https://www.scmp.com/rss/519767/feed Learn about China’s biomedical breakthroughs, from cutting-edge pharmaceuticals to life-saving research, driving global health innovation. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s healthcare sector has been drawing offshore capital to Hong Kong-listed stocks as investors look for safe havens amid global volatility in commodities. The Hang Seng Healthcare Index, tracking some of China’s most innovative pharmaceutical companies including Akeso and Innovent Biologics, has surged about 13 per cent since March 23, outpacing the benchmark Hang Seng Index’s about 6 per cent gain over the same period. “Although the Middle East conflict has created a lot of uncertainty and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349635/china-healthcare-stocks-outgain-hong-kong-market-middle-east-roils-global-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s biopharmaceutical sector is seeing an uptick in deal-making, with sovereign wealth funds from Singapore and the United Arab Emirates joining Chinese state-backed investors to back next-generation drug developers. Shanghai-based Everest Medicines agreed to spend US$250 million to acquire a Singapore company holding rights to 14 chronic-disease treatments across the Asia-Pacific region, according to a stock exchange filing on Wednesday. Its Singapore unit will acquire 100 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349390/china-biotech-flow-picks-everest-seals-us250-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349390/china-biotech-flow-picks-everest-seals-us250-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Global pharmaceutical companies posted mixed earnings in China last year, with some firms warning that 2026 will be another tough year as Beijing pushes for affordable healthcare through price bargains. Multinational corporations (MNCs) with innovative drug pipelines and the ability to quickly address unmet medical needs were expected to outperform rivals relying on mature and off-patent products this year, according to Bruce Liu, senior partner at global consulting firm Simon-Kucher. His... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349163/global-drug-makers-face-pricing-pressure-china-targets-affordable-healthcare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349163/global-drug-makers-face-pricing-pressure-china-targets-affordable-healthcare?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US dollar-denominated funds could face more hurdles when investing in Chinese tech and biotech companies as Beijing adopts a stricter approach to companies seeking listings via offshore incorporated vehicles. Indicative of Chinese regulators’ caution in overseeing sensitive industries, industry sources say the move ensures that any sale of assets does not escape regulatory scrutiny. And for any offshore incorporated structures that are approved, the stock regulator requires listing applicants to... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349166/stricter-chinese-scrutiny-offshore-vehicles-blow-tech-and-biotech-ipo-candidates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang,Daniel Ren Julie Zhang,Daniel Ren Biotech firm Hangzhou Diagens Biotechnology is banking on artificial intelligence-powered chromosome testing to drive profit growth following its Hong Kong listing, as China’s falling fertility rate spurs demand for assisted reproduction. “In China, many young people do not want to marry or have children, and by the time they decide to start a family, they need medical help to do so,” said Diagens’ founder and executive director Song Ning. “We are meeting an increasing number of couples every... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348335/chinese-company-use-ai-powered-chromosome-testing-boost-profits-and-fast-track-ivf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348335/chinese-company-use-ai-powered-chromosome-testing-boost-profits-and-fast-track-ivf?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:45:34 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Insilico Medicine has signed a potential multibillion-dollar deal with Eli Lilly to license out an early-stage drug pipeline and provide its artificial intelligence platform services in research and development collaborations. Under the agreement announced on Monday, US-headquartered, Hong Kong-listed Insilico will receive an upfront payment of US$115 million. The deal could have a total value of around US$2.75 billion tied to development, regulatory and commercial milestones, plus tiered... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348333/hong-kong-listed-insilico-medicine-signs-ai-drug-development-deal-eli-lilly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348333/hong-kong-listed-insilico-medicine-signs-ai-drug-development-deal-eli-lilly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:24:48 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang CK Life Sciences, a unit of Li Ka-shing-backed CK Group, plans to bring its cancer vaccine candidates to mainland China through a “fast track” channel as Beijing moves to accelerate early-stage drug development. “We are planning to run investigator-initiated trials [IITs], hopefully, in the next year,” CK Life Sciences’ vice-president and chief scientific officer Dr Melvin Toh Kean-meng said in a recent interview. His comments came as CK Life Sciences set up Sequencio Therapeutics in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348317/li-ka-shings-ck-life-unit-eyes-china-fast-track-cancer-vaccine-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348317/li-ka-shings-ck-life-unit-eyes-china-fast-track-cancer-vaccine-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:00:32 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The cross-border outlicensing activities of Chinese biotech firms reached a record transaction value of US$60 billion in the first quarter of 2026, driven by multinational pharmaceutical companies’ growing appetite for the country’s promising drug candidates. The deal value represented a 73 per cent jump from the same period a year earlier, and accounted for nearly half of the total US$135.7 billion worth of agreements signed throughout 2025, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348295/china-biotech-deals-hit-record-innovative-drugs-draw-interest-multinationals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348295/china-biotech-deals-hit-record-innovative-drugs-draw-interest-multinationals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:26:21 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang At least 10 weight-loss injections and oral pills are lining up for regulatory approval in China, in a market projected to reach about US$14 billion by 2030. Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster semaglutide, which generated about US$35 billion in global revenue last year, lost patent protection in China on March 20, clearing the way for rivals. The rush comes as China’s drug regulator accelerates approvals of innovative therapies, helped by a surge in out-licensing deals with global pharmaceutical... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347869/chinas-weight-loss-drug-makers-take-global-giants-novo-nordisk-patent-expires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347869/chinas-weight-loss-drug-makers-take-global-giants-novo-nordisk-patent-expires?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences agreed to buy Ouro Medicines, which is developing an antibody-based medicine for autoimmune diseases licensed from China’s Keymed Biosciences, in a deal worth up to US$2.18 billion. Gilead Sciences is among a group of global drug makers facing patent expirations and turning to mergers, acquisitions and licensing deals to refill their drug pipelines. Under the agreement, Gilead Sciences would pay shareholders of US-based Ouro Medicines US$1.675 billion... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347693/rights-antibody-drug-chinas-keymed-change-hands-gilead-acquisition-ouro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347693/rights-antibody-drug-chinas-keymed-change-hands-gilead-acquisition-ouro?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:51:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang AstraZeneca said it would establish drug manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou and Shanghai as well as a separate innovation centre in Shanghai, joining a group of foreign players building new plants in China amid geopolitical tensions. The moves are part of a US$15 billion commitment the British firm pledged to make in the world’s second-largest drug market through 2030, unveiled during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing in January. China’s manufacturing capabilities, integrated... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347266/global-drug-giants-double-down-china-amid-trend-build-self-reliant-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3347266/global-drug-giants-double-down-china-amid-trend-build-self-reliant-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese contract drug makers – including WuXi AppTec, WuXi Biologics and WuXi XDC – face a less certain long-term revenue outlook as US pharmaceutical companies bring production in-house and reconfigure supply chains amid rising US-China tensions. While near-term earnings remained largely locked in, visibility beyond that was limited, according to Cui Cui, head of healthcare research for Asia at Jefferies. “Earnings visibility for 2026 and 2027 is still very strong – revenue momentum is largely... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346911/us-reshoring-drive-casts-shadow-over-chinas-contract-drug-makers-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346911/us-reshoring-drive-casts-shadow-over-chinas-contract-drug-makers-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:48:41 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang More than 10 loss-making biotechnology companies have filed for Hong Kong stock exchange listings this year, bringing cutting-edge drugs and artificial intelligence-powered drug discovery platforms to market, as the city’s bourse presses ahead with reforms aimed at supporting the real economy. The latest applications came as healthcare and biotechnology equity capital market activity – stock sales by companies and their shareholders – in Hong Kong reached US$15.6 billion last year, the second... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346710/hong-kong-attracts-wave-biotech-ipo-filings-amid-ai-drug-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346710/hong-kong-attracts-wave-biotech-ipo-filings-amid-ai-drug-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:07:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang In a landmark development, Neuracle Medical Technology has secured the country’s first-ever approval for an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) system designed to restore hand motor function in patients with spinal cord injuries, in a regulatory milestone that underscores China’s accelerating push in neurotechnology. China’s BCI start-ups, seen as potential rivals to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, are gaining momentum as regulatory support and fresh capital fuel growth. Shares of BCI companies... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:30:13 +0000 Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Themis Qi,Julie Zhang Eli Lilly has pledged an additional US$3 billion investment in China over the next decade to strengthen its local supply chain and manufacturing capabilities, deepening the footprint of foreign pharmaceutical giants in the world’s second-largest healthcare market. The move would bring the total cumulative investment of Eli Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by market capitalisation, in China to nearly US$6 billion, according to a statement released on its WeChat account on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346260/eli-lilly-boosts-china-footprint-us3-billion-plan-expand-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346260/eli-lilly-boosts-china-footprint-us3-billion-plan-expand-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:39:53 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland Chinese investors can now buy shares in more than a dozen newly added Hong Kong-listed biotech and pharmaceutical companies after a reshuffle of the Stock Connect southbound trading list took effect on Monday, reflecting the sector’s growing role on the international stage. Foreign capital, however, remained cautious, analysts said. “Mainland buyers have been the main force behind the latest healthcare rally. They tend to chase smaller-cap names where a tight free float makes it easier... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346016/china-investors-energise-hong-kong-biotech-stocks-foreign-money-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3346016/china-investors-energise-hong-kong-biotech-stocks-foreign-money-missing-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee China has for the first time included commercial health insurance in its 2026 government work report, signalling efforts to strengthen the country’s social safety net and support the growth of innovative drugs and medical devices. On Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said the government would “work faster to develop commercial health insurance” and promote the “high-quality development of innovative drugs and medical devices” to better meet people’s diverse needs. Behind the unusual emphasis... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345717/china-pursue-commercial-health-insurance-ease-public-strain-support-drug-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345717/china-pursue-commercial-health-insurance-ease-public-strain-support-drug-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:12:46 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed Insilico Medicine has signed a cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ drug regulator to advance the use of its artificial intelligence tools in drug discovery across the region, even as geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East. Shares of Insilico rose as much as 12.8 per cent in morning trading on Thursday before paring gains to close 8.6 per cent higher at HK$56.10. The advance outpaced the benchmark Hang Seng Index, which edged up 0.3 per cent. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345614/insilico-medicine-advances-middle-east-push-uae-ai-drug-discovery-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345614/insilico-medicine-advances-middle-east-push-uae-ai-drug-discovery-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:30:07 +0000 Yulu Ao,Julie Zhang Yulu Ao,Julie Zhang Mainland China and Hong Kong should ease listing rules for biotechnology companies and lower takeover thresholds for listed firms to capitalise on renewed foreign interest in the healthcare sector, venture capitalist Nisa Leung said. “Besides artificial intelligence, Premier Li Qiang also highlighted biomedicine in the ‘two sessions’ annual government work report,” said Leung, a managing partner at Aulis Capital. “We are paying attention to medical insurance and commercial insurance, but at the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345589/china-and-hong-kong-should-relax-biotech-listing-rules-venture-capitalist-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345589/china-and-hong-kong-should-relax-biotech-listing-rules-venture-capitalist-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:59:42 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The pace and size of outlicensing deals between Chinese drug makers and global partners have accelerated this year, highlighted by two agreements announced this week, each worth more than US$1 billion. The string of deals shows how China is becoming a sought-after source of drug candidates for multinational pharmaceutical companies, which are increasingly looking for long-term partnerships rather than one-off arrangements, analysts said. The latest deals, Sino Biopharmaceutical’s agreement with... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345404/china-outlicensing-tops-us52-billion-first-two-months-rise-global-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345404/china-outlicensing-tops-us52-billion-first-two-months-rise-global-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:30:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the eighth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises. Investors are watching Beijing’s annual “two sessions” this week for signs that the country will address drug pricing and shore up its drug payment system, as a new form of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345310/healthcare-investors-keeping-eye-two-sessions-clarity-drug-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345310/healthcare-investors-keeping-eye-two-sessions-clarity-drug-pricing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:44:27 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese artificial intelligence-powered drug researcher XtalPi Holdings said it expects to turn its first annual profit on the back of strong revenue growth, according to a corporate filing. The Shenzhen-based company projected a swing to a net profit of at least 100 million yuan (US$14.5 million) in 2025 from a net loss of around 1.5 billion yuan in 2024, notching its first full-year profit, according to a filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. XtalPi attributed the earnings boost... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345305/chinese-ai-drug-researcher-xtalpi-expects-turn-first-annual-profit-193-revenue-jump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345305/chinese-ai-drug-researcher-xtalpi-expects-turn-first-annual-profit-193-revenue-jump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:33:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed mainland Chinese pharmaceutical companies are on track to deliver full-year profits, as surging drug sales and lucrative out-licensing deals with global partners start to pay off after years of research and development outlay. “Despite domestic challenges, particularly drug pricing pressure, the earnings performance of innovative drugs should still fare well in China in 2025,” said Tony Ren, head of Asia Healthcare Research at Macquarie Capital. Innovent Biologics, the first... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344928/hong-kong-listed-chinese-drug-firms-set-turn-corner-rising-sales-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344928/hong-kong-listed-chinese-drug-firms-set-turn-corner-rising-sales-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 04:00:22 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang China’s Harbour BioMed has struck a deal worth more than US$1.2 billion with a clinical-stage biotechnology company to develop and commercialise an antibody outside China, as the country’s novel drug makers increasingly secure not only upfront licensing fees but also long-term international partnerships. The Shanghai-based company announced a licence and equity agreement on Monday with Solstice Oncology, a firm established by a syndicate of venture capital investors, for the exclusive... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344311/wave-chinese-biotech-deals-builds-harbour-biomed-solstice-sign-us12-billion-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344311/wave-chinese-biotech-deals-builds-harbour-biomed-solstice-sign-us12-billion-pact?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:15:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang When an ibuprofen dance challenge went viral on the Chinese social media platform Douyin in late 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic, shares of the country’s leading ibuprofen maker surged more than 200 per cent in two weeks. Now profits at Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical are plunging, and it is not alone, as drug makers are hit by oversupply and weakening demand. The net profit at Shandong Xinhua, a leading manufacturer and exporter of fever and pain medicines, including ibuprofen, fell 26 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344097/viral-dance-challenge-lifted-chinese-ibuprofen-makers-shares-now-they-are-languishing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3344097/viral-dance-challenge-lifted-chinese-ibuprofen-makers-shares-now-they-are-languishing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A surge in drug research in China has driven the cost of a laboratory monkey to about 140,000 yuan (US$20,260), a sum that exceeds the country’s average annual wage. Official government procurement records showed that prices had doubled in the last five years for such monkeys, which are widely used in the preclinical stage to check whether a drug is safe and how it is absorbed, broken down and cleared by the body. Analysts said the soaring cost was underpinned by a flood of drug-licensing deals... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343819/chinas-biotech-boom-sends-price-lab-monkeys-drug-tests-climbing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343819/chinas-biotech-boom-sends-price-lab-monkeys-drug-tests-climbing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s state-backed investors are stepping up funding for artificial intelligence-driven drug developers as Beijing pushes for technological self-reliance, with at least one company already advancing an AI-designed therapy into late-stage clinical trials. Hangzhou-based METiS TechBio, founded in 2020, raised 400 million yuan (US$57.9 million) in series D financing in August last year, led by the Beijing Medical and Health Industry Investment Fund and the Daxing Industrial Investment Fund – both... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343151/capital-injection-china-backs-ai-drug-makers-self-reliance-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343151/capital-injection-china-backs-ai-drug-makers-self-reliance-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang WuXi Biologics expects a sharp rise in full-year earnings for 2025, forecasting a 46.3 per cent increase in profit as it secures more projects across the drug development value chain, from discovery through to manufacturing. In a positive profit alert filed with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday, the company said profit attributable to equity shareholders would reach about 4.91 billion yuan (US$710 million), while revenue is set to climb 16.7 per cent to 21.79 billion yuan. Shares rose... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343149/wuxi-biologics-earnings-jump-follow-and-win-molecule-strategy-pays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343149/wuxi-biologics-earnings-jump-follow-and-win-molecule-strategy-pays?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 04:42:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese healthcare companies are looking to expand overseas to serve Chinese communities in regions such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where many mainland companies are setting up operations across sectors. “A wide range of Chinese companies are expanding overseas,” setting up local operations and bringing Chinese employees with them, said Philip Wang, CEO of Distinct Healthcare Holdings, in an interview on Monday. “Chinese expatriate workers are often not familiar with the local... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343106/chinese-healthcare-firms-expand-overseas-support-growing-expat-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343106/chinese-healthcare-firms-expand-overseas-support-growing-expat-community?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 01:00:34 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Investors in mainland China raised their stakes in Hong Kong-listed drug makers through the cross-border trading link over the past week, as a wave of out-licensing deals between the country’s pharmaceutical firms and global partners rolls on. The Hang Seng Southbound Connect Hong Kong Innovative Drug Index, which tracks around 40 of the largest Hong Kong-listed Chinese drug manufacturers, biotech researchers and AI-driven drug developers by market capitalisation, rose about 8 per cent between... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343011/chinese-investors-pour-hong-kong-listed-drug-stocks-international-deals-multiply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343011/chinese-investors-pour-hong-kong-listed-drug-stocks-international-deals-multiply?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:18 +0000 Julie Zhang,Alice Li Julie Zhang,Alice Li In barely a decade, China has transformed from a maker of cheap generic copies of Western medicines into a global powerhouse of pharmaceutical innovation. The country now only trails the United States in novel drugs under development, with a 29 per cent share, according to McKinsey. International pharmaceutical companies are beating a path to China’s shores to license next-generation treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other disorders. Government support, including regulatory and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/china-business/article/3342868/china-challenges-us-new-drugs-after-industry-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/china-business/article/3342868/china-challenges-us-new-drugs-after-industry-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A unit of Fosun Pharma has struck a US$1.55 billion deal to license its home-grown cancer drug to Japan’s Eisai, adding to a wave of out-licensing agreements that are channelling billions of dollars into Chinese novel drug development. The deal comes as Chinese novel drug makers are having more say in how their new medicines are developed with global partners, shifting from simple one-off licensing fees, where a company is paid for granting rights to its drug, to long-term collaborations. Under... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342652/fosun-pharmas-us155-billion-eisai-deal-signals-shift-long-term-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3342652/fosun-pharmas-us155-billion-eisai-deal-signals-shift-long-term-partnerships?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:00:15 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Cathy Zhang, head of Asia-Pacific equity capital markets at Morgan Stanley, sounded hoarse after a day of back-to-back meetings with companies keen to go public in Hong Kong. “It’s very possible that the value and number may exceed last year’s IPO figures, given the momentum we have seen in January,” Zhang said in an interview on January 30. Nearly 100 companies filed for stock offerings in the city last month, more than triple the same period in 2025, a year which saw Hong Kong crowned as the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342365/morgan-stanley-sees-another-record-year-hong-kong-ipos-pipeline-hits-450?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3342365/morgan-stanley-sees-another-record-year-hong-kong-ipos-pipeline-hits-450?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:30:38 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland China could become one of the first markets in the world to approve a drug fully designed by artificial intelligence, as advances in AI and human genetics combine to create a “seismic shift” in drug development, according to executives of pharmaceutical giants. “We will see in 2026 that we move from AI-assisted discovery to fully AI-designed compounds, perhaps entering the pipeline,” said Marc Horn, president of Merck China, at the Asian Financial Forum on Tuesday in Hong Kong. “We... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341432/china-could-approve-first-fully-ai-designed-drug-next-year-merck-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341432/china-could-approve-first-fully-ai-designed-drug-next-year-merck-executive-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang As Chinese biotech and pharmaceutical firms gain importance on the global stage, foreign investors from sovereign wealth funds to industry players are securing strategic stakes in their future success. International institutional investors have built up significant positions in Chinese biotech firms over the past decade. These positions often approach, and in some cases exceed, the 5 per cent disclosure threshold for substantial shareholders in Hong Kong. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340801/revealed-global-funds-blackrock-temasek-back-chinas-largest-biotech-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340801/revealed-global-funds-blackrock-temasek-back-chinas-largest-biotech-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Wang Wen Wang Wen After a year of Trump 2.0, China has much to be thankful for. This is not an endorsement of US hegemony but an expression of confidence in China’s increased resilience – and an acknowledgement of the US policies that pushed China there. The Chinese government’s stance towards Trump 2.0 remains the same: to adhere to its own principles, respond rationally and look to turn any crisis into an opportunity. For a start, Trump 2.0’s tariff war on China has backfired. All it did was force China to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340739/how-trump-20-accelerated-chinas-push-tech-and-trade-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340739/how-trump-20-accelerated-chinas-push-tech-and-trade-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Shanghai-based Harbour BioMed’s acquisition of a stake in US-based Spruce Biosciences is the latest example of China’s novel drug developers progressing from one-time licensing deals into long-lasting equity partnerships with overseas partners. The deal, detailed in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Monday, also showed Chinese firms’ growing clout on the global pharmaceutical stage, analysts said. “The coming years will see more Chinese biotech firms engaging in equity investments and joint... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340489/harbour-biomed-stake-us-drug-firm-spruce-shows-chinese-firms-growing-clout-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340489/harbour-biomed-stake-us-drug-firm-spruce-shows-chinese-firms-growing-clout-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:30:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China has emerged as a credible challenger to the US in artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery, where advantage depends not only on computing prowess but also on the ability to effectively mine data, from genomes to clinical trial results, according to Leung Chuen-yan, a private equity investor and life sciences scientist. “Globally, the way companies develop and use AI to discover drugs is similar, from finding the drug target and designing the molecule to planning clinical trials,” said... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340403/china-challenges-us-ai-drug-race-rivals-still-reliant-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340403/china-challenges-us-ai-drug-race-rivals-still-reliant-each-other?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A partnership between China’s SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals and Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis on Monday has revived hopes for treating Alzheimer’s disease, which affects some 55 million people worldwide and could cost the global economy US$2.8 trillion by 2030. The deal, worth nearly US$1.7 billion, grants Novartis exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise SciNeuro’s antibody candidates to develop drugs for the progressive brain disease. SciNeuro’s novel amyloid beta targeted... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339691/chinas-scineuro-novartis-sign-us17-billion-licensing-deal-develop-alzheimers-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339691/chinas-scineuro-novartis-sign-us17-billion-licensing-deal-develop-alzheimers-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:11:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Foreign and mainland Chinese drug makers are fighting for a multibillion-dollar slice of the domestic weight-loss market by slashing prices by as much as 80 per cent, as China faces a worsening obesity crisis. Competition in the sector, dominated by global pharmaceutical giants Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, intensified after both secured obesity-drug approvals in China in 2024. The landscape is set to shift further when the patent on Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide expires in March in China, opening... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339544/chinas-weight-loss-drug-war-prices-slashed-80-obesity-crisis-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339544/chinas-weight-loss-drug-war-prices-slashed-80-obesity-crisis-worsens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 23:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese drug makers’ licensing deals more than doubled in 2025 from a year earlier to a record high, propelled by dozens of multibillion-dollar agreements between Hong Kong and mainland China-listed firms and global pharmaceutical giants. Last year, 157 out-licensing deals worth US$135.7 billion were signed, compared with 94 transactions worth US$51.9 billion in 2024, state media reported, citing data released by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), China’s drugs regulator, last... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339011/chinese-drug-makers-strike-record-us136-billion-out-licensing-deals-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339011/chinese-drug-makers-strike-record-us136-billion-out-licensing-deals-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Irina Zhou’s five-year-old cat has gained about a kilogram every year for the past three years. She knows the extra weight puts her pet at risk of obesity-related diseases and could even shorten his life. “My parents just can’t bear to see the cat go hungry,” the 29-year-old Zhou said. “If the weight starts to affect his health, I might consider trying weight-loss medicines for him.” The idea of using obesity drugs for pets drew public attention after Fosun Pharma’s unit Yao Pharma signed a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338820/meow-or-never-chinas-pudgy-pets-spark-race-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338820/meow-or-never-chinas-pudgy-pets-spark-race-weight-loss-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Newly Hong Kong-listed biotech firm Insilico Medicine is expected to receive up to US$888 million from a French drug maker under a partnership using Insilico’s proprietary artificial intelligence platform to discover and develop novel cancer drugs. The deal comes just days after the US company’s shares debuted following its initial public offering (IPO), which raised HK$2.28 billion (US$293 million) after the public portion was oversubscribed 1,427 times. The multi-year partnership with Servier,... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3338728/insilico-signs-us888-million-ai-drug-development-deal-days-after-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3338728/insilico-signs-us888-million-ai-drug-development-deal-days-after-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 04:46:54 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong’s biotech fundraising momentum is expected to extend into 2026, as licensing deals and strong post-initial public offering (IPO) trading last year persuaded investors that China’s drug developers are worth backing again – even before they generate revenue. “Chinese innovation drugs expanding into overseas markets have become the industry mainstream, indicating the domestic innovation sector has entered its harvest phase,” said Felix Huang, head of equity at Oakwise Capital. “New trends... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338714/biology-winter-thaws-why-investors-are-piling-hong-kongs-biotech-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338714/biology-winter-thaws-why-investors-are-piling-hong-kongs-biotech-ipos?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:00:22 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China’s biopharmaceutical sector is said to have entered an “innovation 2.0” phase as it moves to a commercialisation mindset that could see it sideline global competitors and outpace the US – despite restrictive trade policies. In recent years, innovative drug development in the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical market has rapidly approached – and in some cases surpassed – that of the United States, the world’s biggest market. Growing concerns over China’s biotech capabilities have led the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338481/chinas-biopharma-sector-prime-position-challenge-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338481/chinas-biopharma-sector-prime-position-challenge-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Biotech firm Insilico Medicine, backed by the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), is building a “digital Einstein” to revolutionise how scientists discover new medicines, and plans to continue expanding its research base in China to stay ahead of global rivals after its Hong Kong listing on Tuesday. “Biotechnology is a high-risk field like a ‘molecular casino’,” said founder Alex Zhavoronkov. “Even with artificial intelligence, you can lose 90 per cent of the time.” The 11-year-old company... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337942/china-vital-insilicos-plan-build-biotechs-ai-einstein-drug-discovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337942/china-vital-insilicos-plan-build-biotechs-ai-einstein-drug-discovery?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 02:13:46 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Genomic sequencing has helped Hong Kong identify the right treatments for cancer patients more quickly, according to an expert who also suggested that the city could be a “super-linker” between mainland China and the rest of the world in drug development. Aya El Helali, a clinician-scientist in medical oncology at the University of Hong Kong, praised how collaboration within the Greater Bay Area had opened up opportunities to run clinical trials faster and at lower costs – factors that appealed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337799/genomic-sequencing-puts-hong-kong-forefront-cancer-care-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337799/genomic-sequencing-puts-hong-kong-forefront-cancer-care-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:14 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese drugmakers have signed a late-year burst of out-licensing agreements with overseas partners, underlining China’s growing role as a source of novel medicines as multinational pharma groups hunt for new assets. Jacobio Pharmaceuticals said it expected to receive an upfront payment of US$100 million from AstraZeneca, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on December 21. The British-Swedish drugmaker was paying for exclusive rights to research, develop, register, manufacture... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337756/chinas-rising-biotech-clout-show-flurry-billion-dollar-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337756/chinas-rising-biotech-clout-show-flurry-billion-dollar-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 02:47:50 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Three in four multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in mainland China have maintained or increased their investments in 2025, according to a recent KPMG survey, despite Washington stepping up efforts to decouple from Beijing and its allies following suit. The survey published on Monday, polling 137 senior executives from global companies operating in the world’s second-largest economy between June and September, revealed that only 1 per cent reported preparing to exit the market. About 20... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337381/global-firms-turn-ma-evs-and-biotech-deepen-china-investment-kpmg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337381/global-firms-turn-ma-evs-and-biotech-deepen-china-investment-kpmg?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:30:22 +0000 Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu Julie Zhang,Eunice Xu If pharmaceutical drug patents are an hourglass turned over on the day of approval – with the approaching loss of exclusivity known in the industry as the “patent cliff” – then Big Pharma is currently watching the final grains of sand slipping through the neck of the glass. At the bottom of the hourglass awaits an unforgiving world of generic and biosimilar competition. Between 2025 and 2030, the patent cliff is set to be one of the biggest since 2010 by revenue at risk, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000