The second quarter has been a period of stabilization for multinational drug makers in China, where the challenges of cost-cutting and a national policy to encourage domestic generics remain. Big pharmas including Novartis and Roche are voluntarily reduce prices for major products, to help them compete, reflecting a new willingness to improve patient access in the world's second-largest pharma market.

Solid fundamentals in the Asia-Pacific healthcare market are continuing to attract significant investment and M&A activity with no signs of a slowdown, despite fears over China’s economic growth and negative factors in the wider global economy. Medtech, digital health and health services are all set to benefit, experts say.

Hutchison China MediTech, or Chi-Med, will report pivotal or proof of concept data for savolitinib, fruquintinib and two other tyrosine kinase inhibitor candidates by Q1 2017. Having built a global cancer and inflammation R&D pipeline on the back of what started out 16 years ago as a domestic commercial botanicals business based in China, Chi-Med is now one to watch.