Original Title: Notice of the General Office of the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government on Issuing Several Policy Measures to Promote the High-Quality Development of Chengdu’s Biomedical Industry
These policy measures have been formulated to further advance the development of Chengdu’s biomedical industry ecosystem and supply chains, accelerate the formation of new productive forces in the fields of innovative drugs and high-end medical devices, and promote the high-quality development of the biomedical industry.
I. Support for R&D and Innovation in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices
(1) Support for Innovative Drug R&D. For Class 1 innovative drugs, upon completion of preclinical studies, Phase I clinical trials, Phase II clinical trials, and Phase III clinical trials, rewards of up to 3 million yuan, 3 million yuan, 5 million yuan, and 7 million yuan, respectively, will be granted based on 20% of the R&D investment for each corresponding stage.For those that only complete early-stage clinical trials and confirmatory clinical trials, rewards of up to 4 million yuan and 7 million yuan, respectively, will be granted based on 20% of the R&D investment for the corresponding stages. For those included in the Breakthrough Therapy Program and obtaining a drug registration certificate for the first time, an additional reward of 1 million yuan will be granted, with a maximum annual reward of 100 million yuan per enterprise. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Supervision Administration)
(2) Supporting the R&D of Modified New Drugs.For Class 2 improved new drugs, those that complete Phase II or Phase III clinical trials will be awarded up to 2 million yuan or 3 million yuan, respectively, based on 10% of the R&D investment for the corresponding phase. Those included in the Breakthrough Therapy Program and obtaining a drug registration certificate for the first time will receive an additional 500,000 yuan. The maximum annual award per enterprise is 20 million yuan. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau)
(3) Support for Class III Medical Device R&D. For Class III medical devices with independent intellectual property rights that obtain a medical device registration certificate for the first time, a reward of up to 5 million yuan, equivalent to 20% of R&D investment, will be granted. If the device is included in the National Special Approval or Priority Approval Program for Innovative Medical Devices, the maximum reward amount will be increased by an additional 1 million yuan. The maximum annual reward per enterprise is 10 million yuan. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau)
(4) Support for Class II Medical Device R&D. For Class II medical devices (excluding diagnostic reagents and equipment components) that are included in the provincial special or priority approval procedures for innovative medical devices and obtain a medical device registration certificate for the first time, a reward of up to 2 million yuan, equivalent to 10% of R&D investment, will be granted. The maximum annual reward per enterprise is 5 million yuan. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau)
(5) Enhancing Innovation Service Capabilities.For the construction of public service platforms in the biopharmaceutical sector—including Contract Research Organizations (CROs), Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) facilities, drug efficacy evaluation centers, drug discovery centers, animal model research centers, and testing and inspection facilities—with fixed-asset investments of 10 million yuan or more, a reward of up to 5 million yuan will be granted, equivalent to 10% of the fixed-asset investment;If such public service platforms provide services to non-affiliated pharmaceutical and medical device R&D enterprises and their annual service revenue reaches 10 million yuan or more, a reward of up to 2 million yuan, equivalent to 5% of their annual service revenue, will be granted.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
(6) Enhance the momentum of innovative development. Support the innovative development of the biopharmaceutical industry by optimizing sectors such as antibody drugs, nuclear medicine, blood products, pharmaceutical outsourcing services, and large-volume parenteral solutions; strengthening sectors such as vaccines, modern traditional Chinese medicine, in vitro diagnostics, and medical devices; and strategically positioning sectors such as cell and gene therapy, brain science and brain-computer interfaces, AI+biopharmaceuticals, and synthetic biology.Support the establishment of national-level industrial innovation centers, technology innovation centers, and manufacturing innovation centers in the biopharmaceutical sector; encourage the development of high-level medical platforms such as National Medical Centers, National Clinical Medical Research Centers, National Regional Medical Centers, and National Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance and Innovation Centers; and support the accelerated construction of the Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory.(Responsible Units: Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Economy and Information Technology Bureau, Municipal New Economy Commission, Municipal Health Commission)
(7) Accelerate Review and Approval Processes. Seek support from national drug and medical device registration review authorities; cooperate with the Provincial Drug Administration to implement reform pilot programs, reducing the review period for drug supplemental applications to 60 working days and the review and approval period for drug clinical trial applications to 30 working days.Strengthen pre-registration guidance and technical services; collaborate with the Provincial Drug Administration to focus on key R&D products and projects; implement a dedicated team service mechanism and tripartite cooperation agreements among provincial, municipal, and district (county) levels within industrial parks; and enhance coordination services for critical stages such as clinical research, production licensing, marketing authorization, and inspection and testing.Support the Municipal Institute of Pharmaceutical Inspection in strengthening the development of specialized technical service platforms for radioactive pharmaceuticals and medical devices, promote the development of biological product testing capabilities, and strive to establish the Chengdu Port Pharmaceutical Inspection Institute to provide enterprises with services such as product safety evaluation, quality control, registration and filing, risk assessment, testing and inspection, and technical training. [Responsible Units: Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, relevant districts (cities) and counties]
II. Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Clinical Research
(8) Promote mutual recognition of medical ethics reviews. Establish the Chengdu Regional Medical Ethics Alliance to expand the scope of mutual recognition for medical ethics review results. For projects reviewed by the Regional Medical Ethics Alliance, medical institutions may streamline their internal ethics review procedures. Improve the quality and efficiency of ethics reviews conducted by lead institutions, establish a mutual recognition monitoring mechanism, conduct two-way evaluations between medical institutions and enterprises, strengthen dynamic management, and continuously enhance the effectiveness of mutual recognition.(Responsible Units: Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau)
(9) Improve the clinical research support system. Deepen the integration of medicine and engineering, support the opening of research resources—such as national laboratories, national clinical medical research centers, and new R&D institutions—to key medical and health institutions, and encourage exchanges and cooperation among universities, research institutes, medical and health institutions, and key enterprises. Form regional or specialty-specific clinical research consortia to collaboratively conduct clinical research and improve the overall quality and efficiency of clinical research.Explore the establishment of pre-clinical trial cohorts for cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and metabolic disorders. While ensuring informed consent from participants, support the sharing of information on participant resources among medical institutions in accordance with laws and regulations to facilitate rapid participant enrollment. Coordinate efforts to establish regional biobank alliances, integrate research resources such as medical big data and laboratory animals, and provide robust support for clinical research on innovative drugs and high-end medical devices.(Responsible Units: Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau)
(10) Encourage the Conduct of Clinical Research. Support the development of research-oriented hospitals and research-oriented wards. Support medical institutions in recruiting and cultivating clinical research talent, and accelerate the introduction of a group of “leading PIs” (Principal Investigators). Encourage medical institutions to undertake world-class clinical trials and landmark domestic first-in-class clinical research projects, and to conduct multicenter clinical trials.Beds designated for clinical research shall not be included in the total bed count of medical institutions, and no performance metrics such as bed profitability, turnover rate, or utilization rate shall be applied to them. Clinical trial projects shall be treated as research projects of corresponding levels based on their source and classification, and shall be incorporated into the management of principal investigators and direct participants regarding professional title promotion, position appointment, and project application. Upon completion and acceptance of a clinical trial project, the remaining funds after deducting relevant expenses in accordance with regulations may be fully used for personnel rewards or investment in the commercialization of research outcomes.The number of clinical trial projects conducted and the revenue generated by medical institutions in Chengdu will be used as key evaluation indicators for assessment and analysis. (Responsible Units: Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau)
(11) Support the development of drug and medical device clinical trial (GCP) institutions.Medical institutions that register their GCP institution qualifications for the first time and commence operations after passing an inspection by the drug regulatory authorities will be awarded a 500,000 yuan incentive. GCP institutions that have already obtained qualifications and undertake the research and development of new drugs or innovative medical devices and successfully complete clinical trials will be awarded 10% of the project value, with the annual cumulative award per medical institution not exceeding 2 million yuan.(Responsible Units: Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Health Commission)
III. Support for Clinical Application of Products
(12) Accelerate the Adoption of Innovative Drugs and Medical Devices. Explore the establishment of a catalog of innovative drug and medical device products and promote their accelerated adoption in hospitals based on the principle of “providing all that should be provided.”Optimize the workflows of medical institutions’ Pharmaceutical Affairs Committees and Medical Device Management Committees. Based on clinical needs and hospital specialties, convene at least one meeting of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Committee and Medical Device Management Committee per quarter to discuss the adoption of innovative drugs and medical devices. For Class 1 innovative drugs and Class 2 improved new drugs that have been listed online, convene the Pharmaceutical Affairs Committee within one week and one month, respectively, to initiate the adoption process and complete the relevant procedures as soon as possible.Medical institutions shall not restrict the admission of innovative drugs and medical devices on grounds such as their absence from the medical insurance directory, volume of drug usage, or the proportion of drug and consumable costs. Strengthen academic exchange activities, encourage clinical application research, and promptly establish expert consensus. Enhance training and guidance, establish communication platforms, optimize service processes, and assist in the timely online listing of innovative drug and medical device products. (Responsible Units: Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
(13) Support the application of innovative products.Promote the renovation and upgrading of hospital wards and the renewal of medical equipment and facilities. Encourage medical institutions to procure or upgrade medical equipment such as medical imaging, radiation therapy, telemedicine, surgical robots, and medication dispensing robots based on clinical needs. Promote innovative products in nuclear medicine, cell and gene therapy, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis, and digital health in accordance with laws and regulations.Assist in the project application and pricing of medical services related to innovative drugs and medical devices. Establish a “green channel” for major innovative projects that optimize treatment protocols for serious diseases or fill gaps in diagnosis and treatment, supporting the early realization of clinical and market value for medical services related to innovative drugs and medical devices. Coordinate efforts to secure the launch of pilot programs for expanding the development and application of new medical technologies in the Chengdu area of the Sichuan Pilot Free Trade Zone.[Responsible Units: Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Commerce Bureau, relevant districts (cities) and counties]
(14) Explore medical insurance payment support mechanisms.Provide support for innovative drugs and medical devices as well as new medical technologies in the reform of medical insurance payment methods and the management of designated medical institutions. Improve support measures such as separate payment, DRG (Diagnosis-Related Group) exclusion mechanisms, and special case negotiation mechanisms; once sufficient data has been accumulated for eligible innovative drugs, medical devices, and new medical technologies, group them separately. (Responsible Units: Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Municipal Health Commission)
(15) Expand commercial health insurance channels.Support the optimization of coverage scope for inclusive commercial health insurance and encourage commercial insurance companies to develop products covering a wider range of innovative drugs and medical devices. Strengthen communication and coordination between biopharmaceutical companies and the “Huirongbao” coverage alliance, establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the selection of special drugs under “Huirongbao,” and support the inclusion of all eligible innovative drugs and medical devices. (Responsible units: Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Municipal Party Committee Financial Affairs Office, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
(16) Expand payment scenarios for innovative drugs and medical devices. Accelerate the promotion of the “Three Electronics and Two Payments” application scenarios for medical insurance, advance the construction of electronic prescription circulation platforms, and optimize the management of designated retail pharmacies under medical insurance. Encourage eligible designated medical institutions to provide internet-based medical services, and implement consistent medical insurance management for both online and offline medical services. Adjust and improve the selection mechanism for “dual-channel” pharmacies, and expand the number of designated “dual-channel” medical institutions.(Responsible Units: Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
IV. Supporting Enterprise Growth and Expansion
(17) Cultivating Leading Enterprises. Award 3 million yuan to enterprises entering the Top 100 of China’s Pharmaceutical Industry for the first time; further award 1 million yuan, 2 million yuan, and 3 million yuan to enterprises entering the Top 50, Top 30, and Top 10, respectively;Enterprises awarded the China Industrial Grand Prize will receive a 3 million yuan reward. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
(18) Developing Flagship Products. Pharmaceutical and medical device products whose annual sales revenue exceeds 100 million yuan, 300 million yuan, 500 million yuan, or 1 billion yuan for the first time will be awarded 300,000 yuan, 500,000 yuan, 1 million yuan, or 2 million yuan, respectively, with a maximum annual reward of 5 million yuan per enterprise.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
(19) Support the Expansion of International Markets. For biopharmaceutical enterprises that license their innovative achievements through intellectual property (patents) to non-affiliated enterprises outside China for the commercial development of licensed products (technologies)—including research, development, production, and sales—and receive an initial payment of 100 million yuan or more, a reward of up to 3 million yuan will be granted, equivalent to 5‰ of the actual initial payment received.For pharmaceuticals and medical devices that are registered for the first time with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Union (CE), the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) of Japan, the World Health Organization (WHO), or other relevant agencies, and are subsequently sold in the respective foreign markets, a reward of 700,000 yuan will be granted for each pharmaceutical product and 500,000 yuan for each medical device product, with a maximum annual reward of 1.5 million yuan per enterprise.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau)
(20) Support the industrialization of research outcomes.For innovative drugs and improved new drugs that have obtained drug registration certificates, as well as medical devices included in the national or provincial special approval or priority approval procedures for innovative medical devices and have obtained medical device registration certificates, projects that are industrialized in our city with actual fixed-asset investments of 20 million yuan or more will be granted a reward of 5% of the actual fixed-asset investment, up to a maximum of 10 million yuan, with a maximum annual reward of 20 million yuan per enterprise.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy)
V. Building a Comprehensive Industrial Ecosystem
(21) Strengthen investment and financing support. Facilitate direct financing channels, effectively coordinate existing biomedical funds, and expand the scale of these funds as appropriate. Increase investment in promising enterprises and high-quality R&D pipelines across the upstream and downstream segments of the biomedical industry chain.Encourage relevant funds to “invest early, invest in small-scale enterprises, and invest in hard technology” in the biopharmaceutical sector, and support enterprises in growing and strengthening themselves through mergers and acquisitions. Strengthen ties with the National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund, the Strategic Emerging Industries Development Fund, and others to secure investment from major national funds.(Responsible Units: Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Municipal Party Committee Financial Affairs Office, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau)
(22) Promote customs clearance facilitation for special items in the biopharmaceutical sector. Implement “customs-local coordination” joint supervision for the entry and exit of special items used in biopharmaceutical R&D within the municipal area; establish a rapid response consultation and coordination mechanism; improve the “whitelist” management system for biopharmaceutical enterprises (institutions); and provide rapid approval, customs clearance, and release for special items imported or exported by “whitelist” enterprises (institutions).(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Chengdu Customs, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Municipal Port and Logistics Office, Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, Municipal Transportation Bureau)
(23) Strengthen support for industrial talent. Newly recruited high-end talent and urgently needed technical and skilled personnel in the biopharmaceutical sector shall be eligible for policies such as housing subsidies in accordance with regulations.Focusing on key areas such as ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates) and nuclear medicine, select and support a group of industry leaders through municipal-level major talent programs. Support eligible enterprises in applying to independently conduct professional title evaluations and vocational skill level certifications in the biopharmaceutical sector; provide title promotion incentives to personnel newly promoted to senior professional titles in accordance with regulations.Support professional and technical researchers in public institutions to take on part-time roles or take leave to engage in innovation work at biopharmaceutical enterprises. Income from part-time work shall belong to the individual and shall not be subject to the performance-based wage cap of their home institution; innovation income generated during leave shall not be included in the performance-based wage cap management of their home institution.(Responsible Units: Municipal Party Committee Talent Office, Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Economy and Information Technology Bureau, Municipal New Economy Commission)
(24) Strengthen intellectual property services and protection. Leverage the role of the Chengdu Intellectual Property Protection Center’s patent fast-track pre-examination platform to assist biopharmaceutical enterprises in rapidly obtaining rights to high-value patents. Utilize the Chengdu Branch of the Overseas Intellectual Property Dispute Response Guidance Center to provide overseas rights protection assistance to biopharmaceutical enterprises, helping them enhance their capabilities in protecting and utilizing intellectual property and addressing patent infringement risks.[Responsible Units: Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, relevant districts (cities) and counties]
(25) Strengthen the guarantee of industrial land. Where land supply conditions are met, ensure project land is provided on an “as-needed, as-supplied” basis. For eligible national, provincial, and municipal key biopharmaceutical manufacturing projects in the encouraged category that require separate land allocations, if land is supplied through transfer, the starting price for land transfer may be set at no less than 70% of the city’s industrial land transfer guidance price.[Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Commission of New Economy, Relevant Districts (Cities) and Counties]
VI. Supplementary Provisions
(26) Specific issues arising during the implementation of these policy measures shall be interpreted by the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology and the Municipal Commission of New Economy in conjunction with relevant municipal departments; each responsible unit shall be responsible for the specific organization and implementation.
(27) Where these policy measures overlap with other municipal support policies, benefits shall not be duplicated, and the higher benefit shall apply. Where national or provincial policies provide otherwise, such provisions shall prevail. If relevant national, provincial, or municipal policies are adjusted during the implementation of these measures, these measures may be adjusted accordingly.
(28) The funds required to implement the provision stating that “GCP institutions that have obtained qualifications and undertake the R&D of new drugs or innovative medical devices and complete clinical trials shall be granted a reward of 10% of the project amount, with the cumulative annual reward per medical institution not exceeding 2 million yuan” shall be allocated from the municipal special fund for the development of advanced manufacturing. The specific operational procedures shall be determined through consultation among the Municipal Market Supervision Bureau, the Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, and the Municipal Finance Bureau.
(29) The term “biomedical” in these policy measures includes both pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
(30) These policy measures shall take effect on February 20, 2025, and remain valid for three years.