New focus on integration of Chinese, Western medicine

With China pressing for deeper integration of Chinese and Western medicine, the latest international academic recognition of a traditional Chinese medicine product signals a new stage in TCM internationalization.

During the 2026 European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia Congress held in Vienna, Austria, TCM product Paiteling was presented on March 21 to participants, marking a new breakthrough for TCM "going global".

The clinical efficacy underlying Paiteling — a flagship product of Beijing-headquartered PaiteBio — has been noticeable in the treatment of condyloma acuminatum via detection of human papillomavirus, said Cong Yimin, PaiteBio vice-president who spoke at the Molecular Biology II session.

This year's Government Work Report called for strengthening the integration of Chinese and Western medical practices, while promoting TCM globally.

The congress, held this year between March 18 and 21, is one of the world's premier international academic conferences on HPV and related cancers. It attracted over 1,700 global participants, with more than 560 scholars presenting oral reports and poster sessions, and featuring 615 oral presentations.

This year marked PaiteBio's return to this prestigious academic stage following its 2024 appearance, when it was represented by Professor Li Changzhong from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital.

PaiteBio's milestone represents the first time a TCM-related achievement was selected for the core academic program of the Molecular Biology session, signaling global academic and medical recognition of TCM innovations in HPV-related disease research, said Cong.

Founded in 1993, EUROGIN stands as one of the world's most authoritative multidisciplinary international forums for HPV infection and related cancers, serving as the central platform for releasing cutting-edge HPV research and establishing industry standards.

Over three decades, EUROGIN has propelled a series of milestone advances in the global HPV field, and its academic outcomes have directly influenced the formulation of global strategies for HPV-related disease prevention and treatment.

PaiteBio's presentation took place in the Molecular Biology II session — a core academic segment focusing on molecular mechanisms of HPV-related diseases.

Currently, no specific therapeutic drugs exist for HPV infection globally. While clinical practice relies primarily on vaccination for prevention, infected populations lack safe and effective minimally invasive interventions — a persistent clinical challenge troubling the global medical community.

Cong shared with international delegates the innovative Paiteling research findings validated by modern molecular biology techniques — specifically its intervention mechanisms for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia caused by high-risk HPV infection — along with detailed interpretation of clinical efficacy and safety data for Paiteling in treating such lesions.

Also known as Beijing Paite Born Biotechnology Development Group Co Ltd, PaiteBio is a high-tech enterprise in Zhongguancun. The company has over 5,000 employees nationwide.

PaiteBio's presentation was grounded in innovative TCM research on Paiteling. Developed following TCM principles of clearing heat and detoxifying while promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, Paiteling is a TCM preparation.

Cong stressed that as modern research on TCM continues to deepen, innovative TCM achievements have gradually gained widespread attention from mainstream international academia and provided innovative, practical Chinese solutions for global HPV-related disease prevention and treatment.

She noted that from a macro perspective, TCM's presence on a core academic stage of the EUROGIN Congress represented a vivid example of China's strategy to advance TCM "going global".

hanjingyan@chinadaily.com.cn