A groundbreaking new lung cancer drug called Ivonescimab, developed by a Chinese company, is making waves in the global biotech industry and closing the gap with leading pharmaceutical companies in cancer drug development.
"This is our company's newly developed drug, Ivonescimab. In a randomized, double-blind phase three clinical trial for lung cancer, it surpassed Keytruda, the leading drug in the field," said the drug maker Akeso's chairman and CEO Dr Michelle Xia.
According to the World Conference on Lung Cancer, patients can live on Ivonescimab for 11.1 months before disease progression, compared to only 5.8 months on Keytruda, the world's top-selling cancer medication, which has generated over 130 billion U.S. dollars in sales for its American manufacturer.
"For the pharmaceutical industry, developing a drug that surpasses Keytruda and benefits more patients is a remarkable achievement. Many companies worldwide are striving to develop such drugs, but all of their phase three trials have failed. Our phase three clinical trial is the first in the world to achieve a strongly positive result in a randomized, double-blind study," said Dr Xia.
Akeso spent a decade developing Ivonescimab. Dr. Xia said world-class scientists were brought together to achieve this result, while the company also benefited from the support of the Chinese government.
"We are fortunate that, in the early stages of our company being established, the government began prioritizing the biopharmaceutical industry. Both central and local authorities have invested substantial human and material resources to support the industry's development," she said.
The breakthrough of Ivonescimab might align with a larger trend in China. In recent years, China has made significant strides in pharmaceutical innovation, with an increasing number of new drugs being developed and added to the pipeline.
"A key indicator we use is the number of research and development pipelines. This metric not only reflects our past investment in research and development but, more importantly, serves as a projection of our research and development potential. Based on this indicator, China currently ranks second in the world, just behind the United States," said Wang Shan, associate professor at the Business School of Sun Yat-sen University.
Professor Wang highlighted China’s advantages in pharmaceutical innovation, emphasizing its well-established supply chain, lower research and development costs, and abundant clinical resources.
"China has a well-established pharmaceutical supply chain. Additionally, our research and development costs are relatively low, thanks to abundant clinical resources and a large patient population," she said.
While recognizing these strengths, she also acknowledged that a gap remained between China and the U.S. in research and development pipelines, with China's numbers at about half of America's. However, she emphasized the significant potential for growth and the increasing drive for innovation.
New Chinese cancer drug outperforms global leader, draws international attention
South Africa's sugarcane sector, a cornerstone of the country's agriculture, stands ready to further integrate into the vast Chinese market as the zero-tariff policy for African countries officially takes effect.
China's Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced Tuesday that from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028, the country will grant zero-tariff treatment to 20 African countries that have established diplomatic ties with China and are not classified as the least developed countries.
This follows the country's earlier decision to grant zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines, effective from Dec 1, 2024, for the 33 least developed African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
In effect, the zero-tariff treatment has been expanded to cover all 53 African countries that maintain ties with China.
In KwaZulu-Natal province, one of South Africa's traditional agricultural powerhouses, local farmers are hopeful that their sugarcane products will soon reach Chinese consumers.
Pratish Sharma, a sugarcane grower in the province, has witnessed the industry endure an unprecedented winter of challenges, including volatile international prices and trade barriers. When he heard of China's zero-tariff policy, however, his hope returned.
"It'll make trading in China a lot easier. It will create a better revenue stream for exports of sugar to China. And agreements like these assist in rejuvenating our economy within the industry and making us more viable," the farmer said.
Official data shows that China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with bilateral trade exceeding 53.5 billion U.S. dollars.
Yet, the country's agricultural products currently account for only 0.4 percent of China's total agricultural imports, indicating huge growth potential.
Kulani Siweya, market and trade policy director at the South African Sugar Association, sees greater opportunity ahead for the country's roughly 25,000 registered sugarcane growers.
"Main regions or destinations are the U.S., Europe. [We are] exporting about between 35,000 to 70,000 tonnes to the China market. South Africa stands ready to give you quality sweet sugar that will satisfy the Chinese palate," said Siweya.
Beyond sugar, South African specialties such as citrus, macadamia nuts, wine, and other high-quality agricultural products are also expected to gain broader market access in China. This has encouraged farmers like Sharma to experiment with a wider range of crops.
"I've converted 18 hectares of sugar cane into macadamias. So that process of diversification has already begun. And with trade initiatives such as the zero-rated making all of us more sustainable and viable," Sharma said.
John Steenhuisen, South African Minister of Agriculture, said China's zero-tariff initiative will help reshape the agricultural sector.
"The tariff-free access that's been granted us is going to be a game changer for not only citrus but also for the entire agricultural sector. We're now going to be able to compete with excellent quality wines and other agricultural goods in that market in a far more competitive basis," said the minister.
South African sugarcane growers eye sweeter exports as China's zero-tariff policy for Africa takes effect
