Investigational therapy · 2026
Clinical trials in China,
without the language wall.
30,000+ ICH-GCP aligned trials registered in China — including many first-in-human cell therapy and ADC protocols. We screen your case against the registry, identify eligible trials at top sites, and coordinate the introduction.
30,000+
Active registered trials
Across NMPA platform and ChiCTR
Registry data 2024
ICH-GCP
Adopted since 2017
China joined ICH; full GCP / E6 / E17 alignment
NMPA / ICH
4
NMPA-approved CAR-Ts
More than any country except the US
NMPA approvals
$25k–75k
Typical 3–6 mo trip cost
All-in inc. travel for oncology trial
Industry data 2024
Multi-regional
FDA / EMA co-registered
Many top-centre trials run under IND with US/EU sites
ClinicalTrials.gov
Liability
Sponsor insurance required
Compulsory under NMPA rules
NMPA regulations
How it works
Six steps from question to trial.
Eligibility screening
Records reviewed against trial inclusion / exclusion. Bilingual report in 5–10 days.
$450–950
Trial shortlist
Up to 5 protocols scored against your case — sponsor, phase, site, eligibility match.
Included
Site introduction
Investigator contact, records package preparation, scheduling for screening visit.
Included
On-site coordination
M-visa, hospital booking, bilingual companion, accommodation, screening / treatment days.
Trip-cost basis
Multi-disciplinary opinion
If trial is unsuitable, MDT opinion on alternative standard-of-care or other-jurisdiction trials.
$450–950
Follow-up & reporting
Bilingual liaison with home oncologist for response assessment, AE management, and continuation.
Per-month basis
Where China is most active
Therapeutic areas with
deep trial pipelines.
Cancer Hospital of CAMS · Fudan Cancer · Sun Yat-sen Cancer
Solid tumour Phase I/II — ADCs, immune-oncology, novel targets, MRD-guided protocols
Ruijin · PUMC · Tongji
CAR-T / TCR-T / NK first-in-human · BCMA, CD7, CD19/22, GPC3, claudin 18.2
PUMC · Beijing Children's Hospital · Renji
Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, IBD biologics + biosimilars · pediatric autoimmune
PUMC · Children's Hospital of Fudan
Inherited metabolic disease · gene therapy · novel orphan-drug protocols
Fuwai Hospital · Zhongshan
Structural heart device trials · TAVR / MitraClip equivalents · novel anticoagulants
PUTH · CITIC-Xiangya
Recurrent IVF failure protocols · novel embryo selection methods
FAQ
Trials in China — answered.
- Why look at clinical trials in China?
- China is the world's second-largest source of registered clinical trials by volume after the United States. The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) and the NMPA Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Disclosure Platform list 30,000+ active trials. China leads globally on first-in-human cell therapy trials (CAR-T, TCR-T, NK), is increasingly competitive on early-phase oncology, and has a deep autoimmune and rare-disease portfolio. For patients with conditions where home-country options are exhausted or restricted, a Chinese trial can be an evidence-based path. The trade-offs are language, eligibility complexity and travel logistics — which is what this page is about.
- Are Chinese clinical trials run to international standards?
- China joined the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) in 2017 and adopted ICH-GCP, ICH-E6(R2) and ICH-E17 (multi-regional clinical trials) into its regulatory framework. The NMPA (formerly CFDA) requires GCP compliance, IRB / Ethics Committee approval, informed consent in the participant's primary language, and serious-adverse-event reporting. Many trials at top centres (Cancer Hospital of CAMS, Fuwai, Ruijin, PUMC) are conducted under FDA / EMA Investigational New Drug Applications and run as multi-regional trials with US/EU sites. Trial-by-trial due diligence is still essential — we always review the protocol, IRB approval, sponsor and site investigator before recommending.
- How do I find a trial in China?
- Three primary registries: (1) NMPA Drug Clinical Trial Registration Platform (chinadrugtrials.org.cn) — the regulatory registry, search by drug and indication; (2) Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (chictr.org.cn) — broader academic and investigator-initiated trials; (3) ClinicalTrials.gov — for trials with US co-registration, often the easiest English interface. Cross-reference with the sponsor's pipeline page and recent ASCO / ASH / ESMO presentations. We also coordinate against partner-hospital investigator pages where many trials with international-patient capacity are not well advertised.
- What does it cost to join a trial?
- Sponsored trial drugs and trial-required procedures are typically provided at no cost to the patient under GCP rules. International patients still pay for: (1) screening tests not part of the trial protocol but required for the hospital workup; (2) standard-of-care procedures (e.g. surgery, baseline imaging) that would be charged regardless; (3) travel, accommodation, M-visa, companion costs; (4) in some commercial Phase II/III trials, partial drug cost-sharing may apply. Indicative all-in international-patient cost for a typical 3–6 month oncology trial including travel: $25,000–$75,000 — substantially below comparable commercial therapy access.
- What about trial eligibility?
- Eligibility criteria are protocol-specific. Common gating items: prior lines of therapy (often capped at 2–4); ECOG performance status (typically 0–1, sometimes 2); organ function thresholds; specific biomarker (HER2, EGFR, BRAF, PD-L1 status, MSI-high, BRCA, etc.); age range; absence of certain comorbidities or recent surgery; washout from prior therapy (often 28 days). We screen your records against the protocol's full inclusion / exclusion list before introducing you to the site investigator.
- Can foreigners legally enrol in Chinese trials?
- Yes — foreign nationals can enrol provided they meet trial eligibility, can demonstrate informed consent in a language they understand (we provide translated ICFs), and can comply with the protocol's visit schedule. The M-visa supports trial participation; for trials longer than the standard M-visa duration (180 days), residence-permit conversion is possible for ongoing protocols. Some trials (notably first-in-human cell therapy in dedicated centres) restrict to PRC nationals due to long-term follow-up commitments — we identify these upfront.
- What about safety and patient protection?
- Patients in Chinese trials are protected by: (1) IRB / Ethics Committee approval — required at each participating site under NMPA rules; (2) GCP-compliant informed consent — translated, with a witnessed signing process; (3) data and safety monitoring board for most Phase II/III trials; (4) compulsory clinical-trial liability insurance carried by the sponsor; (5) NMPA SAE reporting within 24–48 hours; (6) right to withdraw at any time without affecting other care. Risks of any clinical trial — including investigational drug toxicity, unknown long-term effects, and treatment failure — apply equally in any country and should be weighed against expected benefit.
- What therapies is China particularly known for?
- Cell therapy — China was first to approve CAR-T in 2017 (relmacabtagene autoleucel, Fosun Kite) and has 4 NMPA-approved CAR-T products as of late 2025; first-in-human BCMA, CD7, CD19/CD22 dual-target and solid-tumour CAR / TCR / NK trials are concentrated in China. Immunotherapy — extensive PD-1 / PD-L1 portfolio (toripalimab, tislelizumab, sintilimab, camrelizumab) with active combinations. ADC drugs — China is highly active in antibody-drug conjugates including trastuzumab deruxtecan, sacituzumab tirumotecan and domestic clones. mRNA — emerging mRNA cancer vaccine portfolio. Stem cell — broader regenerative medicine trial base than most Western jurisdictions.
Related guides
Cancer Treatment
Standard-of-care oncology in parallel with trial evaluation.
Read the guideCAR-T Therapy
NMPA-approved and trial CAR-T options in China.
Read the guideSecond Opinion
Independent review of your case before committing to a trial path.
Read the guideRecords Translation
Bilingual translation of pathology, imaging and clinical notes.
Read the guideM-Visa Guide
Trial enrolment requires an M-visa; longer protocols use residence permits.
Read the guideMedical Companion
Bilingual companions for screening visits and consent briefings.
Read the guideWant to know what trials
fit your case?
Send us your records. We screen against the NMPA registry and partner-hospital investigator pages, return up to five matched protocols with eligibility scoring, and handle the site introduction if you choose to pursue one.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical trial participation involves investigational therapy with risks that may not be fully known. We do not promote specific therapies or sponsors. Trial eligibility and enrolment decisions are made by the trial investigator and the patient’s treating team.