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Source: http://www.sipac.gov.cn/sipnews/yqzt/swnmlt/ltsy/201006/t20100624_66650.htm

Date of publication: June 24th, 2010

Reporter: Zhou Xin

Translator: Sun Pengyue, Ph.D. (Director Phytotherapeutics) from Kinesis Pharma

DR. Kees Groen from Kinesis Pharma BV, a Dutch medicinal consulting company:
Westernization of Chinese pharmaceuticals, but do not forget Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

The second day of the ChinaBio Partnering Forum 2010 was hosted at the Dushu Lake Hotel on June 24, and co-sponsored by Suzhou BioBay, ChinaBio and EBD Group. The forum attracted not only major, world-renowned pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies such as Pfizer, Bayer and Astra Zeneca, but also well-known consulting companies such as Balloch Group and OrbiMed, and offered collaboration opportunities for biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

“During westernization of Chinese pharmaceuticals, TCM should not be forgotten. Chinese pharmaceutical companies should not simply copy foreign companies’ strategies to elevate their level of R&D. TCM is essential to Chinese medicines and should not be disregarded”. This is the view of Kees Groen, Ph.D., General Manager and founder of a Dutch medicinal consulting company, triggered us to think carefully, when participants were discussing how to elevate R&D efforts focused on innovative drugs.

Kinesis Pharma is a leading Dutch medicinal consulting company. Since 1997, Kinesis Pharma has forged collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies in the fields of non-clinic- and clinic development to help these organizations establish efficient processes for the development of new drugs, by providing consultancy and contract research services. In recent years, their business has expanded into China.

For the rapidly developing Chinese market, Kees is very optimistic. He notes that the Chinese pharmaceutical industry has advanced to a stage where new drugs can be developed; in contrast to the production of generic drugs in the past. A number of biotech and pharmaceutical companies with the capability of developing new drugs are emerging from China. The encouragement and support of the Chinese government helps to promote the development of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry.



Dr. Kees Groen, founder and General Manager of Kinesis Pharma

However, Kees cautions Chinese innovator companies; the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries should avoid simply copying the direction and strategy of foreign companies. TCM should be maintained by Chinese. The integration of TCM and western medicine can make China unique and generate its own advantages for the pharmaceutical industry. According to Kees, applications to register TCM products in Europe have been submitted. Due to the benefits of TCM, more and more Europeans have accepted TCM in recent years.