“Measures on the High-Quality Development of the Biopharmaceutical Industry in Pingshan District, Shenzhen” took effect on March 3, 2024, and will remain effective for three years. Below is an interpretation of this policy. The measures are interpreted by the Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau of Pingshan District. The full text can be found at: https://www.szpsq.gov.cn/attachment/1/1415/1415416/11154670.pdf 

Funding recipients must be independently incorporated enterprises or institutions registered and operating in Pingshan District (In cases where complementary regulations issued by the district government or science and technology authorities differ, such regulations shall prevail). Recipients are required to operate in compliance with the law, maintain a sound and standardized financial accounting system, and cooperate in the submission of statistical data.

Summary of the measures:

1. Supporting drug R&D and industrialization

Support is provided for research, development (R&D), and industrialization of Class 1-3 drugs licensed to applicants registered in Pingshan. Clinical approval projects may receive up to 1 million yuan; clinical trials may receive up to 6 million yuan in funding.

Support is also available for enterprises that have obtained Class 1-3 drug production approvals and achieved industrialization within the district; those that have obtained or newly relocated Class 1-3 drug registration certificates and established production facilities in the district; or local biopharmaceutical enterprises undertaking production under the MAH (Marketing Authorization Holder) system.

Additionally, support is extended to entities participating in national centralized drug procurement and to those obtaining overseas marketing authorization and achieving sales in international markets.

2. Supporting medical device R&D and industrialization

Support will be provided to entities that obtain registration certificates for Class 2 and 3 medical devices for the first time and achieve industrialization in Pingshan.

This also includes entities that have passed the national or provincial special review procedures for innovative medical devices and achieved industrialization in Pingshan; those that have participated in national centralized drug procurement programs; and those that have obtained overseas marketing authorization and achieved sales in international markets.

3. Supporting the development of the cell and gene industry

Support will be given to cell and gene therapy (CGT) enterprises conducting investigator-initiated trials (IIT) in cooperation with hospitals or developing new CGT products jointly with hospitals, universities, or research institutes.

Support extends to collaborations with listed companies along the upstream and downstream industrial chain, as well as licensing agreements with listed companies.

4. Supporting the development of the health and wellness industry

Support is given to new cosmetic raw materials registered with the National Medical Products Administration and successfully included in the “Catalogue of Used Cosmetic Ingredients.” Biomedicine-based and electronic medical beauty products that have received municipal-level funding will be supported.

Additionally, precision nutrition products and research institutions in this field that have received municipal funding, as well as industries related to rehabilitation aids for the elderly, will be supported.

5. Supporting customs clearance facilitation

Entities responsible for customs clearance facilitation platforms will receive subsidies to cover construction costs, matched by municipal public service platform rewards at a maximum ratio of 1:1, capped at 15 million yuan.

The establishment of dedicated customs clearance channels for special items such as high-end biopharmaceutical raw materials, blood products, and imported reagents and consumables will be explored.

Entities operating customs clearance facilitation platforms will also be eligible for annual operating subsidies up to 3 million yuan based on actual costs.

6. Supporting R&D and key technological breakthroughs

Support is provided for R&D expenses of biotechnology-focused small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), national high-tech enterprises, and specialized and innovative companies in Pingshan.

Collaboration between Pingshan enterprises and universities, research institutes, or upstream/downstream companies along the industrial chain is encouraged, particularly in new drug and medical device R&D aligned with major national development strategies or core technology projects. Subsidies will be granted at 30% of any corresponding municipal-level rewards.

7. Supporting clinical trials

Medical institutions qualified for drug clinical trials under Good Clinical Practice (GCP) that have received municipal support will be eligible for subsidies equal to 30% of municipal awards.

Clinical trial institutions recognized by district science and technology authorities and providing services to local biopharmaceutical enterprises (without equity ties) will receive support.

Efforts will be made to attract and train clinical research talent, including supporting tertiary public hospitals in accelerating clinical research under the “Big PI” (Principal Investigator) program.

8. Supporting professional services

Municipal-level public service platforms for major industries will receive rewards equal to 30% of municipal awards. Public service platforms in Pingshan, recognized by district science and technology authorities will receive support for providing services to local biopharmaceutical enterprises (without investment relationships).

Support is also available for financing facilitation. Biopharmaceutical enterprises that secured angel, venture capital, or private equity investments in the previous year will receive support equal to 20% of the actual investment amount received.

Prominent events, such as high-level international and national biopharmaceutical industry summits, exhibitions, innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and other science and technology innovation exchange events held in Pingshan, will be supported.

9. Supporting industrial parks and incubators

Rent subsidies will be provided to national-level high-tech biological enterprises with annual operating revenues under 20 million yuan and technology-based SMEs. Such companies have been registered in Pingshan for less than 36 months with R&D investments of no less than 2 million yuan.

Municipal-level or higher biopharmaceutical industry associations with branches or biological science and technology organizations operating in Pingshan are eligible for rent support. Renovation of privately owned, aging industrial facilities into biopharmaceutical industrial parks will receive support equal to 30% of municipal subsidies.

Science and technology enterprise incubators at the municipal level or above that purchase specialized shared biopharmaceutical facilities to provide professional services tailored to industry development will also be supported.

10. Supporting investment promotion

Support will be given to attract leading enterprises, including large multinational pharmaceutical corporations, China’s top 100 pharmaceutical companies, biopharmaceutical enterprises listed domestically or overseas, international leaders in niche sectors, and other major projects approved by district science and technology authorities and leadership meetings.

Support will also be provided for introducing high-quality, high-potential enterprises. Biopharmaceutical companies newly relocated from outside Shenzhen to Pingshan in the previous year will receive support.