https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/519767/feed Learn about China’s biomedical breakthroughs, from cutting-edge pharmaceuticals to life-saving research, driving global health innovation. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen The increasing global appeal of Chinese firms’ novel therapies has propelled the country’s rise as a biomedical powerhouse, but China has yet to produce a drug to rival all-time best-selling Western blockbusters in sales. Beijing has set ambitious new five-year targets to boost its global presence, including at least five products with annual global sales surpassing US$1 billion by 2030. The goal is achievable, according to some analysts. Jefferies’ head of Asia healthcare research Cui Cui noted... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370340/china-wants-5-innovative-drugs-us1-billion-returns-2030-which-might-they-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370340/china-wants-5-innovative-drugs-us1-billion-returns-2030-which-might-they-be?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US firm ArriVent BioPharma’s shares plummeted after a late-stage trial failure involving a cancer drug licensed from China, a setback that analysts said highlighted the challenges facing Chinese biotech companies expanding overseas. New York-listed ArriVent closed down nearly 47 per cent on Tuesday after reporting that its cancer treatment firmonertinib failed to meet its main goal in a phase 3 trial. Firmonertinib was originally developed by Shanghai Allist Pharmaceuticals to treat non-small... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369985/us-firm-arrivents-plunge-shows-risks-facing-chinas-biotech-expansion-global-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369985/us-firm-arrivents-plunge-shows-risks-facing-chinas-biotech-expansion-global-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Oct 2026 04:20:31 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Hong Kong can attract more global biotech investments if the city builds up a new healthcare financial model, according to AstraZeneca, a Cambridge-based multinational pharmaceutical giant. While global drug makers have been doubling down on investments in mainland China in recent years, AstraZeneca brought over 60 clinical trials to the city and invested over HK$200 million (US$25.5 million) over the past three years. Hong Kong was still a key research and development hub for the firm, David... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369144/hong-kong-needs-new-funding-model-draw-investment-global-drug-makers-astrazeneca?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3369144/hong-kong-needs-new-funding-model-draw-investment-global-drug-makers-astrazeneca?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:00:04 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3369300/chinese-biopharmas-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3369300/chinese-biopharmas-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:30:44 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Shares of Akeso surged after British drug maker AstraZeneca moved to advance the Chinese biotech firm’s flagship cancer drug, while a new deal from US giant Merck further underscored the sector’s global momentum amid easing fears of US curbs. AstraZeneca on Tuesday announced a US$2 billion equity investment in Florida-headquartered Summit Therapeutics, which holds the exclusive rights to develop and commercialise Akeso’s immunotherapy drug ivonescimab outside China. Summit and AstraZeneca would... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369187/astrazeneca-merck-novo-deals-boost-chinese-biotech-global-interest-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369187/astrazeneca-merck-novo-deals-boost-chinese-biotech-global-interest-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Chinese biotech deal making is moving beyond the licensing of individual drug candidates, as the country transforms from a follower to a global innovation leader, according to analysts. The latest transaction underscores that shift. Beijing-based cancer drug developer InnoCare Pharma said on Thursday that it had entered into a strategic research collaboration and licensing agreement with US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly that could be worth up to US$3.35 billion. InnoCare said it would use its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3368781/chinas-biotech-firms-move-value-chain-drug-deals-evolve-beyond-licensing-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3368781/chinas-biotech-firms-move-value-chain-drug-deals-evolve-beyond-licensing-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US-China biotech deals are expected to thrive because Washington is reportedly leaning away from sweeping restrictions, according to analysts, giving Chinese healthcare firms a major boost following Beijing’s ambitious five-year plan for the sector. Out-licensing deals between China and the US would “ride on a high tide” in the favourable environment, said Nomura’s head of China healthcare research Jialin Zhang, in a research note on Sunday. The US Treasury Department was drafting investment... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368249/expect-high-tide-chinese-biotech-deals-threat-us-curbs-fades-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368249/expect-high-tide-chinese-biotech-deals-threat-us-curbs-fades-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding’s research arm, Damo Academy, has open-sourced an artificial intelligence model capable of identifying nearly 150 abdominal conditions – including cancers – by reading computed tomography (CT) scans, marking the latest step in the firm’s growing medical AI efforts. The vision-language model, called Damo Radar, was designed to analyse contrast-enhanced CT scans covering 18 abdominal organs and identify a broad range of diseases and other abnormalities, such as malignant... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368055/alibaba-open-sources-medical-ai-model-can-detect-cancer-and-nearly-150-conditions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368055/alibaba-open-sources-medical-ai-model-can-detect-cancer-and-nearly-150-conditions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:30:05 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China has set its sights on becoming a global biomedicine powerhouse by 2030, targeting key technological breakthroughs and at least a quarter of the world’s first-in-class drugs market under a new five-year plan for the sector. By the end of the decade, China would “firmly rank at the global forefront” in biopharmaceutical research and development and applications, with its “core competitiveness” and international influence making a significant leap, authorities said on Friday. The biomedical... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367952/how-china-plans-firmly-rank-global-forefront-25-first-class-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367952/how-china-plans-firmly-rank-global-forefront-25-first-class-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China is seeing a fresh fundraising boom for artificial intelligence-powered drug developers, with start-ups including a ByteDance spin-off raising hundreds of millions of dollars this week as investors rush to back domestic challengers to Anthropic and Isomorphic Labs. Anew Labs, a Shanghai-based AI drug discovery firm and former unit of Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has raised US$290 million at a valuation of US$1.5 billion, according to an informed source. Investors included prominent venture... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367926/bytedance-spin-anew-labs-raises-us290m-ai-drug-developers-enjoy-fundraising-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367926/bytedance-spin-anew-labs-raises-us290m-ai-drug-developers-enjoy-fundraising-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen British pharmaceutical giant GSK has agreed to acquire a cancer drug from Chinese firm Chimagen Biosciences in a deal worth up to US$750 million, underscoring China’s emergence as a global player in biotechnology. GSK announced plans on Tuesday to buy full global rights to a “potential best-in-class” T-cell engager (TCE) from Chengdu-based Chimagen, targeting treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. TCEs work by binding T cells, a kind of white blood cell, directly to cancer... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367631/gsk-licenses-chinese-firms-cancer-drug-us750-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367631/gsk-licenses-chinese-firms-cancer-drug-us750-million-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 02:00:05 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang British pharmaceutical company GSK is turning to patient data gathered from the 88 million residents of the Greater Bay Area’s 11 cities to speed up drug development in vaccines and cancer care, as officials push for closer cross-border medical cooperation. GSK Hong Kong and Macau general manager Nicholas Teo said patient data was very important because it could form “supplementary evidence” to support regulatory filings and potential label expansions, and also help to “discover benefits other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3367404/data-greater-bay-areas-88-million-residents-help-improve-healthcare-policy-gsk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3367404/data-greater-bay-areas-88-million-residents-help-improve-healthcare-policy-gsk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:59:04 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has directed the stock exchange to suspend trading of US-based biotech firm Cloudbreak Pharma pending an investigation into its US$78 million initial public offering (IPO) last year. “The SFC has serious concerns that Cloudbreak’s initial public offering may have been rigged to create an artificial impression of demand for Cloudbreak’s shares,” the SFC said in a statement on Thursday. The regulator considered the suspension “necessary or... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3367064/hong-kong-watchdog-investigates-cloudbreak-pharma-rigged-ipo-suspends-its-shares?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3367064/hong-kong-watchdog-investigates-cloudbreak-pharma-rigged-ipo-suspends-its-shares?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:08:13 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Biomedicine is set to feature in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, due to be unveiled next week, as the city’s top officials signal closer medical cooperation across the Greater Bay Area. Lending weight to those ambitions, global pharmaceutical company GSK emphasised its interest in expanding its role in the region’s biotech development on Wednesday, at the fifth Hong Kong International Biotechnology Conference and Exhibition (BIOHK). Speaking at the event, Hong Kong Secretary for Health Lo... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366922/hong-kong-targets-biomedicine-powerhouse-status-debut-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366922/hong-kong-targets-biomedicine-powerhouse-status-debut-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:27:59 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Pharmaceutical companies have embraced artificial intelligence in drug research almost universally, yet few company executives expect AI to actually make drugs succeed, according to a Citi survey released on Tuesday. “The biggest risk to the AI-powered drug discovery thesis is not that AI fails to accelerate discovery,” said John Yung, head of Asia healthcare research at the US investment bank. “The stronger risk is that acceleration does not translate into better drugs or higher probability of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366863/china-embraces-ai-only-24-us-pharma-execs-bet-it-drug-making?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366863/china-embraces-ai-only-24-us-pharma-execs-bet-it-drug-making?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China’s biotechnology market has “significantly” driven up the demand for primate experimental models as the market recovers, tightening the supply of laboratory monkeys, according to a leading biotech firm. The continued recovery of fundraising and out-licensing deals in innovative drugs in China this year has led to significant growth in the demand for primate experimental models, contract research firm Joinn Laboratories (China) said on Tuesday. Primate experiments typically use monkeys and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3366870/china-needs-monkeys-lab-animal-shortage-could-hinder-biotech-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3366870/china-needs-monkeys-lab-animal-shortage-could-hinder-biotech-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:01:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A handful of home-grown Chinese companies involved in brain computer interfaces (BCIs) are moving towards initial public offerings (IPOs) on onshore markets, taking advantage of the sector’s status as a new darling of private capital. The trend fits into a broad pattern of hi-tech firms flocking to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Nasdaq-style Star Market. Among the BCI hopefuls, Shanghai-based Arfysica Innovation is the latest to register for IPO coaching for a Star Market listing,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366744/eager-capital-prompts-ipo-plans-more-chinese-makers-brain-computer-interfaces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3366744/eager-capital-prompts-ipo-plans-more-chinese-makers-brain-computer-interfaces?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 07:13:34 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Private investors in Asia, including family offices operating in Hong Kong, are showing a growing appetite for advanced medical technologies such as brain-computer interfaces and surgical robotics, as healthcare deal activity picks up across the region amid China’s biotechnology boom. “Asia is ageing, so there’s a structural, long-term demand for better surgery and medicine,” said William Chow, deputy group CEO of Raffles Family Office, headquartered in Hong Kong and Singapore. “A lot of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3365928/asian-healthcare-deals-heat-investors-bet-big-brain-tech-and-surgical-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3365928/asian-healthcare-deals-heat-investors-bet-big-brain-tech-and-surgical-robotics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 05:00:17 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang SoftBank-backed surgical robotics company Noah Medical has begun preparations for a Hong Kong initial public offering, joining a wave of cutting-edge technology firms tapping the city’s international fundraising pool. The US-headquartered company aimed to raise more than US$100 million and planned to file its listing application as early as next year, according to founder Zhang Jian. “We want to expand our business in [mainland] China, and Hong Kong – as an international financial centre with a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3365539/softbank-backed-surgical-robotics-firm-eyes-hong-kong-listing-power-mainland-china-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3365539/softbank-backed-surgical-robotics-firm-eyes-hong-kong-listing-power-mainland-china-push?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 05:00:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese surgeons last month completed the world’s first commercial surgery to implant an invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) device in a patient with a spinal cord injury, a milestone in the neurotechnology development race with US companies like Elon Musk’s Neuralink. This month a Chinese company, state-owned PICC Property and Casualty, launched the world’s first commercial insurance policy covering BCI implantation surgery. September will see the first undergraduates in China to major in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3365525/china-thinks-big-brain-computer-interfaces-after-world-first-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3365525/china-thinks-big-brain-computer-interfaces-after-world-first-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 03:17:36 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Akeso announced on Wednesday that its immunotherapy drug had outperformed AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi in a head-to-head phase three trial for biliary tract cancer. The result represents another breakthrough for Akeso’s ivonescimab – which has already been licensed by the US firm Summit Therapeutics in a multibillion-dollar deal – as China’s biopharmaceutical industry increasingly looks to compete on the global stage. The Chinese trial tested ivonescimab and chemotherapy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365384/chinas-akeso-says-cancer-drug-beat-astrazenecas-imfinzi-phase-3-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365384/chinas-akeso-says-cancer-drug-beat-astrazenecas-imfinzi-phase-3-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Aug 2026 02:07:51 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A group of Hong Kong-listed biotechnology companies have seen their stock prices surge in the wake of Moderna’s breakthrough cancer vaccine trial, as the Chinese companies push forward with similar vaccine programmes. The companies – from Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals to Li Ka-shing-backed CK Life Sciences – already have a slew of cancer vaccines in development. “China is moving quickly and has already built a large pipeline of more than 100 cancer vaccine programmes,” said Cui Cui, head of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365261/china-rushes-develop-moderna-style-cancer-vaccines-amid-market-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365261/china-rushes-develop-moderna-style-cancer-vaccines-amid-market-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2026 01:00:45 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao WuXi Biologics, one of China’s largest contract drug developers, posted a 4.3 per cent increase in profit attributable to shareholders in the first half of the year, as stronger demand and improved capacity utilisation lifted revenue and margins. The Wuxi, Jiangsu-based company’s net profit attributable to shareholders rose to 2.44 billion yuan (US$363 million) in the six months ended June, according to its filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. Revenue increased 18.4 per cent to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365237/wuxi-biologics-posts-43-rise-first-half-profit-defying-biotech-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365237/wuxi-biologics-posts-43-rise-first-half-profit-defying-biotech-headwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:03:49 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Record-breaking cross-border deals helped make some formerly loss-making Chinese biotech companies profitable in the first half of the year, but multinational drugmakers are now signalling plans to tighten deal budgets. Analysts said deals with global partners had overtaken initial public offerings and pre-IPO fundraising as the main funding option for cash-starved Chinese biotech firms wanting to advance the discovery, clinical development and regulatory approval of new drugs. Yet questions... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365125/global-drug-giants-grow-cautious-can-chinese-biotech-keep-cashing-out-licensing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3365125/global-drug-giants-grow-cautious-can-chinese-biotech-keep-cashing-out-licensing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Mainland Chinese technology and pharmaceutical companies are using Hong Kong as a launching pad for global expansion, industry leaders have said, as a major state-owned drugmaker weighs whether to invest in the city’s Northern Metropolis megaproject. The comments highlighting the city’s international background and professional expertise were made during a six-day trip to the rest of the Greater Bay Area, which was arranged by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and started on Sunday. “Hong... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3365100/chinese-tech-pharma-firms-eye-hong-kong-springboard-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3365100/chinese-tech-pharma-firms-eye-hong-kong-springboard-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 14:39:52 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang A hospital in east China has used reprogrammed stem cells to treat severe heart failure, with 90 per cent of patients showing significant recovery in heart function after the novel therapy. On Wednesday, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, affiliated with Nanjing University, released the long-term follow-up results of a phase 2 clinical study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine. While dead heart muscle cannot regrow, this stem cell technology can help ageing or damaged hearts grow new... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3364718/chinese-stem-cell-therapy-reverses-heart-failure-90-patients-landmark-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3364718/chinese-stem-cell-therapy-reverses-heart-failure-90-patients-landmark-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Gene-editing therapies for the nervous system may need at least another round of studies before they are safe enough to enter human trials, according to one of the world’s most influential figures in the commercialisation of brain science. “The techniques are reasonably well established for animal experiments, but they really haven’t been as mature for human studies,” said Karoly Nikolich, an adjunct professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, in an exclusive interview with the South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3364061/gene-editing-therapies-not-yet-ready-human-trials-stanford-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3364061/gene-editing-therapies-not-yet-ready-human-trials-stanford-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong A research team at Zhejiang University (ZJU) has cracked a molecular puzzle, turning ordinary yeast into a powerful factory for an expensive cancer drug and boosting its production by a thousand times. The anticancer drug vinblastine has long been sourced exclusively from the Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) plant. But it takes up to 2 tonnes of dried leaves to yield just 1 gram (0.03 ounce) of vinblastine, making it more expensive than gold by weight. This extreme scarcity has kept... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3363873/chinese-yeast-factory-boosts-cancer-drug-production-speed-1000-times?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3363873/chinese-yeast-factory-boosts-cancer-drug-production-speed-1000-times?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2026 06:10:54 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li Thanks to an efficiency edge that transcends simple cost advantages, China is set to see the emergence of a home-grown drug giant capable of competing with global players in a decade, analysts say. “For the past three decades, there was only one global research and development ecosystem, which was the US,” said Fu Wei, founder and CEO of CBC Group, a healthcare-dedicated asset management firm founded in Shanghai and now based in Singapore. “Over the past decade, a parallel ecosystem – China –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363531/china-set-compete-global-drug-giants-decade-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3363531/china-set-compete-global-drug-giants-decade-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese start-ups and researchers are racing to bring brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to market that can be implanted in just a few minutes, as Beijing pushes to nurture home-grown players in the sector to compete with Elon Musk’s Neuralink. The Chinese devices – which enable patients to control digital technology using their thoughts alone – can be inserted via a vein like a stent, unlike conventional BCIs that require patients to undergo brain surgery. StairMed Technology – one of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3363443/china-races-develop-brain-computer-interfaces-can-be-inserted-10-minutes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3363443/china-races-develop-brain-computer-interfaces-can-be-inserted-10-minutes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Aug 2026 09:50:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Global pharmaceutical giants are doubling down on investing in China’s fast-growing biotech companies given the sector’s huge room for valuation growth, according to speakers at the Global Health Summit, which concluded in Hong Kong on Saturday. “Multinational pharmaceutical companies are shifting their business strategies in China away from asset-heavy operations,” said Xu Chenming, head of the healthcare group at Hong Kong-based Citic Securities. “They are moving towards investing in companies... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3363398/global-pharma-giants-turn-chinese-biotech-tap-innovation-valuation-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3363398/global-pharma-giants-turn-chinese-biotech-tap-innovation-valuation-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:34:51 +0000 Julie Zhang,Alice Li Julie Zhang,Alice Li Hong Kong is stepping up its efforts to invest in a cluster of biotech companies, positioning itself as a linchpin in Beijing’s push to reach new levels of innovation and challenge the United States for dominance in the global pharmaceutical market. Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), which manages about US$8 billion in assets and is wholly owned by the Hong Kong government, has built a biotech and healthcare technology investment portfolio covering both traditional Chinese and Western... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3363320/us-china-pharma-rivalry-heats-can-hong-kongs-us8b-fund-be-global-bridge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3363320/us-china-pharma-rivalry-heats-can-hong-kongs-us8b-fund-be-global-bridge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:12:36 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang WuXi AppTec, Asia’s largest provider of contract pharmaceutical research, posted net income that smashed market expectations in the first half of the year amid strong demand tied to weight-loss and diabetes drugs, as well as gains in its US business. Interim net profit attributable to the owners of the Shanghai-based drug contractor advanced 33.7 per cent to 11.08 billion yuan (US$1.64 billion) from a year earlier, surpassing a Bloomberg mean consensus estimate – drawn from a pool of 25 analysts... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3362817/chinese-biotech-giant-wuxi-apptec-sees-first-half-earnings-surge-amid-us-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3362817/chinese-biotech-giant-wuxi-apptec-sees-first-half-earnings-surge-amid-us-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The death of a six-year-old girl after receiving an experimental gene-editing therapy has been described by scientists as a tragedy that highlights the need to improve trial safeguards. But some in the biotechnology industry fear Chinese policymakers may curtail the regulatory flexibility that scientists have long enjoyed in initiating clinical trials – a key mechanism behind China’s competitive edge in frontier treatments. “I hope this tragedy does not have a lasting negative impact on China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3362253/chinas-biotech-boom-risk-fear-policy-backlash-after-death-gene-editing-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3362253/chinas-biotech-boom-risk-fear-policy-backlash-after-death-gene-editing-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US global asset managers, including BlackRock, have expanded stakes in mainland Chinese pharmaceutical contractor WuXi AppTec over the past two months, betting that a surge in weight-loss drug manufacturing orders will lift earnings in the first half of the year. Global investors were increasingly interested in China’s contract development and manufacturing organisation, and biotechnology sector, said Linda Shu, head of China healthcare research at HSBC. “WuXi Apptec is heavily owned given its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3361720/wall-street-funds-back-chinas-wuxi-apptec-weight-loss-drug-orders-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3361720/wall-street-funds-back-chinas-wuxi-apptec-weight-loss-drug-orders-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:15:31 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s drug regulator has for the first time approved a novel, globally tested medicine ahead of authorities in the United States, Japan and Europe, marking a “historic breakthrough” as the country doubles down on biopharmaceuticals as one of its growth engines. The drug was filed for market approval in multiple countries, and “China was the first in the world to approve it”, said Xu Xiaoqiang, head of chemical drugs registration at the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), in an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3361359/whats-stake-beijing-beats-global-peers-first-approval-novel-therapy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3361359/whats-stake-beijing-beats-global-peers-first-approval-novel-therapy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 23:00:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A US-headquartered biotech firm plans to seek a primary listing in Hong Kong, joining a swelling pipeline of artificial intelligence-powered medical players raising capital in the city. Axiom Biosciences, which develops experimental therapies for newborns with severe brain injuries by using AI, is targeting at least US$200 million through an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong in 2027, followed by a secondary listing in the US in 2029. “Some of the most important science in the world is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3361283/us-biotech-firm-developing-therapies-infant-brain-injuries-plans-hong-kong-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3361283/us-biotech-firm-developing-therapies-infant-brain-injuries-plans-hong-kong-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Domestically produced novel drugs accounted for more than 80 per cent of market approvals in China in the first half of the year, reflecting a “leap” in the quality of the country’s pharmaceutical innovation, according to a government spokesman. A total of 38 innovative drugs were cleared for sale in the six-month period, of which 31 were home-grown medicines, said Ministry of Industry and Information Technology spokesman Tao Qing, at a media briefing in Beijing on Monday. The approvals, along... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3361181/systemic-leap-chinas-drug-innovation-push-yields-bumper-crop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3361181/systemic-leap-chinas-drug-innovation-push-yields-bumper-crop?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A growing number of mainland Chinese institutional fund managers have built up stakes in Hong Kong-listed biotechnology stocks over the past month, drawn by attractive valuations amid a surge in cross-border licensing deals in the sector. China’s largest mutual fund manager, E Fund Management, has taken a 7 per cent stake in gene-editing biotechnology firm Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals, buying additional 91,500 shares in the Beijing-based firm at an average price of HK$46.90 each on July 2,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360741/mainland-china-funds-increase-stakes-hong-kong-biotech-amid-surge-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360741/mainland-china-funds-increase-stakes-hong-kong-biotech-amid-surge-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:03:20 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li From rare earth elements to commercial drones, Washington has become all too familiar with the strongest weapons in Beijing’s manufacturing arsenal – the materials and products where China holds a strategic advantage in production, extraction or any other link in the supply chain. After those near-monopolies provided Chinese policymakers considerable leverage in last year’s trade dispute, US think tanks are asking whether pharmaceuticals represent the next critical dependency. Their concern is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360658/why-west-has-uphill-task-challenging-china-pharmaceutical-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360658/why-west-has-uphill-task-challenging-china-pharmaceutical-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:59:20 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Facing anti-corruption policies and profit squeezing at home, Chinese innovative medical device companies are accelerating their push into the European market despite mounting cross-border trade protectionism. Government-backed hospital purchases of medical devices in China fell about 12 per cent year on year in the first five months of 2026, partly weighed down by “a new anti-corruption probe into hospitals”, dragging on the revenue of major Chinese medical device makers in the first half, said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360420/chinese-medical-device-makers-push-europe-anti-corruption-squeeze-bites-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360420/chinese-medical-device-makers-push-europe-anti-corruption-squeeze-bites-home?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jul 2026 01:00:27 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang After China’s cross-border deals for innovative drugs hit a record US$110 billion in the first half of 2026, the sector is now pivoting towards artificial intelligence-powered candidates to drive the next wave of transactions. China accounted for about 30 per cent of all new drugs currently under development worldwide, ranking second globally, according to Lan Gongtao, deputy director general of the Department of Drug Registration at the National Medical Products Administration. China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360395/chinas-drug-industry-pivots-ai-powered-candidates-drive-next-wave-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360395/chinas-drug-industry-pivots-ai-powered-candidates-drive-next-wave-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:15:09 +0000 Charles Ng Charles Ng A profound demographic and economic shift is sweeping through Asia, quietly rewriting the rules of national development. The traditional paradigm of treating population ageing as a passive fiscal burden is being dismantled as Beijing makes the “silver economy” and proactive ageing strategies the pillars of national security and economic growth. China’s population aged 60 and above reached 320 million last year, accounting for 23 per cent of its citizenry. This is projected to climb to 400... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3359770/how-hong-kong-can-lead-longevity-medicine-silver-economy-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3359770/how-hong-kong-can-lead-longevity-medicine-silver-economy-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jul 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang When the shares of Revolution Medicines surged after the US biotech firm unveiled a landmark result – its drug nearly doubled the overall survival for late-stage pancreatic cancer patients to 13.2 months – investment banks and scientists flagged that the company’s Chinese rivals racing to target the same cancer mutation are significantly undervalued by the market. Chinese biotech firms were closing the gap with the United States as the country “has developed a highly competitive and rapidly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3359811/chinas-biotech-firms-challenge-us-rapidly-developing-ras-targeted-cancer-therapies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3359811/chinas-biotech-firms-challenge-us-rapidly-developing-ras-targeted-cancer-therapies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Riding a wave of booming cross-border dealmaking, China’s AI-driven drug-design firms are charging onto the global stage despite Washington’s growing scrutiny of Chinese biotech firms. The value of out-licensing deals struck by Chinese biotech companies with top global multinational pharmaceutical companies climbed to US$75 billion in the first five months of 2026, up from zero before 2020, according to Linda Shu, head of China healthcare research at HSBC. In total, over the five months, these... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3359182/china-ai-drug-design-deals-swell-us-scrutiny-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3359182/china-ai-drug-design-deals-swell-us-scrutiny-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:00:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang The world’s largest buyer of biopharmaceutical royalties has set up its first Asia-Pacific base in Hong Kong, joining a string of multinational corporations in the pharmaceutical sector establishing offices in the city as out-licensing deals by mainland Chinese biotechnology firms hit record highs. Royalty financing gives drug developers an alternative way to raise capital even as US investment restrictions loom, according to an expert. “Chinese biotech firms would need royalty financing as an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358830/funding-option-royalties-giant-opens-hong-kong-base-mainland-china-biotech-deals-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358830/funding-option-royalties-giant-opens-hong-kong-base-mainland-china-biotech-deals-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China has broken ground on what developers say is the country’s first production line for AI-assisted personalised tumour vaccines, raising hopes for millions of new cancer patients every year – a disease that ranks as the nation’s second-leading cause of death. By October, Beijing-based Likang Life Sciences is expected to complete a new drug research and manufacturing centre in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, with a total investment of about 110 million yuan (US$16.1... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358689/chinas-first-ai-powered-cancer-vaccine-production-line-set-launch-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358689/chinas-first-ai-powered-cancer-vaccine-production-line-set-launch-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:00:27 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang As China moves towards becoming one of the world’s fastest-ageing economies – a trend causing worry over future productivity and a widening gulf between the country’s working and retired populations – Goldman Sachs said the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors could end up the biggest winners from the demographic divide, while carmakers and technology hardware manufacturers may see fiercer headwinds. Hong Kong and mainland China are both expected to enter the top 10 ranking for the world’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358119/china-plans-demographic-crisis-some-sectors-see-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358119/china-plans-demographic-crisis-some-sectors-see-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jun 2026 01:07:23 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Clinical drug trial registrations in China hit a record last year, the country’s drug regulator said, with more than 5,000 trials reported in the latest sign of the nation’s growing pipeline of novel drug candidates. The total number of clinical drug trials reached 5,215 in 2025, more than double the figure recorded in 2020, according to a report released by the National Medical Products Administration on Monday. Of those, 57.5 per cent were trials for new drugs, an 18 per cent year-on-year... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358082/chinas-biotech-surge-sparks-us-security-concerns-drug-trials-break-records-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3358082/chinas-biotech-surge-sparks-us-security-concerns-drug-trials-break-records-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jun 2026 23:00:06 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Cross-border biotech deals between China and the United States are becoming more complicated and could face a modest slowdown as Washington steps up efforts to restrict investment and technology transfers, according to industry analysts. “There will be more geopolitical scrutiny going forward. This scrutiny may lead to slightly fewer deals than without it,” said Diederik Stadig, senior healthcare economist at ING Research. Despite the growing regulatory hurdles, Stadig said the broader trend of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3357699/cross-border-biotech-deals-grow-more-complex-us-targets-china-investment-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3357699/cross-border-biotech-deals-grow-more-complex-us-targets-china-investment-links?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jun 2026 01:30:08 +0000