Chinese pharma to develop global ESG strategy, promote health equity worldwide

Chinese biotechnology company BeiGene recently released its 2021 report on environmental, social and governance (ESG), proposing a "change is the cure" strategy that focuses on advancing global health, empowering employees, sustainable innovation, supporting communities and operating responsibly, reported China Securities Journal on Tuesday.

For the pharmaceutical industry, the core of ESG lies in the safety, effectiveness, accessibility and affordability of medicines, said Qi Yan, vice president of public affairs at BeiGene. The company strives to narrow the gap of health equity for patients around the world through a global strategy that covers all links of the value chain from R&D, clinical, production to commercialization, Qi said.

As of May 2022, BeiGene has conducted over 100 clinical trials across more than 45 countries and regions, with strategic cooperation achieved between globally renowned companies including Novartis. Its self-developed cancer drug, known as Brukinsa, has been approved in more than 45 markets around the world, covering developed and developing countries.

"As much as we step up the efforts to advance R&D innovation and global layout, we have also been continuously striving to bring more qualified medicines to millions of patients around the world through reasonable pricing and patient assistance," Qi said.

The independent production capacity of BeiGene also supports it to further expand the global supply chain. BeiGene has established production bases in Suzhou City of east China's Jiangsu Province and in Guangzhou of south China's Guangdong Province. In April 2022, the company officially broke ground on its production base and R&D center located in Hopewell in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

In addition, BeiGene has recently joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), reinforcing the company's commitment to its global health vision and "patients-first" principle. As the company grows increasing influence in the industry at a global scale, BeiGene is determined to work with global public health organizations and institutions to promote sustainable development, according to Qi.