SHENZHEN has unveiled a package of plans, including a master plan and three auxiliary plans, to guide the development of the city’s bio-pharmacy industry.

Shenzhen will aim to build a bio-pharmacy industrial system bolstered by enterprises and integrated with research institutions. By 2025, bio-pharmacy industrial volume in the city is projected to reach 200 billion yuan (US$28.74 billion), according to the plans.

The city will accelerate construction of the Bio-pharmacy Science and Technology City in Pingshan District and International Bio-Valley in Dapeng New Area, putting emphasis on the research and manufacturing of high-end medical equipment and medicines and making the industry a new economic growth point for the city.

Pingshan District will be the base and core area of city’s bio-pharmacy industry. Futian, Guangming and Longgang districts and Dapeng New Area will each have their respective roles for the concerted development of the sector as well.

As the nation’s first batch of base for the bio-pharmacy industry, Pingshan is now home to hundreds of bio-pharmacy enterprises. Ten related industrial parks in Pingshan have been completed and put into operation. In addition, a bio-pharmacy accelerator project (now under construction) and an industrial, education and research base in Pingshan High-tech Park will provide platforms for testing, innovation and entrepreneurship.

In the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, the city will explore ways to innovate policies governing the new bio-pharmacy industry, accelerate breakthroughs in core technologies and encourage the clinical application of advanced bio-therapy technologies. At the same time, it will engage in international cooperations on the clinical testing of new medicine and equipment.

Guangming District will be a demonstration zone of  bio-pharmacy engineering innovation, designed to be an entrepreneurial center for high performance medical equipment and a complete industrial system in the research and manufacturing of high-end medical equipment by taking the opportunity to build key technological infrastructure in the synthetic biology and life science fields.

The Baguang International Bio-Valley, a pioneering area for precision medicine, will focus on genomic sequencing, research on medical technologies such as clinical uses for stem cells. It will be a base for global precision medicine projects and a life science research center for international research teams.

The city will innovate the modes of investment for the construction of the infrastructure and equipment for science research and the management mechanisms and industrial parks service to enhance the top-level designs in the construction of the Baolong Bio-pharmacy Innovation Development Zone in Longgang.

The city will offer subsides to enterprises producing new medicines that are under clinical testing in the country and are being transformed in the city. The subsidies available vary by product development stage. Category-one medicines are eligible for a subsidy at 40 percent of research and development costs. Medicines that have been approved for clinic testing are eligible for a subsidy of up to 8 million yuan. Medicines that have completed stages one through three of clinical testing are eligible for a subsidy of up to 10 million yuan, 20 million yuan and 30 million yuan, respectively.

The subsidy amount a single enterprise can obtain is capped at 100 million yuan per year.

Enterprises making breakthroughs in core technologies that are helpful in improving industry competitiveness will be eligible for subsidies at 40 percent of the investment in the project. The ceiling for the subsidy is 300 million yuan.

Projects that cost 1-2 billion yuan are eligible for subsidies at 10 percent of actual investments for the costs in water, electricity, research and development, and loans.  (Han Ximin)