As China strides confidently toward its goal of becoming a global innovation powerhouse, French pharmaceutical company Ipsen, specializing in rare diseases, oncology and neuroscience, is realigning its innovation strategy with the aim to further embrace the country's growth potential.

Ipsen is one of the most active pharmaceutical research and development companies in the world and invests substantially in innovation and R&D, with 20.2 percent of its total sales invested in R&D in 2024. According to Guillaume Delmotte, general manager of Ipsen China, the Chinese market has always been a vital innovation hub and plays a key role in Ipsen's R&D strategy. In addition to strengthening its internal R&D capacities and bringing technologies into China, the company is keen to partner with more innovative Chinese biotech developers in the years ahead to more effectively meet the growing global medical demand.

"With our Shanghai innovation hub, Ipsen is committed to putting China in the first wave of all new clinical developments. From the earliest stages of R&D trials to Phase III clinical trials, China will be in sync with the global timeline, accelerating the introduction of innovative drugs and new assets," said Delmotte. "Meanwhile, we are also looking for opportunities to partner with local companies for innovative products or innovative approaches to enhance the affordability and accessibility of our drugs."

Forging connections

According to Delmotte, who assumed his role at Ipsen China in 2021, the healthcare innovation landscape and ecosystem in China has experienced tremendous transformation in recent years, benefiting from the country's long-term endeavors in bolstering innovation and high-quality development.

"China has transitioned from being a follower in innovation to becoming a leader in originating innovation. We see a significant number of global clinical trial projects launched in the country each year," said Delmotte.

Ipsen, set to grow with new trends in China, reached an exclusive global licensing agreement with Foreseen Biotechnology, a Chinese biotech company, to advance the development of an antibody-drug conjugate with first-in-class potential in 2024. The collaboration provides Foreseen with up to $1.03 billion in upfront, development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, in addition to tiered royalties on global sales. "The collaboration underscores our commitment to nurturing Chinese innovation, advances the development and global commercialization of cutting-edge drugs, ultimately extending their reach to benefit a larger population of patients worldwide," said Delmotte.

In the next few years, collaborations with the Chinese bio-companies and research institutions will continue to be created so more Chinese solutions can be brought to the world through Ipsen's platform.

"Chinese innovation in the healthcare sector is entering a golden period of development. We will continue to seek opportunities for Ipsen's development in China and for China," said Delmotte. "The collaboration with Chinese partners also demonstrates Ipsen's dedication to advancing Sino-French innovation& partnership. In the future, Ipsen aims to co-create next-generation innovations with Chinese academic and research institutions in gene therapy, cell therapy, and artificial intelligence applications in healthcare, develop new mechanisms of action and molecules, and identify better treatment options for patients," he added.

Long-term commitment

Since its arrival in Tianjin in 1992, Ipsen has consistently viewed China as one of its key markets on the global stage, making enduring investments in areas such as R&D, network expansion, and production facility construction. Milestone projects including the Shanghai innovation hub, one of four of its kind across the world, in 2019; and the China headquarters in Shanghai in 2021.

It has also maintained a patient-centric approach and is dedicated to supporting patients in all aspects from cutting-edge treatments to facilitating access, and meticulously enhancing small details to elevate the quality of life for patients. In a recent development, Ipsen collaborated with its partners to create a comprehensive and digitally integrated support system for individuals battling prostate cancer. This initiative encompasses early diagnosis, disease education, and ongoing disease management, addressing the diverse needs of patients and offering support throughout their entire treatment journeys.

Deepening roots

Ipsen China, having transitioned into a transformative drug developer following the divestment of its Consumer Healthcare business over the past three years, is poised to deepen its roots in China with ambitious development objectives, according to Delmotte.

In the next five years, Ipsen China has set a goal to become the group's top affiliate with significant contributions toward total business revenue.

"In China, we have put forward the mission and vision of 'Put China at the Center of Ipsen, Put Ipsen at the Center of China' to lead our transformation and development, and have acquired significant achievements focusing on strategic priorities," said Delmotte. "We anticipate a new indication in oncology and the arrival of several potential new assets by the end of this year. Over the next five years, we plan to launch three to five new assets or drugs in China."

Eyeing the growing potential in the Chinese market, Ipsen China will gear up to support China in assuming a larger role in the global pharmaceutical industry.

"For me, I believe that we have already evolved from 'In China, For China' into 'In China, For the World'. We have to keep it on," said Delmotte. "Ipsen will continue to expand our collaboration and investment in China and boost the high-quality development of the healthcare industry. With China's high-level opening-up and continuous optimization of the business environment, we are fully confident in China's development trajectory.

"We are committed to making a more significant contribution to the Healthy China 2030 initiative by leveraging our expertise in specialty care and addressing unmet patient needs."