Dynamic evolution and industry trend analysis of China's pharmaceutical industry science and technology innovation network: A bibliometric approach

Abstract: Background: The pharmaceutical industry is a strategic emerging sector in China, yet its scientific and technological innovation network remains poorly characterized in terms of structural dynamics and evolutionary pathways. Objectives: In the field of scientific and technological innovation in China's pharmaceutical industry, this study systematically sorts out the context of research, reveals the structural characteristics and evolutionary laws of the innovation network and provides references for industrial policy formulation and enterprise strategic layout. Methods: Based on 602 relevant papers collected from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) from 1996 to 2024, VOSviewer and CiteSpace software were comprehensively used to conduct co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis and burst term detection, so as to construct a multi-dimensional dynamic network model. Results: The number of published papers on scientific and technological innovation in China’s pharmaceutical industry increased, with accelerated growth and greater volatility after 2010. A core author group has initially taken shape, but the participation rate of enterprises is only 8.3%, indicating insufficient industry-university-research collaboration. Research hotspots have expanded from traditional biomedicine to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence-assisted drug design and mRNA vaccines, with industrial clusters and factor collaboration becoming new focuses. Conclusion: The innovation of the pharmaceutical industry follows a phased evolutionary path of "technology-driven – cluster development – factor collaboration". At present, it is confronted with structural constraints such as inadequate data sharing, unbalanced resource allocation and a shortage of interdisciplinary talents. It is suggested that enterprises’ dominant position in innovation be strengthened, a cross-regional public R and D data platform for the pharmaceutical industry be established, policy incentives shift from project funding to performance-based rewards for innovation alliances and the industry evolve into an adaptive innovation ecosystem.