From Clinical Trials to Manufacturing: What Should an Excellent Drug Look Like?
In 2024, I was 33 years old. In late April of that year, I was diagnosed with gastric cancer. Ten days later, right after the May Day holiday, I quickly underwent surgery. However, just as my wound had healed, a follow-up scan one and a half months post-op revealed metastases in my ovaries. At this point, it had been less than two months since my initial diagnosis.
Despite my frustrations, I had no choice but to undergo a second surgery for my ovaries. Afterward, my doctor prescribed a regimen of nab-paclitaxel plus tislelizumab. My condition has remained very stable since starting the medication. It has been nearly a year now, and my life is gradually returning to normal.
In early July, I saw an event organized by "Panda and Friends" to visit BeiGene's Guangzhou manufacturing facility, and I immediately signed up. This is where one of my medications—tislelizumab—is produced. For this drug that has been accompanying me, I really wanted to see with my own eyes how it is made.
1.
On July 11, I took a taxi from Foshan to Guangzhou International Bio Island. I felt a bit nervous on the way—this was my first time meeting the friends from our patient support group in person.
Actually, we had been chatting in the group for a long time. We discussed everything from choosing treatment plans and understanding changes in medical indicators to managing side effects, and even shared daily life trivia. We were already quite familiar with each other. Still, meeting in person brought a mix of nervousness and anticipation. When I got out of the car, someone called out my online nickname. In that moment, all my tension melted away. We started chatting and putting faces to names, and just like that, I embarked on the tour with my new and old friends.
Our first stop was the exhibition hall at Guangzhou International Bio Island. The guide explained that this island in the middle of the river hosts numerous biopharmaceutical companies, including BeiGene's innovation center. It focuses on exploring early-stage drug molecules and can be seen as the "source" of innovative drugs, bringing a glimmer of hope to patients. Further away in the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City lies the "downstream"—where the manufacturing facilities of many companies are located. Together, they form a complete pharmaceutical industry chain from R&D to production.
2.
Next, we headed to BeiGene's Guangzhou biologics manufacturing facility to begin the second phase of our visit.
Before touring the production workshop, Professor Han Shuai from the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University gave a presentation on the clinical research of drugs. Two points from his talk left a deep impression on me.
First was the interpretation of clinical trials. Today, there are many channels to access information, and patients and families often research clinical data themselves to understand treatment options and choose medications. However, merely looking at broad figures like survival rates or CR rates is far from enough; we must also consider whether the trial population closely matches our own situation. A clinical trial worth referencing should be designed to reflect real-world clinical practice, rather than simply chasing impressive-looking data. Take the RATIONALE-305 study on first-line tislelizumab for gastric cancer as an example: half of the enrolled patients were from mainland China, over 40% had peritoneal or liver metastases, and 98.5% had distant metastases. Under these challenging conditions, the study still achieved a median overall survival of 15.7 months in the overall Chinese population, with one-third of patients surviving beyond two years. These results carry significant weight.
Second was the globalization of China's homegrown innovative drugs. I often hear fellow patients say that there are more and more domestically developed drugs in use now, and the mindset that "imported drugs are always better" is changing. Drugs like tislelizumab enroll patients across multiple global regions in clinical trials; their control groups account for differences in Chinese and international treatment practices; and their manufacturing standards meet the requirements of regulatory authorities in Europe, the US, and elsewhere. This is why they have been approved for marketing in Europe, the US, Japan, and South Korea. At the same time, this gives us patients confidence and pride, knowing that the medication I use can compete on equal footing with "imported drugs" in the international market.
As Professor Han mentioned, a friend of his, who is also a patient, once told him: "I've saved one million yuan to cure my illness. Please give me the expensive imported drugs." Yet, the professor recommended tislelizumab, explaining: "This is an exported drug. It sells for a high price abroad and is of excellent quality." I also hope that more Chinese pharmaceutical companies will enable cancer patients to access high-quality medications at affordable prices.
3.
Finally, we changed into dust-proof suits one by one in the workshop and entered the tislelizumab production line for an on-site tour. My first impression was that it was quite different from what I had imagined. There were no roaring machines or crowds. The entire area was bright and spotless, even featuring a dedicated visitor corridor. Through the glass, we could observe every step of the production process inside the sterile operating rooms.
Inside the facility, driverless forklifts busily transported goods. In the cell culture, centrifugation, and purification workshops, staff operated skillfully. On the packaging assembly line, vials of medication were automatically filled, sealed, and packed, waiting to be shipped across the country... When the real production scene unfolded before our eyes, everyone present was filled with awe and emotion. So, this is how vials of high-tech drugs are born through rigorous production processes, bringing hope to patients! The pursuit of quality in tislelizumab is clearly evident.
As later discussed, China's industrial capabilities are already globally leading in many fields. Just like with new energy vehicles, "Made in China" has become synonymous with high quality, and I believe the same will hold true for the pharmaceutical industry. The guests present also shared their personal connections with tislelizumab. One story that deeply impressed me was from a patient's family member, who mentioned that his mother was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer at the age of 90. Due to her advanced age, she wished to avoid aggressive treatments like surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, and instead received tislelizumab monotherapy. It has been two years now, and she is in such good condition that she can walk and go grocery shopping on her own!
Witnessing high-quality R&D, clinical research, and production firsthand, along with hearing healthy and vibrant stories from fellow patients, filled everyone with confidence in long-term survival.
4.
On the day of the visit, I noticed the signage on the BeiGene building was being replaced. After asking a staff member, I learned that the company had adopted a new English name—changing from Beigene to BeOne—to reflect its vision of uniting global forces to fight cancer together.
This brought a fitting conclusion to today's visit. I am so glad to have witnessed this process. Finally, I hope that more Chinese pharmaceutical companies will continue to develop new, effective, and affordable drugs for patients in China and around the world, helping cancer patients overcome survival challenges and live their own lives to the fullest!
Patient Stories | Click the text to jump directly
Notes from a Middle-Aged Beijing Man Fighting Advanced Colon Cancer | Panda Star's Anti-Cancer Magic | A Ming: Colorectal Cancer with Liver and Lung Metastases, My Two Years Accompanying My Mom's Treatment | Qingcao: Sharing the Treatment Journey for Colorectal Cancer with Liver Metastases | Deep Sibling Bond: 4 Years of Treatment for Colorectal Cancer with Liver Metastases | Xiao Li: A Patient's Personal Account of Fighting Cancer | Sister Xiuxiu: The Treatment Path for Colorectal Cancer with Liver and Ovarian Metastases | Brother Guo: The Resilient Treatment Journey for Colorectal Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases | Nao Nao: The Self-Rescue Journey After Recurrence of Colorectal Cancer at Age 27 | Sister Tudou: 7 Years of Fighting Cancer with Colorectal Cancer Metastasizing to Lungs and Brain | Anti-Cancer Beauty Yuanyuan: Living On with a Smile | Jin Xia: 4 Years of Treatment for HER2-Positive Gastric Cancer | The Grumpy Grandpa's Battle with Gastric Cancer | Mickey: The Treatment Journey for Advanced Gastric Cancer at Age 31 | Summary from an Advancing Colorectal Cancer Patient's Family Member (Including Care Guide) | Alison: Treatment for HER2-Positive Advanced Colorectal Cancer | From Stage IV Gastric Cancer to Complete Remission | 78 Liver Metastases Do Not Mean a Death Sentence | The Advanced Cancer Patient Who Entered the ICU Due to Infection Is Now Tumor-Free | Panda Group Member Story: Weihua 1 | From Diagnosis to Recurrence | Panda Group Member Story Yang Yong | As Heaven Maintains Vigor, the Gentleman Strives Unceasingly | The Cruel Truth Behind Treatment Value: Why Some Patients Are Not Advised to Seek Treatment in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou | Anti-Cancer Blogger Fengzi Passes Away: Who Will Care for Young Patients Fighting Cancer Alone? | Sister Yangguang: Life Should Not Lose Its Color Because of Illness | Yang Yong | As Heaven Maintains Vigor, the Gentleman Strives Unceasingly | Weihua 1 | From Diagnosis to Recurrence | Diagnosed with Colon Cancer at 16 Weeks Pregnant: Her Struggle and Rebirth | What Kind of Life Do You Want to Live? Running a Marathon with the Best Time After Colorectal Cancer Surgery | A True Record of Treatment for Colorectal Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases
Doctor-Patient Communication | Click the text to jump directly
Shen Lin, Peking University Cancer Hospital: 2023 Advances in Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer | Step-by-Step Guide for Colorectal and Gastric Cancer Patients on How to Seek Medical Care
Xing Baocai, Peking University Cancer Hospital: Doctor-Patient Communication on Colorectal Cancer with Liver Metastases
Chen Gong, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou: Can Surgery Be Performed Immediately After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis? | Discussing Surgery for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases | Discussing Treatment Strategies for Colorectal Liver and Lung Metastases | Maintenance Therapy and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer | Case Analysis and Q&A in Patient Support Group (Part 1) | Case Analysis and Q&A in Patient Support Group (Part 2)
Cai Guoxiang, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center: Transcript of Q&A in Patient Support Group
Wang Fenghua, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou: Transcript of Patient Support Group Communication
Xiao Jian, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou: Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, and Immunotherapy for Advanced Gastric Cancer
Yao Hongwei, Beijing Friendship Hospital: Tests Rectal Cancer Patients Need and How to Read the Reports