From June 17 to 19, 2023, the 2023 DIA China Annual Meeting and Exhibition was grandly held at the Suzhou International Expo Center. Founded in 1964, the Drug Information Association (DIA) is a globally renowned non-profit, multidisciplinary, member-driven professional association in the pharmaceutical field, serving as a global academic platform promoting drug innovation and pharmaceutical development. This annual meeting was the first since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 to re-invite overseas speakers, attendees, and exhibitors to participate in person. Over 600 speakers from global regulatory agencies, academic institutions, and industry, and more than 6,000 participants, through diverse forms of learning and exchange, fully shared and discussed in over 100 sessions covering the entire lifecycle of global drug research and development and global hot topics, including the latest regulatory trends in various countries, practical experiences with decentralized clinical trials (DCT), advanced technologies such as digital technology/AI empowering drug development, RWD/RWE supporting regulatory decisions, sustainable development of treatments for rare diseases/pediatric medications and advanced therapies, and the opportunities and challenges of new clinical endpoints and methods to achieve precise/personalized medicine.
At the opening ceremony of the conference, Mr. Zhao Junning, Deputy Commissioner of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), and Mr. Mark ABDOO, Deputy Commissioner for Global Policy and Strategy at the FDA, delivered speeches respectively. Ms. Qin Xiaoling, Director-General of the Department of Science, Technology, and International Cooperation at the NMPA, shared the progress of China's drug regulatory authorities in implementing regulatory science and internationalization processes to promote drug innovation and R&D. Dr. Peter Marks, Director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), demonstrated through data the value of cell and gene therapy products , as well as future directions for research and regulation. Academician Shao Feng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shared the potential of utilizing the mechanism of pyroptosis for drug development. The conference's special forum "Innovation Lights Up the Future" invited experts from academia, multinational pharmaceutical companies, domestic pharmaceutical companies, and regulatory agencies to discuss the latest innovative developments in China's biopharmaceutical industry.
As a full-service contract research organization rooted in China and serving globally, R&G actively participated in this grand event and set up the largest booth at this year's DIA conference, covering an area of 72 square meters. The booth's design was grand and magnificent, resembling being aboard an aircraft carrier, exceptionally eye-catching, and garnered unanimous praise and acclaim from new and old customers, friends, and industry colleagues alike. Meanwhile, Dr. Teng Leyan, Chief Operating Officer; Mr. Wang Wei, Senior Vice President; Mr. Li Jigang, Chief Medical Officer; Mr. Wang Tao, Senior Vice President; Mr. Qiu Jiancheng, Vice President; and Ms. Li Guie, Vice President and General Manager of Sinolink, along with other senior executives, led the heads of various business departments and the business team at R&G's booth C3M19 to engage in extensive exchanges and communication with pharmaceutical R&D elites from around the world. They showcased comprehensively the fruitful achievements and rich experience obtained in their clinical research, as well as advanced management systems and extensive research center networks. During the exhibition, generous lottery activities were also organized; visiting customers and colleagues came in an endless stream, making it extremely lively.
On the morning of the 17th, Deputy Commissioner Zhao Junning of the National Medical Products Administration led a tour of the exhibition. The R&G booth (C3M19), as a recommended tour stop, received high commendation from Commissioner Zhao. Mr. Li Jigang, Chief Medical Officer, introduced to Commissioner Zhao the fruitful achievements that R&G has achieved over the years by deeply cultivating the clinical research industry and the group's strong team of scientists. Commissioner Zhao emphasized the importance of contract research organizations (CROs) and encouraged us to make greater contributions in innovative research.
To commend R&G's long-term support for the DIA China Annual Meeting, at the simultaneously held DIA R&D Carnival Night, R&G received the honorary "15-Year Long-Term Support Award" presented by DIA. Marketing Director Xue Dongmei accepted the award on behalf of R&G Group. As a global academic platform promoting drug innovation and pharmaceutical development, DIA highly aligns with R&G's brand value of "Science First". As a public company, we are willing to join hands with partners across the pharmaceutical industry chain to jointly contribute to China's pharmaceutical innovation. R&G will also continue to be committed to providing excellent clinical trial solutions for pharmaceutical companies, accelerating their global clinical research and development process.
