The scale of new-drug development has reached approximately three times Japan's, putting Chinese pharmaceutical companies in the spotlight as a source of new drugs. Against this backdrop, major pharmaceutical companies in Europe and the United States are reportedly purchasing large quantities of new-drug-related products from Chinese companies.
Japan, the United States and Europe were long regarded as the leading centers of new-drug development. Meanwhile, an influx of talent into China and improvements in the country's research and development environment have progressed, while pharmaceutical regulatory reforms have helped drive the expansion of new-drug development. More people of Chinese origin are returning to China to join Chinese companies, while others are starting biotechnology ventures.
Against this backdrop, some have pointed out that Japan fell behind in developing treatments and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is concern in some quarters that the industry may be shifting toward a "four-pole structure" comprising Japan, the United States, Europe and China. The article states that this trend could affect the global structure of new-drug development in the future.