Zhangjiang stresses reform for innovation

Zhangjiang is keen on reforms to better encourage innovation for high-quality development over the past decade since the FTZ's establishment. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_01c6f7b4cf3d]

Zhangjiang, as part of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, has been keen on reforms to better encourage innovation for high-quality development over the past decade since the FTZ's establishment.  

Take the area's pilot implementation of the drug marketing authorization holder (MAH) system as an example. The MAH system allows drug marketing authorization holders the ownership of the drugs and can produce them themselves or entrust them to other qualified manufacturers. It inhibits the low-level duplication of pharmaceutical companies from the source, increases enthusiasm for new drug research and development, and promotes the prosperity of contracted production.

Zhangjiang has piloted the system since 2016, which has greatly accelerated the original innovation and industrialization process of Zhangjiang biomedicine.

New drug R&D companies in Zhangjiang, including Zai Lab, Hua Medicine, BeiGene, and Hutchison Whampoa, have become the first batch of drug marketing authorization holders to pilot the MAH system.

Official data showed that in 2016 and 2017, only one Category 1 domestic innovative drug was launched in Shanghai. The number increased to 12 in 2021 and 2022.

To better serve the area's enterprises, which are mostly involved in biomedicine or integrated circuits, Zhangjiang has also pioneered a streamlined customs clearance system that allows enterprises to complete procedures such as order collection, customs declaration, physical confirmation at the checkpoint, inspection, and pick-up of goods in one stop at the Zhangjiang Cross-Border Center, cutting customs clearance time from two to three working days to just six to 10 hours.

Zhangjiang strives for an innovative development environment with international competitiveness. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_01c6f7b4cf3d]

Zhangjiang, which is set to create an important source of new scientific discoveries, new technological inventions, and new industrial directions, will continue to strive for an innovative development environment with international competitiveness.