Pharmaceutical Stocks Rally as 2026 National Essential Drug List Takes Effect
Pharmaceutical stocks strengthened on September 8, with Qianjin Pharmaceutical hitting the daily limit after an early decline, reaching an 11-year high. The rally followed the September 1 implementation of the 2026 National Essential Drug List, the first revision in eight years, adding 116 drugs for a total of 794.
On the afternoon of September 8, the pharmaceutical sector broadly strengthened. Qianjin Pharmaceutical, which had fallen more than 4% in early trading, surged around 13:32 and hit the daily price limit, with its intraday high reaching an 11-year peak on a forward-adjusted basis. Other stocks also rallied, including Nearshore Protein, which fell over 3% in the morning before jumping to the daily limit in the afternoon, and Aopu Mai, which also hit the limit. Wanbang Pharmaceutical, CanSino Biologics, Haoyuan Pharmaceutical, Biocytogen, and Sino Biological all rose in tandem.
On September 1, the 2026 National Essential Drug List, jointly issued by the National Health Commission, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, officially took effect. This was the first revision in eight years. The new list includes 794 drugs, with 116 additions: 68 chemical drugs and biologics, 48 traditional Chinese medicines, and 2 chemical drugs removed.