Bao, Yuhan, Ely, Adrian, Hopkins, Michael, Li, Xianzhe and Huang, Yangmu (2021) Exploring the antibiotics innovation system and R&D policies in China: mission oriented innovation? Working Paper. Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex, UK.

PDF - Published Version Download (814kB)

Abstract

One possible response to the growing problem of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in pathogenic infections is the development of new types of antibiotics. However, the pharmaceutical companies that have traditionally led such innovation face a lack of incentives at the present time due to high levels of market uncertainty and low expected returns. Mission oriented innovation with coordinated investment and market-shaping policies may offer an approach to accelerating antibiotic innovation. This paper aims to evaluate whether preCovid-19 Chinese policies concerning AMR can be seen as constituting a mission-oriented approach and whether these policies have influenced antibiotics innovation in China. It adopts a mixed method approach to deliver several insights. By using historical event analysis based on data collected from interviews, public and commercial databases as well as policy documents, the paper finds that China’s recent actions concerning AMR since 2008 comprise many elements of mission-oriented innovation policy. The National Action Plan to Contain AMR has provided a clear mission since 2016 to tackle the problem of AMR and provides the opportunity to coordinate and integrate these policies into a more coherent and evolving
mission-oriented innovation approach. Analysis of relevant research grants and publications suggest that these policies (including the 2016 National Action Plan) have drawn the scientific community towards antibiotics research and provided more support to this area. Case studies following the development of new antibiotics are used to illustrate how the established elements of mission oriented innovation policy have or have not contributed to antibiotics innovation in China. Further research is required to more comprehensively analyse R&D investments, and to understand the effects of recent policies, especially after 2016.

Item Type:	Reports and working papers (Working Paper)
Additional Information:	https://www.sussex.ac.uk/business-school/people-and-departments/spru/research/working-papers
Schools and Departments:	University of Sussex Business School > SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit
SWORD Depositor:	Mx Elements Account
Depositing User:	Mx Elements Account
Date Deposited:	14 Sep 2021 13:18
Last Modified:	01 Mar 2022 13:26
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/101682

View download statistics for this item

📧 Request an update