Marine Biomed-FUNCTION Technology-Official website

Marine biomedicine

The 21st century is the century of the ocean, and the ocean holds vital strategic significance for a nation’s survival and development. Statistics show that most of today’s major powers are maritime nations, and historically, the majority of great powers have likewise been maritime nations. Currently, the marine economy has become the "blue engine" driving high-quality development in coastal cities worldwide. It represents a new and significant growth point for national economies, giving rise to a wide range of marine industries.

Marine biomedicine is an emerging marine industry. Around the world, building on the development of terrestrial natural medicines and chemically synthesized drugs, attention has increasingly shifted toward exploring new pharmaceutical resources from marine organisms. To date, approximately 40,000 compounds have been discovered in marine organisms. Owing to their unique structures and diverse activities, about 60% of these compounds comply with "Lipinski’s" Rule of Five, demonstrating significant potential for development.

A vast "blue biobank"

Large total biomass

Biomass account for approximately 87% of the Earth’s total biomass.
A wide variety

The oceans harbor approximately 5 million species of organisms and hundreds of millions of microorganisms.
Renewable resources

The ocean’s net primary productivity reaches approximately 500 billion tons per year.
High drug development potential

The druggability of marine natural products is five times greater than that of terrestrial organisms.

Marine biomedicine holds vast prospects and immense potential for future development.

Market expansion

By the end of 2020, the global market size of the marine biomedicine industry had reached $22 billion, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 10%. By 2025, the global marine biomedicine industry is projected to exceed $35 billion in market size.

Accelerated conversion of research outcomes

Currently, 16 marine-derived active natural products and their derivatives have successfully been launched as marine drugs worldwide, with broad applications in anti-tumor, antiviral, and antibacterial treatments.

Significant potential for development into multiple pharmaceutical classes

The principal R&D directions of marine-derived pharmaceuticals include effects on the central nervous system, anti-tumor, antibacterial and antiviral properties, cardiovascular applications, as well as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic functions. Many marine organisms thus possess potential for new drug development.

Opportunities in the Industrialization of China's Marine Biomedicine

China is among the earliest countries in the world to research and apply marine-derived biomedicines, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. Since China proposed the strategic vision of "developing marine and lacustrine resources to establish a blue pharmaceutical industry" in 1978, the cultivation and development of the country’s marine biomedicine sector have been accelerating. In 2022, Shandong Province established the "China Blue Medicine Bank" development fund with an allocation of RMB 5 billion. In 2024, Qingdao set up a special fund to support collaborative efforts between marine pharmaceutical R&D institutions and enterprises, providing matching subsidies for the translation and commercialization of innovative marine drugs.

Industrialization Development of China's Marine Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Industry

China’s marine pharmaceutical industry has kept pace with global development trends and achieved rapid growth. Since 2010, the quality of marine biomedicines has markedly improved, with diverse applications emerging in medicine, cosmetics, fertilizers, and new materials, while the overall industry scale has expanded swiftly. In the future, clinical trials of marine-derived drugs will further expand the scale of the marine biomedical industry. As a major province in the marine biomedicine industry, Shandong has concentrated more than 80% of the country's marine drug research resources and expertise. In 2021, the output value of the marine biomedicine industry in Shandong exceeded RMB 20 billion, securing a leading position nationwide.

Globally, 16 innovative marine-derived drugs have been approved, two of which originated in Qingdao and have been successfully marketed domestically.

*Source: Wang Cheng, Zhang Guojian, Liu Wendan, et al. Progress in Marine Drug Research and Development [J]. Chinese Journal of Marine Drugs, 2019, 38(6):35.

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Marine biomedicine advancement powered by the demand for new drug development

The ocean possesses abundant biological resources, with over 40,000 compounds already discovered from marine organisms, yet more than 90% of potential compounds remain unexplored. Compared with terrestrial organisms, the ecological environment of marine life endows its compounds with unique structures, diverse activities, and potent effects. The druggability of these compounds is five times higher than that of terrestrial organisms, providing a vast resource repository for new drug research and development, with immense prospects for exploration.

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Marine biomedicine advancement powered by market demand

With the continuous evolution of disease spectra and the rise of health awareness, the traditional pharmaceutical field has encountered challenges, such as reaching therapeutic limits and the development of drug resistance from the long-term use of terrestrial medicines. Marine biomedicine, with its unique biological activity and medicinal value, is experiencing growing market demand.

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Marine biomedicine advancement powered by technological innovation

With continuous advances in science and technology, a wide range of innovative techniques and models have emerged, such as high-throughput screening and synthetic biology. Innovations in R&D technologies have expanded the sources of marine drugs and optimized their properties, thereby reducing R&D costs and risks. In the future, as more technological breakthroughs are achieved, the marine biomedicine industry will embrace broader prospects for development.

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Marine biomedicine advancement powered by the innovation of marine TCM

Currently, China has developed around 22 marine-derived single-component medicines and approximately 152 compound TCMs containing marine ingredients, with some marine-based drugs already industrialized. The integration of marine TCMs with contemporary pharmaceutical theories and modern scientific technologies will greatly enhance their clinical applications. The R&D of marine TCMs will facilitate the upgrading and transformation of the marine biomedicine industry, driving it toward higher quality and greater efficiency.