OBJECTIVE To analyze the coupling coordination mechanism and driving path between technological innovation efficiency and regional economy in China’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, and provide optimization strategies for achieving coordinated development between the two systems.

METHODS A coupling coordination degree model was used to analyze the coupling and coordinated development relationship between the technological innovation efficiency of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and regional economy in 30 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and directly governed cities in China. Based on the WSR methodology, the Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA) method was used to analyze the linkage effect of the coupling and coordinated development of the two systems from a configuration perspective.

RESULTS The overall level of coupling and coordination between technological innovation efficiency and regional economy in China’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry needed to be improved, and there were significant differences among different provinces; A single conditional variable could not affect the coupling and coordinated development of technological innovation efficiency and regional economy in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry; There were 3 driving paths that generate high-level coupling coordination.

CONCLUSION Each region should choose a differentiated development path based on its own resource endowment and conditional factors, effectively promoting the coupling and coordinated development of technological innovation efficiency and regional economy in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.