(Yicai) Jan. 30 -- UK-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca plans to invest USD15 billion in China over the next five years to expand its drug manufacturing, research, and development footprint in the country.

The investment will cover the entire value chain, from drug discovery and clinical development to manufacturing, enabling the company to bring its innovative achievements developed in China to the world, according to the plan AstraZeneca unveiled yesterday during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China.

The investment will strengthen the firm's capabilities in cell therapy and radiopharmaceutical conjugate drugs, drive the development of its extensive and diversified product pipeline, and benefit patients suffering from cancer and hematological and autoimmune diseases, making AstraZeneca the first multinational pharmaceutical firm to possess end-to-end cell therapy capabilities in China.

This marks a new chapter in AstraZeneca's development in China, Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot said. China has emerged as an important force in the fields of scientific innovation, advanced manufacturing, and global public health, he added.

By further expanding its capabilities in breakthrough therapies, such as cell therapy and radiopharmaceutical conjugate drugs, AstraZeneca will make greater contributions to China's high-quality development and deliver next-generation innovative therapies to more patients, Soriot noted.

Since 2023, AstraZeneca has injected more than USD1.8 billion of additional investment into its manufacturing operations in China. Its R&D pipeline in the country comprises more than 200 projects, with 10 to 15 new projects added each year.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione