In a bid to ensure long-term medicines security, the Indian government has earmarked $1.32bn to promote domestic production of 53 APIs, including lopinavir and ritonavir currently being evaluated to treat COVID-19 cases, as well as antibiotics, for which India is highly dependent on China.

Increasingly looking to China to commercialize their latest therapies, multinationals may be leaping into unknown waters to navigate an intellectual property judiciary and administrative maze, in a country where some copy drugs have been approved before patent expiry. With a government trying to balance innovation and access, two recent rulings involving AstraZeneca shed rare light onto China’s protections for innovation, with advisors pointing to challenges and success factors.

SinoVac’s rapid antibody response, CanSino’s easier logistics requirements - plus cost advantages - make Chinese developers optimistic about supplying the world with COVID vaccines.