. It will accelerate the integration of China’s GMP with international quality systems, facilitate the inclusion of Chinese innovative drugs in global procurement lists, and promote localized production in Africa and Southeast Asia to build regional supply chain hubs.

As President Zhou Hui envisioned in his speech, "When the great way prevails, the world is for all." Let us work together to help more Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises serve global health needs safely and efficiently through international mechanisms such as MPP, so that more lives can thrive through our efforts!

https://www.cccmhpie.org.cn/newsinfo/8491031.html

By editor
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