Updated: 7 days ago
Medically reviewed by ChinaCureLink Team
Table of Content
What Is the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone?
The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, in Hainan province, is the only area in mainland China where hospitals can apply to use certain cell, gene, and tissue-engineering therapies before they receive full nationwide NMPA approval. Under Hainan's “special license” policy — covering special medical use, special research, special operation, and special international medical exchange — an approved partner hospital can bring in a therapy that isn't yet available anywhere else in the country, provided it meets the zone's safety review framework.
That review framework matters for patients evaluating any of the 58 therapies below: each approval goes through an academician/expert panel for technical risk, an official quality re-inspection center, an electronic regulatory tracking platform, and an adverse-event compensation fund before a hospital can start treating patients.
This list — 58 approved biomedical technologies as of this compilation — reflects the pilot zone's most recent public tally. Earlier in 2026, official figures cited 29–30 approved projects; the number has grown quickly as more hospitals bring in new technologies, so treat any specific count as a snapshot rather than a permanent ceiling.
If cancer treatment is what brought you here, our companion guide on CAR-T and cell therapy access in China goes deeper into cost, hospital selection, and the patient journey — this article is meant as an index of what's approved, not a how-to-access guide for each one.
Key Takeaways |
Boao Lecheng is China's only "medical special zone," a Hainan pilot area licensed to fast-track cell, gene, and other biomedical therapies that aren't yet approved elsewhere in mainland China. |
58 technologies have been approved as of this 2026 compilation — up from 29–30 earlier in the year — spanning cell therapy, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. |
The largest single category is stem cell / mesenchymal cell therapy (roughly half the list), followed by cancer cell immunotherapies (CAR-T, TIL, NK, DC vaccines) and gene therapy for rare and inherited diseases. |
Approval at Boao Lecheng is not the same as nationwide NMPA approval — these technologies are currently authorized for use within the pilot zone's partner hospitals, under a "one-hospital-one-license" framework, not automatically available across China. |
Eligibility, cost, and hospital access vary by therapy — this article is an index, not a treatment plan; confirm specifics for any therapy that interests you with a coordinator before assuming access. |
Cancer Immunotherapies
The single largest cluster of approvals targets cancer, spanning several different cell-engineering approaches — CAR-T cells engineered to recognize a tumor antigen, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) harvested and expanded from a patient's own tumor, NK and RAK cells used as immune support alongside standard treatment, dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, and oncolytic viruses that infect and kill cancer cells directly.
Allogeneic universal CAR-γδT cell injection targeting B7-H3 (QH104A) — an "off-the-shelf" CAR-T product not made from the patient's own cells
Recombinant human L-21 oncolytic vaccinia virus injection — for soft tissue sarcoma
Personalized DC vaccine therapy — for malignant tumors broadly
Single-cell vaccine therapy — against EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) infection, relevant to EBV-linked cancers
Activated T-lymphocyte therapy — to help prevent recurrence after liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) surgery
Autologous NK cell therapy — as an adjunct to immunotherapy drugs for solid tumors
Autologous dendritic cell therapy — for immune-related solid tumors, specifically pancreatic and colorectal cancer
DC vaccine therapy (non-gene-modified) — for EBV-associated blood cancers
Autologous NK cell therapy — as adjunct treatment for solid tumors and to help prevent recurrence
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy — for solid tumors generally
Autologous RAK cell therapy — used after radical surgical removal of hepatocellular carcinoma
Personalized tumor neoantigen peptide adjuvant therapy — used after radical pancreatic cancer resection
Autologous natural TIL therapy — specifically for lung cancer and melanoma
PD-1-antibody-secreting, mesothelin-targeted CAR-T cell therapy — for malignant mesothelioma
Oncolytic virus therapy — for advanced solid tumors broadly
5CTL autologous immune cell therapy — for tumors
CD7-targeted autologous CAR-T cell injection (PA3-17) — for adult relapsed/refractory CD7-positive blood and lymphatic cancers
Cell therapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Central memory T-lymphocyte therapy — for hepatocellular carcinoma
Gene Therapy for Inherited & Rare Diseases
Gene therapies on this list mostly target conditions caused by a single known genetic mutation — inherited retinal diseases, blood disorders, and a neuromuscular disease — where replacing or editing the faulty gene addresses the root cause rather than just the symptoms.
Gene therapy for RPE65 biallelic mutation-associated inherited retinal dystrophy
Gene-edited autologous hematopoietic stem cell therapy — for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia
AAV (adeno-associated virus) gene therapy — for hemophilia A
Human iPSC-derived motor neuron precursor cell therapy — for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
ZVS101e gene therapy injection — for Bietti crystalline dystrophy, a rare inherited retinal condition
EXG102-031 gene therapy — for wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD)
FT-003 gene therapy — for neovascular age-related macular degeneration
Gene-modified autologous hematopoietic stem cell therapy (KL003 cell injection) — for transfusion-dependent thalassemia
Gene-modified therapy for ALS
Gene therapy for RDH12 mutation-associated inherited retinal disease
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy — for transfusion-dependent thalassemia
Stem Cell & Mesenchymal Cell Therapy
By far the largest category, spanning joint disease, lung conditions, heart failure, fertility, liver disease, autoimmune conditions, dental health, diabetes, and vascular disease. Most use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) sourced from umbilical cord, amniotic tissue, dental pulp, adipose (fat) tissue, or bone marrow.
Joint & Orthopedic
Umbilical cord MSC (UC-MSC) injection therapy for knee osteoarthritis
Human UC-MSC therapy for knee osteoarthritis (a second, separately approved technology)
M-021001 cell therapy to reduce meniscus injury
Respiratory & Lung
Airway basal stem cell therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Airway basal stem cell therapy for bronchiectasis
Airway basal stem cell therapy for interstitial lung disease
Menstrual-blood-derived MSC therapy for pulmonary fibrosis
CAStem cell therapy for pulmonary fibrosis
Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell therapy for interstitial lung disease
Cardiac
Human umbilical cord-derived MSC therapy to improve heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)
Reproductive & Fertility
UC-MSC therapy for premature ovarian insufficiency (POI)
Human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal-like cell therapy for intrauterine adhesions
Human amniotic epithelial stem cell therapy for premature ovarian failure
Amniotic MSC cell injection to improve diminished ovarian reserve (DOR)
Liver
Human UC-MSC (VUM02 injection) therapy for liver cirrhosis
MSC therapy for decompensated liver cirrhosis
Allogeneic hepatocyte therapy for liver cirrhosis
Allogeneic human bone-marrow MSC therapy for acute-on-chronic liver failure
Autoimmune & Inflammatory
Human UC-MSC therapy for rheumatoid arthritis
Human UC-MSC therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus
Human UC-MSC therapy for ankylosing spondylitis
Dental
Dental pulp MSC therapy for periodontal disease
Dental follicle MSC therapy for periodontal disease
Metabolic
Human UC-MSC therapy for type 2 diabetes
Adipose stem cell injection engineered to co-express GLP-1 and FGF21, for type 2 diabetes
Vascular
Allogeneic endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) therapy for critical limb ischemia
Transplant Complications & Other
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy to relieve complications after bone marrow transplant
Adipose MSC combined with minimally invasive surgery for complex anal fistula
How ChinaCureLink Can Help You Access Innovative Therapies Approved in China
A list like this one is the easy part. The hard part — the part that actually determines whether a therapy on this list is real for you — is everything underneath it: which hospital holds the specific license for that technology, whether it's currently open to international patients, what the actual eligibility criteria are for your diagnosis and disease stage, and what a realistic cost and timeline looks like once travel, translation, and coordination are factored in.
That's where ChinaCureLink comes in. Because Boao Lecheng approvals are granted hospital-by-hospital and therapy-by-therapy, there's no single public portal where a patient can check "am I eligible for #47" — it takes someone who already has relationships with the treating hospitals and understands how the pilot zone's licensing actually works in practice. We do that legwork so you don't have to:
Confirm real access — verifying which of these technologies are currently treating international patients versus still limited to domestic use, and which hospital holds the license
Match your case — reviewing your diagnosis, prior treatment, and medical records against a therapy's actual eligibility criteria before you commit to anything
Coordinate the logistics — translation, medical record transfer, travel, and communication with the treating team from first inquiry through follow-up care
Set honest expectations — on cost, timeline, and outcomes, without the guesswork of trying to interpret Chinese-language regulatory filings and hospital announcements yourself
If any therapy on this list is relevant to your situation, the next step isn't researching it alone — it's a conversation with our team to find out what's actually possible for your case.
Get a Second Opinion Before Fly to China
For suitable cases, ChinaCureLink can then coordinate an online consultation with the specialist to discuss the technical treatment details directly. The purpose is to help the patient understand which treatment option and which specialist center may be most appropriate before making an international treatment decision.
What Patients Say About ChinaCureLink & Medebound HEALTH
China CureLink operates under Medebound HEALTH — an internationally recognized healthcare navigation company incorporated in New York, with operations across North America and Asia-Pacific.
Rated 4.6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ at Trustpilot
Medebound HEALTH's online testimonials. Learn More
★★★★☆ Sarah Zhang · Canada· Jul 2024 · Verified “The interpreter during the video call was fantastic — super professional and answered all our questions clearly and quickly. The professor was also very patient and gave us detailed and honest guidance on our treatment options.” |
★★★★★ Andrew Goh · Singapore · Aug 2024 · Verified “My first contact with Medebound was over a year ago. Jason has always been responsive, even when I wasn't ready to proceed. When I finally did, the consultation was seamlessly arranged and the specialist was outstanding.” |
★★★★★ Daniel Wong · Singapore · Aug 2024 · Verified “I have dry eye and nothing seemed to be working, even with different medications. I heard about a medication from the U.S. that’s supposed to be really effective, but I didn’t want to try it without talking to a doctor first. MEDEBOUND connected me with a top ophthalmologist in the U.S. and it was so reassuring to get their expert advice.” |
★★★★☆ Pongsakorn · Thailand · Feb 2025 · Verified “Kiki at Medebound is amazing — so professional and helpful! They got my video consultation with an MD Anderson expert set up super fast, within just 5 working days. I am so grateful for their support.” |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone?
It's a special medical zone in Hainan, China, authorized to allow partner hospitals to use cell, gene, and other biomedical therapies before they receive full nationwide regulatory approval — under a dedicated safety review and licensing framework.
Can international patients access these 58 therapies?
Access depends on the specific therapy, hospital, and your individual case — some pilot-zone therapies are set up for international patients, others are still limited to domestic clinical use. This list only confirms that a therapy has been approved for use in the zone, not that it's open to any particular patient population.
Are these treatments approved for use nationwide in China, or only in Hainan?
Only within the Boao Lecheng pilot zone, and typically only at the specific hospital that received the license for that technology — this is the core purpose of the zone, to allow limited early use ahead of nationwide approval.
How is Boao Lecheng different from getting treatment elsewhere in China?
Elsewhere in China, a therapy generally needs full NMPA approval before any hospital can offer it. Boao Lecheng's special license policy lets an individual hospital in the zone use an approved-elsewhere-but-not-yet-NMPA-approved therapy, under added safety oversight.
Which of these 58 therapies treat cancer?
Roughly a third of the list — CAR-T, TIL, NK cell, DC vaccine, oncolytic virus, and related cell-based cancer immunotherapies are grouped in the first section above.
How do I find out if I'm eligible for a specific therapy on this list?
Eligibility criteria (disease stage, prior treatment history, genetic testing results, and so on) are set individually by each therapy and hospital. Confirm specifics with a patient coordinator or the treating hospital before making any assumptions about access.
About ChinaCureLink
ChinaCureLink helps patients across the world access the best cancer treatment at China's top hospitals, without the delays, language barriers, and administrative confusion that typically come with seeking care abroad.
We connect patients directly with China's top cancer hospitals, ensuring that from the first case submission through to treatment and follow-up, every step is guided, translated, and coordinated by a team experienced in cross-border patient care.
ChinaCureLink is proudly affiliated with Medebound HEALTH — founded by US physicians, with over 10 years of experience and more than 3,000 patients served worldwide, Medebound HEALTH is recognized by Forbes and it is one of the most trusted patient cross-border concierge service company across North America and the Asia Pacific.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical or financial advice. Treatment eligibility, protocols, and costs vary by individual case — confirm specifics with a coordinator and treating physician before making any decisions.
