Immuno-oncology therapies have revolutionized the treatment of many cancers over the last decade. This period has also witnessed a dramatic growth in China’s domestic pharmaceutical industry, and significant changes in the interaction between this industry and international pharma. This coalescence has led to excitement about the role that Chinese IO could play on the global stage, tempered by regulatory set-backs and revised marketing timelines. 

Promising new clinical results presented at ESMO are likely to help several Chinese firms gain traction to take their new drug candidates into global markets, including the US.

A new bilateral agreement between securities regulatory authorities in the US and China is being seen as a welcome first step in addressing issues around US inspections of auditors of US-listed Chinese firms, but implementation will be key.