The III Russia-China Pharmaceutical Forum Took Place in Shanghai
On June 25, 2025, OCT, a leading contract research organization in Russia and Eastern Europe, in partnership with the S-GROUP Center for Corporate Communications and with the participation of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, held the third Russia-China Pharmaceutical Forum.
Once again, the forum served as a platform for strengthening strategic cooperation between China and Russia. Notably, this year, special attention was given to the development of educational initiatives aimed at training future industry professionals. Opening the event, Liu Wei, Secretary General of the Russia Institute at Tsinghua University, spoke about the signing of a cooperation agreement between Lomonosov Moscow State University and Tsinghua University on the eve of the forum.
The event was moderated by Roman Ivanov, Chairman of the Scientific Council of Sirius University and Director of the Translational Medicine Research Center at Sirius University, and Kirill Kaem, Vice President of the Skolkovo Foundation and Executive Director of the Biomedical Technologies Cluster.
Traditionally, the forum was attended by representatives of regulatory authorities of the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation was represented by two experts. Konstantin Ryzhnikov, Head of the Department for International Cooperation and Raw Materials Supply of the Department for the Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry, presented information on the regulation of the Russian pharmaceutical market. Natalia Burlakina, Deputy Head of the Drug Manufacturing Inspection Department of the State Institute of Drugs and Good Practices, covered quality control issues in the pharmaceutical industry, providing statistics and examples of non-compliance cases identified during GMP inspections in the EAEU from 2021 to 2025.
Eugeniya Radkova, Head of Scientific Consulting and Medical Documentation at OCT, shared valuable practical insights on conducting clinical trials in Russia and offered advice on overcoming challenges companies face when entering the Russian market. Special attention was paid to the specifics of operating within the EAEU market.
“The EAEU regulatory system is highly harmonized with international standards,” emphasized Evgeniya. “This means that when planning a clinical trial in Russia, one can confidently rely on ICH, WHO, EMA, and FDA guidelines. This ensures that the study design and other elements will meet EAEU requirements. It greatly simplifies the process, as we’re speaking the same language as many countries. However, there are also EAEU-specific nuances that require separate consideration and must be understood.”
The second session focused on practical aspects of cooperation and successful case studies between the two countries. A representative of Gan&Lee, a globally renowned producer of insulin and diabetes treatments, presented an overview of the current state of the biopharmaceutical industry in both countries, including statistical data on market size and segmentation, as well as key influencing factors. Russian pharmaceutical company Promomed Group and Chinese companies Cisen Pharmaceutical, Gan&Lee, and Shanghai EDA Medical and Pharmaceutical Technology shared their experiences and success stories of collaboration.
Ivan Konoplyannikov, a Russian pharmaceutical market expert, offered an insightful observation:
“In Russia, the popularity of Chinese automobiles is growing rapidly, especially in the premium segment. Demand for brands like Zeekr, Geely, and Tank is showing confident growth. Interestingly, the automotive industry is currently subject to sanctions, unlike the pharmaceutical industry, which is not. This creates a unique opportunity for Chinese companies to establish themselves in the Russian market with minimal risks.”
In addition, the discussion addressed current challenges and obstacles hindering the development of partnerships, including regulatory differences between countries, geopolitical complications, and sanctions impacting financial transactions and logistics. Participants explored potential solutions. Among the proposed initiatives were: simplifying drug registration procedures, launching a pilot “white list” system, mutual recognition of GMP certification results, and integration of technology transfer services. There was also a proposal to promote joint Russia-China standards as benchmarks for biological products in developing countries and to jointly develop markets in Russia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
Official forum partners this year included Promomed Group, the research center Sivilab®, Shanghai EDA Medical & Pharmaceutical Technology, and Eminence. The successful execution of the 2025 Forum reaffirmed the mutual commitment of Russia and China to further expanding their beneficial cooperation in the pharmaceutical field.
