Can you highlight the company’s vision for how it sees itself evolving as a global leader in biopharmaceuticals?

As a prominent biotechnology company in China, 3SBio aims to establish itself as a China-based global leader in biologics. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for patients by providing high-quality drugs and contributing to the betterment of humanity’s health. With integrated platforms for research and development, commercialization, manufacturing, and investment & alliances, we focus on various therapeutic areas, including oncology, rheumatology, nephrology, metabolic diseases, and dermatology. By expanding our international sales through the registration of existing products in new markets and the development of new products, we aim to make a significant impact in highly regulated markets through innovative and biosimilar pathways.

The Chinese government has shown a strong emphasis on innovation in life sciences, with significant investment growth over the past decade. How do 3SBio’s four R&D centers contribute to this innovation wave, and what further investments are planned to enhance the company’s R&D capabilities?

3SBio boasts an integrated R&D platform that includes a national engineering research center for antibody drugs and four R&D centers with platforms for both biologics and chemical drugs. Several projects within our group receive support from the National Important New Drug R&D program under the 13th 5-Year Plan. As of December 31, 2017, we had 31 product candidates in our active pipeline, with 16 being developed as National Class I New Drugs in China. These products cover therapeutic areas such as oncology, immunology, nephrology, metabolic diseases, and dermatology. Our fully integrated R&D platform enables us to accelerate the development of biologics products and provide a diverse range of treatment options for patients. Additionally, our robust R&D organizational structure supports the registration of new drugs and facilitates international cooperation, which has received high recognition from our American partners. In the future, we will focus our R&D efforts on innovative biologics products while also developing small molecule and generic drugs.

3SBio experienced an impressive revenue increase of 33.5% in 2017. What key factors are driving this growth?

The growth we witnessed is primarily attributed to the significant increase in sales of our core products, including TPIAO, Yisaipu, EPIAO, and SEPO. These products maintained their market-leading positions in China throughout 2017. Furthermore, the inclusion of three of our products (including two key products) in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in 2017 has allowed for improved penetration in hospitals covered by the NRDL. This inclusion also facilitates the expansion of our products in lower-tier cities and hospitals, thereby stimulating market share growth.

As of the end of 2017, 3SBio had 31 product candidates within its active pipeline, 16 of which were being developed as National Class I New Drugs in China. Can you provide more details on the company’s current portfolio assets?

At present, 3SBio’s research and development efforts are primarily focused on innovative biologics products. Our group has a robust portfolio of leading biologics products at various stages of clinical development. Some notable examples include NuPIAO, the second-generation recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) for the treatment of anemia, SSS07, an anti-TNFa antibody for rheumatoid arthritis, Pegsiticase, a modified pegylated recombinant uricase for refractory gout, 602, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody for cancer, 601, an anti-VEGF antibody for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and prefilled syringe dosage form of Yisaipu.

Regulatory reform in China has significantly impacted the pharmaceutical industry, but operating in China still presents challenges. Where does 3SBio see opportunities to improve efficiency in the business environment?

3SBio is evolving alongside the regulatory reforms in China. The “Healthy China” policy implemented in 2017 has accelerated the development of the biopharmaceutical industry. We see opportunities arising from the increased government support for innovative drugs and the potential for reimbursement coverage of drugs with proven efficacy and superior clinical benefits at competitive costs. With our integrated platforms for research and development, commercialization, manufacturing, and investment & alliances, we are well-positioned to seize industry opportunities. Our goal is to reinforce our position as a leading biopharmaceutical company in China by leveraging our capabilities and contributing to the progress of the healthcare sector.