As Chinese pharmaceutical assets become strategic targets for global collaboration and Chinese innovative drugs emerge as key drivers in the global market, there is an urgent need for a standardized, international, and market-oriented high-end platform within China. This platform will systematically showcase the competitive advantages of Chinese innovation, facilitate engagement with MNCs and overseas investors, lead global rule-setting, and catalyze the upgrading of the innovation ecosystem.

From July 22 to 24, 2026, TONACEA will host The 1st China Pharmaceutical Innovation Conference(CPIC) in the Golden Hall of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) .

Featuring over 50 themed sessions and corporate satellite meetings, thousands of global industry leaders will gather in Hongqiao(Shanghai) to explore 300+ trending topics. Together, they will decode the core logic behind the rise of China’s new drugs, discuss globalization strategies, and establish a pioneering paradigm: "China Innovation–Global Partnerships–Shanghai Dealmaking."

CPIC 2026 will feature a series of high-level roundtables for in-depth deliberations on core industry propositions. Notably, the session themed "From 'Riding the Boat' to 'Building the Ship': The Evolution and Ecosystem Restructuring of Global BD for Chinese Innovative Drugs" is exclusively curated by Dr. Han Dai from Viva Biotech.

Background

Against the backdrop of a profound restructuring in the global biopharma innovation landscape, Chinese innovative drugs are undergoing a pivotal leap—moving from "following" to "running alongside," and even "setting the pace" in specific therapeutic areas. Business Development (BD) has transcended the simple concept of "riding others' ships" to go global; it is now evolving into an ecosystem co-construction of "building our own vessels" for long-distance voyages.

We are honored to convene the heads of external innovation from four global pharmaceutical giants—Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Lilly, Sanofi, and Novartis—to explore: How can Chinese innovative drugs achieve value transcendence in the global BD wave? From early-stage pipeline scouting to late-stage joint development, and from out-licensing to "Co-Co" (Co-Development & Co-Commercialization) models, a new paradigm of ecological synergy is taking shape. Our roundtable will focus on data-driven valuation, international clinical development pathways, and the strategic balance between domestic and global markets, decoding the advanced path for Chinese innovative drugs on the world stage.

Roundtable Guests

Curator & Moderator：Han Dai
Chief Innovation Officer , Head of Viva BioInnovator, Viva Biotech

Yu Ren
Vice President, China Business Development, Global Business Development, Pfizer

Yang Liu
Head of Lilly Gateway Labs，ChinaDeputy Head of LAL，Lilly China External Innovation

Zhaomin Chen
Head of R&D External Innovation & Partnering, Sanofi China Innovation Center

Fang Li
Director, BD Search & Evaluation, Novartis China