(Yicai) Nov. 5 -- An overview of foreign pharmaceutical companies’ offerings at the seventh China International Import Expo reveals how drugmakers are adapting to China's aging population and new policies encouraging family planning.

At the CIIE, pharma giants are intensifying their focus on treatments for chronic and cardiovascular diseases as well as fertility support. The six-day expo opened today in Shanghai.

China’s aging population brings an increasing unmet demand for medical care, particularly for chronic diseases, Xu Ailing, general manager of Amgen China, told Yicai. Since entering the Chinese market, Amgen has successfully introduced seven innovative medicines, including treatments for cardiovascular and bone diseases. By 2030, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to comprise a significant share of the company’s global market, with China as the primary growth driver, Xu added.

Amgen China brought six innovative products to this year’s CIIE, including Repatha, the first PCSK9 inhibitor in China for adults with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a rare lipid metabolism disorder, as well as Prolia, the world’s first RANKL inhibitor for osteoporosis treatment.

Amgen is also committed to achieving synchronized research and development processes across China, the United States, and Europe to expedite the entry of innovative drugs into the Chinese market, Xu noted.

Organon is actively responding to China’s population development plans, a representative of the New Jersey-headquartered firm told Yicai, adding that the company is dedicated to enhancing accessibility and affordability of local health services, including assisted reproductive technologies, to support high-quality population growth.

This year, Organon is showcasing its investigational asset SJ02 for the first time at the CIIE. If approved, SJ02 could become the first long-acting follicle-stimulating hormone available in China. FSHs are used to improve fertility in both women and men.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine