Expo to help accelerate MSD's Writing Our Future strategy

In pursuing a corporate strategy of "Writing Our Future", the top China executive of MSD said the global pharmaceutical company will continue to be a trusted leading partner in China's healthcare ecosystem for decades to come.

Anna Van Acker, president of MSD in China and senior vice-president of MSD, said the company's cutting-edge portfolio, innovative products and urgent sense of duty support the strategy, which was launched in 2021. She made the remarks ahead of the ongoing sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Other pillars for the company, which has a complete portfolio covering prevention to treatment and will preside over the CIIE Pharma Committee this year, include improving accessibility and affordability for patients and consumers, sustaining long-term partnerships with customers and strengthening capabilities in data analysis, digitalization, and lifecycle management of products at different stages so they have greater value for patients, Van Acker said.

"China has tremendous unmet medical needs that will only be exacerbated in the future as the country is home to a fast aging population. That's why we must dream of a world where cancer isn't just treated, but potentially cured," added Van Acker. "At MSD, we have a sense of urgency and are moving at full speed ahead to save more lives from cancer with a vast development program."

By conducting more than 80 clinical trials covering 20 types of tumors, MSD expects to bring new treatment options to more Chinese physicians and patients in the coming years. The company's therapies have long been used for public health causes in China, including treating more than 10 million patients in 2022 alone.

Van Acker said that in order to continue riding the wave of China's medical care development, MSD will make further moves to improve accessibility and affordability by pursuing innovative access solutions and pan-industry partnerships along the patient journey of prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and keep long-term partnerships with customers to improve the quality of academic engagement and create solutions with stakeholders.

Since MSD's 9-valent HPV vaccine was introduced in 2018, more than 40 million Chinese women and girls have been inoculated. In 2022, the vaccine was approved in China to expand the age bracket of receivers (9 to 45), a milestone in the company's efforts to support the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030.

Other initiatives contribute to all-round awareness and prevention of cervical cancer, said Van Acker. This year marks the 10th anniversary of MSD running "Shell Action" jointly with the China Women's Development Foundation, promoting cervical health knowledge to around 90 million women and families in China.

"Also, because we understand the importance of a robust public health system in fighting infectious diseases, we launched the Jingwei Project with Peking University to support development of Chinese public health talents. The first phase kicked off at last year's CIIE and we plan to do more this year," said Van Acker.