The 14th China Medicinal Biotechnology Conference and the Zhuhai biomedical industry investment promotion meeting were held in Zhuhai from October 30 to November 1.

The event drew nearly 1,000 representatives from the biopharmaceutical industry, including academicians, experts and representatives of research institutions, medical institutions and leading companies.

The conference focused on frontier areas such as cell and gene therapy, stem cells, organoids and AI-enabled pharmaceutical R&D. It featured thematic sessions, policy discussions and project roadshows designed to connect innovative technologies and research outcomes with industrial capital.

The Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin is well-positioned to leverage the combined strengths of Hengqin, Zhuhai and Macao. Macao brings international resources and strengths in research and healthcare services, while Zhuhai offers a well-established biopharmaceutical base spanning R&D, manufacturing and industrial support. The Cooperation Zone can foster cross-border research collaboration and transfer research outcomes into industrial applications.

The Cooperation Zone has formulated and revised support policies for the biopharmaceutical and health industry, offering rewards for key R&D projects and subsidies for innovative biologics and chemical drugs. Under the revised framework, R&D projects in priority areas are eligible for a reward of 10 percent of new paid-in capital contributions, capped at 20 million RMB. Macao-invested projects qualify for a 12 percent reward under the same cap. Innovative biologics and chemical drugs can receive a subsidy covering 40 percent of actual R&D expenditure.