At CIIE 2025 in Shanghai, Danish and Chinese stakeholders exchanged insights on innovation and collaboration in neuroscience and brain health.
Shanghai, November 2025 — China faces a growing need for innovative solutions to address the rising burden of chronic and brain diseases. During this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Danish stakeholders explored how long-term partnerships in life science can help tackle these challenges — particularly within brain health, where Denmark holds a strong global position.
The 7th CIIE gathered more than 3,400 exhibitors from 155 countries and regions, focusing on innovation, health, and green development. The Expo serves as a key global platform for international dialogue and collaboration in trade and technology.
“Lundbeck’s participation in CIIE is about strengthening partnerships and dialogue — not only to bring innovative treatments to Chinese patients, but also to share Denmark’s experience in building a world-class life science and health innovation ecosystem,” says Lene Larsen, Public Affairs Specialist at Lundbeck.
“We see CIIE as a unique platform to connect with policymakers, researchers, and partners who share our ambition to advance brain health through science, innovation, and collaboration. Our goal is to contribute to the exchange of ideas that can lead to faster access to care and long-term cooperation between China and Denmark.”
Addressing shared health challenges
At CIIE, Lundbeck hosted a dedicated conference on neuroscience and the unmet need within brain diseases in China. Healthcare Denmark contributed with a presentation on Danish health policies that foster innovation and strong public-private partnerships — highlighting how collaboration and trust between sectors can accelerate access to care and improve patient outcomes.
Denmark’s approach to innovation offers valuable inspiration for China’s continued investment in health and life science.
“Initiatives such as Innovation District Copenhagen and the BioInnovation Institute’s Brain Health Initiative show how strategic investment, shared infrastructure, and close cooperation can accelerate innovation responsibly. This collaborative model demonstrates how long-term partnerships and trust between the public and private sectors can drive real progress in brain health,” says Lene Larsen.
Danish expertise in brain health
With more than 70 years of experience in neuroscience, Lundbeck is one of the few global pharmaceutical companies solely focused on brain health. China is already Lundbeck’s second-largest market, and the company continues to expand its presence — including within neuro-specialty and rare neurological diseases.
“There are huge and pressing unmet medical needs in brain diseases in China,” Lene Larsen notes. “CIIE provides a strong platform to showcase our innovations, raise public awareness, and deepen collaboration with local partners to improve access and reach a wider Chinese patient population with brain diseases. We hope that with the Expo’s “spillover effects”, we can accelerate the introduction of those innovations to benefit more Chinese patients.”
Building on 75 years of partnership
This year marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark. Healthcare Denmark’s participation in CIIE highlights the ongoing collaboration to advance innovation, prevention, and access to care — supporting shared ambitions such as Healthy China 2030.
Learn more about how Denmark’s collaborative model in health and life science drives innovation and better outcomes for patients in our publication “Public-Private Partnerships in Health and Life Science.”
Explore the publication here.
