UM holds Regulatory Science for Pharmaceutical Innovation and Internationalization Conference

To promote the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Macao and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences of the University of Macau (UM) and the Macao Society for Medicinal Administration jointly held the Regulatory Science for Pharmaceutical Innovation and Internationalization Conference. The event brought together experts, scholars, and industry professionals from Macao, mainland China and abroad, as well as UM faculty and students to discuss how to accelerate the internationalisation of the pharmaceutical industry through innovation in regulatory science.

The conference featured a multitude of insightful academic talks by experts and academics. Yang Yue, professor at Tsinghua University, discussed regional regulatory coordination within the GBA. Following that, Orin Chisholm, professor at the University of Sydney, explained how regulatory collaboration and reliance mechanisms could speed up the market entry of new drugs. Wu Shan, general manager of AstraZeneca China Hong Kong and Macau, shared insights on the latest developments of international pharmaceutical companies at the forefront of global pharmaceutical innovation. Additionally, Benjamin Kwong, council member of the College of Pharmacy Practice, Hong Kong, analysed the pros and cons of regulatory science in pharmaceutical innovation. Hamish King, CEO of Cisema, a contract research organisation, talked about the strategy of introducing Hong Kong pharmaceutical products to the GBA. Lastly, Carolina Ung, deputy director of the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences of UM, discussed the importance of developing regulatory science to enhance regulatory capacity building and facilitate the coordinated development of the health industry in the GBA.

In addition, Su Ling, research fellow at Yeehong Business School of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, and Sabrina Chan, senior executive director of the Hong Kong Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry, engaged in an insightful panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing pharmaceutical regulation in the GBA, and shared their views on the coordinated development strategies to promote regulatory cooperation between the three places in the GBA and facilitate innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.

The conference was also attended by Li Peng, deputy director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) of UM; Hu Yuanjia, director of the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences of UM and professor at ICMS; Hu Hao, president of the Macao Society for Medicinal Administration and professor at ICMS; and Bian Ying, supervisory board director of the Macao Society for Medicinal Administration and associate professor at ICMS.

UM established the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences in 2023, with the aim of providing a sustainable platform to promote regulatory excellence and capacity building, as well as cross-sectoral, cross-regional, and international cooperation in key areas related to medical product regulation in Macao and the GBA, thus facilitating the globalisation of the pharmaceutical industry. The centre focuses on conducting research in pharmaceutical regulatory science and related policy and regulation, training professionals, and providing a platform to facilitate the commercialisation of research results and the exchange between industry, academia, research, and government.