A comprehensive analysis of 3,339 publications and 1,433 interventional drug trials from China reveals a significant mismatch between research investments and clinical guideline priorities for coronary heart disease. Between 2006 and 2020, the number of publications surged from 41 to 353, a 760% increase, and continued to grow to 265 by 2025.
The majority of trials (76.4%) were bioequivalence studies, which compare generic drugs to brand-name versions, rather than innovative therapies. Chemical pharmaceuticals dominated over traditional Chinese medicine (78.6% vs 21.4%), with calcium channel blockers being the most studied drug category (45.9%).
Genomic research focused mainly on inflammatory biomarkers like CRP, IL6, and TNF (25.8%), while lipid metabolism targets were underrepresented (12.4%). Additionally, most publications appeared in lower-impact journals (33.6% in Q3 journals) compared to top-tier journals (19.7% in Q1).
This trend suggests that China's research efforts are not aligned with the need for innovative treatments for coronary heart disease. The findings highlight a gap between policy-driven research and clinically relevant drug development, emphasizing the need for a shift toward more innovative and targeted research.