Betta applauds supportive moves in pharma sector

Chinese firms can accelerate clinical trials and bring their drugs to market faster with more supportive policies, challenging foreign monopolies and positioning themselves as leaders in global biopharma, said a national political adviser on the sidelines of the two sessions that ended on Tuesday.

Ding Lieming, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Betta Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, a leading innovative biopharma firm, recalled a pivotal moment in his company's rise in an interview with China Daily. In 2005, Betta faced a significant roadblock while submitting a clinical trial application for its oncology drug.

The approval process at that time took up to two years, a timeline that hindered the company's R&D efforts. After turning to the Zhejiang provincial government for support, Betta's request was expedited, and approval was cut to just seven months.