Scientific breakthrough

The academic conference held on the third anniversary of Conmana's introduction to the market on October 25, attracted over 600 leading Chinese doctors and cancer research experts including Sun Yan and Yu Jinming, who are members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

During the conference, statistical data showed that in the past 10 years cancer treatment has become increasingly dependent on "molecular targeted therapy."

"The latest data from the US shows that the five-year survival rate for patients who had fourth stage lung cancer has reached 20 percent or above. This was mostly attributed to molecular targeted therapy," said Guan Zhongzhen, professor at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, adding that the development of Conmana was a huge achievement in this field.

Molecular targeted treatment is a type of cancer treatment that specifically targets cells that cause tumors to start and grow.

"The molecular targeted drugs we used first were Gefitinat and Erlonat," said Sun Yan, who accepted the task of leading the third stage of Conmana's clinical trials.

Chen Zhu, then minister of China's Ministry of Health, the predecessor to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said in 2011 that the development of Conmana could be compared with China's technological achievements such as the development of the "atomic and hydrogen bombs and man-made satellites" in 1960s.

Conmana symbolizes a historical turning point for China, as it transforms into a country that can innovatively produce its own cancer medicines, said Sang Guowei, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.