CGT opening-up to spur China's bio-medical industry

Employees perform sample pre-processing for use in sequencing analysis in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Nov 12. The measures were detailed in a guideline to support Suzhou Industrial Park to become a pilot area for opening-up and innovation throughout the biopharmaceutical industry chain, encouraging qualified institutions in the Suzhou section of the China Pilot Free Trade Zone to conduct clinical research in frontier medical fields such as cell and gene therapy. This is the first time that foreign companies in the region are allowed to conduct research and provide financial support for the cell and gene therapy sector, as they were previously restricted from participating in such areas since the implementation of the country's negative list for foreign investment 2021 edition. Zhang Yu, chief scientific officer at Vcanbio Cell & Gene Engineering Corp, said this move signals the country's need for high-quality foreign investment to support its high-quality development. Zhang's view is echoed by Chen Li, an executive at Shanghai-based cell therapy company Neukio Biotherapeutics, who emphasized the broader significance of the pilot policy for the whole CGT industry.