August 29, 2023, Hangzhou – A delegation led by Professor Qian Yingyi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Westlake University and a renowned economist, conducted a site visit at Westlake Pharma today, engaging in discussions and exchanges with the company's R&D personnel.

Westlake Pharma is an innovative biopharmaceutical enterprise incubated by Westlake University and Westlake Laboratory. Through robust commercialization practices, the company is actively exploring innovative pathways for the translation of university research achievements. Since its establishment, Westlake Pharma has grown rapidly, with its novel small-molecule oral anti-coronavirus drug, Mprosevir, nearing completion of its Phase III clinical trial.

Meanwhile, Westlake Pharma has assembled a high-caliber R&D team led by top-tier scientists, with over 75% of its employees having graduated from leading universities in China and abroad.

Professor Qian and his delegation first toured Westlake Pharma's R&D facilities, visiting the biology, chemical synthesis, and AI drug design departments. They gained in-depth insights into how the teams collaborate closely to navigate the entire "from 0 to 1" process of creating an innovative drug.

During the tour, Professor Qian expressed particular interest in Westlake Pharma's first product, Mprosevir. He referenced the well-known "Rule of Three Tens" in the pharmaceutical industry—that new drug development often takes 10 years, costs $1 billion, and has only a less than 10% success rate. The company's R&D team has advanced a novel drug from initial discovery to a Phase III clinical trial in approximately three years, a timeline that defies industry norms and represents a commendable achievement. Dr. Liang Dongdong, R&D Director at Westlake Pharma, provided a detailed overview of the entire drug development process.

Finally, Professor Qian warmly posed for a group photo with the Westlake Pharma's employees and encouraged them to continue their dedicated efforts and pursue further breakthroughs in developing more and better novel drugs.