简体中文
China's cancer drug tariff removal is welcome news to Novartis, one of the world's largest drugmakers. The company’s new CEO, Vas Narasimhan, said that China’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reforms could offer more opportunities for foreign drugmakers.
“Chinese FDA has made remarkable progress in the past two or three years, it really opened up the trading system,” said Narasimhan, “it allowed companies like us to participate in China and bring medicines to Chinese patients.”
The company’s office based in Shanghai is one of its three global hubs.
In addition to traditional research, Novartis China focuses on digital development to find new drug targets and new medicines.
“I am quite excited to see so many talented people here in China and so many people are capable of working on the top digital trend,” Narasimhan added.
Pharmaceutical companies face a range of challenges from the digital world. But Narasimhan sees an opportunity for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in discoveries, trials and manufacturing.
“We are really excited about what digital technology can do for companies like us,” Narasimhan said, “we see how we research medicines to find new drugs by using AI, and do clinic trials by using apps, as well as using AI to upgrade our manufacturing.”
Novartis has just sold its stake in a consumer-health joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to the British company for 13 billion US dollars, as the CEO is betting on digital technology big-time.
Apart from digital technology, Narasimhan also mentioned the importance of the open trading system. He is hopeful there will be a “reasonable solution” for US-China trade friction.
“As a global company, we are looking for an open trading system,” said Narasimhan.
“In the long term, we are looking for a stable trade system, because this is the right thing for the world,” he added.
(CGTN)
