https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/519769/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 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang For the first time, China’s spending on research and development as a share of gross domestic product has surpassed the average for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members – a trend one analyst expects to continue as Beijing seeks to strengthen technological self-reliance amid intensifying global competition. R&D expenditure exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan (US$584.8 billion) in 2025, accounting for 2.8 per cent of GDP, Science and Technology Minister Yin Hejun said at a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369296/chinas-rd-spending-hits-record-28-gdp-beating-oecd-average-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369296/chinas-rd-spending-hits-record-28-gdp-beating-oecd-average-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:01:56 +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 Paul Buck Paul Buck In June, Chinese regulators approved the world’s first CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumour cancers, developed by a drug company based in Shanghai. One month later, at a hospital in the city, a New Zealander with advanced cancer of the stomach and small intestine became the first international patient to receive the breakthrough treatment. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, to give it its full name, is a cutting-edge treatment that, until then, had only been approved to treat blood... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3368352/chinas-cancer-breakthrough-car-t-cell-therapy-shows-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3368352/chinas-cancer-breakthrough-car-t-cell-therapy-shows-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:45:04 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Precisely targeted sound waves could mark a major advance in treating pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma – an aggressive form of brain cancer – within a few years, according to a leading advocate of the technology. Researchers in Hong Kong and around the world are testing whether the approach can help treat tumours that are among the most challenging to manage. “The next big breakthrough in the near future will be more effective treatments for … glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer,” said Dr Neal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368041/focused-ultrasound-could-be-next-big-cancer-breakthrough-hard-treat-tumours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3368041/focused-ultrasound-could-be-next-big-cancer-breakthrough-hard-treat-tumours?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:00:07 +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 Shi Huang Shi Huang Imagine swapping your daily cholesterol pill for a single injection that keeps “bad” cholesterol under control for a year, a decade – or even a lifetime. Two clinical trials, one in the United States and another in China, suggest that this one-and-done approach could become a reality. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), better known as “bad” cholesterol, is a major driver of heart disease – the leading cause of death worldwide. Triglycerides, another type of blood fat, add to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3366811/us-china-trials-suggest-single-nanodrug-shot-might-stop-bad-cholesterol-forever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3366811/us-china-trials-suggest-single-nanodrug-shot-might-stop-bad-cholesterol-forever?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 03:00:09 +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 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 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 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,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 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 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 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 Reuters Reuters China, which now conducts more clinical drug trials than the US, still lags in the quality and commercial reach of its biomedical science, according to a recent survey of senior US leaders in industry and academia. The ‌poll, conducted by Cure Innovation Index, found that China is seen as the clear leader in two out of six sectors: clinical development and supply chain. It found that the US leads in moving experimental products through to large-scale production, capital, and commercialisation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3357975/china-closing-us-leads-biotech-quality-and-commercial-reach-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3357975/china-closing-us-leads-biotech-quality-and-commercial-reach-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:50:56 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A handful of Chinese biotechnology companies are expected to bring medications to consumers in Europe and the US under their own brand names within the next 10 to 15 years, according to policy and industry analysts. Amid China’s early-stage drug outlicensing boom, discussions have arisen among investor and analyst circles as to when – and which – Chinese biotechnology companies will start selling their own drugs internationally. Outlicensing agreements typically refer to a company granting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356232/which-company-could-become-chinese-pfizer-here-are-analysts-top-picks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356232/which-company-could-become-chinese-pfizer-here-are-analysts-top-picks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jun 2026 11:00:12 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang For Beijing-based METiS TechBio CEO Lai Tsai-ta, ageing is comparable to bugs building up in a complex software system – it happens once errors begin to accumulate in the genetic code of human cells, such as their DNA sequences. “Those errors can be reprogrammed. It becomes possible to use AI to read, rewrite and reverse cells, or at least slow the ageing process,” Lai said in an interview with the South China Morning Post. The process could begin by fixing “immune cells, such as T cells, as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356154/targeting-us610-billion-longevity-market-biotech-firms-race-reverse-ageing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3356154/targeting-us610-billion-longevity-market-biotech-firms-race-reverse-ageing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang To head off a public health crisis, China is stepping up efforts to find new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. As its population ages, the country already has more cases of these neurodegenerative diseases than anywhere else in the world and their prevalence is rising faster than the global average. Cases of Parkinson’s disease in China are forecast to rise from 3.6 million in 2024 to 10.5 million in 2050, while the number of people in China with dementia is projected... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3355620/china-steps-alzheimers-parkinsons-drug-push-looks-tcm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3355620/china-steps-alzheimers-parkinsons-drug-push-looks-tcm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:37:04 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s Innovent Biologics has signed a global collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer worth up to US$10.5 billion to jointly develop 12 cancer treatment programmes. The Hong Kong-listed drug maker said it would receive an upfront payment of US$650 million from Pfizer, and it is eligible for up to US$9.85 billion tied to development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, according to an exchange filing on Friday. Innovent, which is based in Suzhou in China’s eastern Jiangsu... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3355269/chinas-innovent-biologics-signs-us105-billion-pfizer-deal-12-cancer-drug-trials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3355269/chinas-innovent-biologics-signs-us105-billion-pfizer-deal-12-cancer-drug-trials?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 05:29:03 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China has unveiled an artificial intelligence platform for drug discovery that can screen a vast library of chemical compounds, cutting the initial drug screening phase from months or years down to tens of seconds. Developers said they expected the system to provide a novel method for identifying lead molecules to treat tumours, neurodegenerative conditions, rare diseases and emerging infectious diseases, as well as possibly speeding up drug research during public health crises. Called GalaxyVS,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3355029/chinese-scientists-use-supercomputer-cut-new-drug-screening-time-years-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3355029/chinese-scientists-use-supercomputer-cut-new-drug-screening-time-years-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong-listed artificial intelligence drug-discovery company Insilico Medicine has struck a collaboration with US-headquartered Human Longevity to co-develop what they describe as “the industry’s first large-scale” AI foundation models capable of predicting diseases – such as cancer – decades before clinical symptoms appear. The partnership was announced as the global longevity market, fuelled by an ageing population and rising consumption demand, was valued at about US$5.3 trillion and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3354923/insilico-teams-us-firm-build-ai-models-predicting-disease-decades-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3354923/insilico-teams-us-firm-build-ai-models-predicting-disease-decades-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:30:06 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Scientists in Shanghai have used stem cells to create the world’s first laboratory-grown sinoatrial node – the tiny structure that acts as the heart’s natural pacemaker. Capable of beating autonomously, the organoid is a breakthrough that researchers say could transform cardiac disease research and drug screening. The heart’s ability to beat continuously and rhythmically depends on the sinoatrial node, which is nestled inside the right atrial chamber. Acting as the heart’s “master conductor”,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3354528/chinese-scientists-grow-hearts-master-conductor-could-replace-pacemaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3354528/chinese-scientists-grow-hearts-master-conductor-could-replace-pacemaker?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 02:00:07 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo After the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803, which almost doubled the size of the United States’ territory, US president Thomas Jefferson commissioned the legendary Lewis and Clark expedition, which surveyed new routes from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast. It also carried out work in agriculture, ethnography (with indigenous peoples) and geography. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, that was the kind of science the US government was willing to pay for – practical,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353088/us-scientific-self-harm-will-only-help-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353088/us-scientific-self-harm-will-only-help-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 01:30:05 +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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3348295/china-biotech-deals-hit-record-innovative-drugs-draw-interest-multinationals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3346495/first-china-neuracles-implantable-brain-computer-interface-wins-approval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Chinese scientists have used a cutting-edge gene-editing tool to correct a DNA mutation responsible for cognitive and behavioural problems – a move that could eventually lead to the development of new autism therapies. In lab tests, mice that had been engineered to have the mutation showed a striking change in their behaviour, such as the way they interacted with other mice, after being given an injection to introduce the edited genes. The Shanghai-based research team is looking for ways to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3344950/cutting-edge-chinese-gene-editing-technique-raises-prospect-new-autism-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3344950/cutting-edge-chinese-gene-editing-technique-raises-prospect-new-autism-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 04:00:21 +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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340739/how-trump-20-accelerated-chinas-push-tech-and-trade-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 Shi Huang Shi Huang Structural biologist Alexey Amunts – an expert in mitochondrial biochemistry – has joined the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART). Amunts, who holds research position in Germany, confirmed he joined SMART in January this year as a full-time senior investigator and would “contribute to its international relations agenda”. He is internationally recognised for high-resolution structural studies of the molecular machines that underpin cellular energy conversion and protein... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3339717/resolution-revolution-pioneer-alexey-amunts-leaves-max-planck-join-chinas-smart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3339717/resolution-revolution-pioneer-alexey-amunts-leaves-max-planck-join-chinas-smart?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:27 +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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3339691/chinas-scineuro-novartis-sign-us17-billion-licensing-deal-develop-alzheimers-drugs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3338481/chinas-biopharma-sector-prime-position-challenge-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3337942/china-vital-insilicos-plan-build-biotechs-ai-einstein-drug-discovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3337756/chinas-rising-biotech-clout-show-flurry-billion-dollar-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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,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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3337038/patent-cliffhanger-will-china-biotech-throw-big-pharma-lifeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 Holly Chik Holly Chik Chinese scientists have turned allergy into a powerful weapon against cancer to deliver drugs and turbocharge the body’s own immune attack on cancer. The team loaded mast cells – which cause allergic symptoms when they encounter antigens such as seafood and pollen – with anticancer drugs to deliver them into tumours. The researchers said they were working on clinical applications, including exploring its potential combination with existing cancer immunotherapies. The scientists from Zhejiang... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3336725/how-chinese-scientists-turn-annoying-allergy-powerful-weapon-against-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3336725/how-chinese-scientists-turn-annoying-allergy-powerful-weapon-against-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:03:59 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Mainland China’s 17 million Alzheimer’s patients can, for the first time, pay less out of pocket for a costly drug touted as “historic” and “the beginning of the end” for the memory-robbing disease after Beijing launched a commercial insurance innovative drug list in an effort to make medicines more accessible and affordable. Leqembi, developed by Japan’s Eisai and costing a mainland Chinese patient about US$28,400 a year, could see its price cut by half after it was added to the inaugural... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3336397/chinas-new-drug-insurance-lifeline-patients-or-squeeze-big-pharmaceutical-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3336397/chinas-new-drug-insurance-lifeline-patients-or-squeeze-big-pharmaceutical-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A Chinese biopharmaceutical firm has sealed a global licensing deal valued at up to US$1.44 billion, the second in a week, as a wave of cross-border tie-ups shows no sign of abating despite headwinds from the US Biosecure Act. Shanghai Scizeng Medical Technology, a unit of Changchun High-Tech Industry, has agreed to grant US-based Yarrow Bioscience exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise GenSci098, an injectable therapy for thyroid eye disease and Graves’ disease, both... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3336609/chinese-biotech-scizengs-global-licensing-deal-yield-us144-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3336609/chinese-biotech-scizengs-global-licensing-deal-yield-us144-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:47:10 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng In an attempt to solve the global fertility crisis, Chinese scientists have developed a balm for testicles they say can boost sperm activity. The lotion they developed for external application significantly enhanced sperm quality in both animal trials and in vitro studies, regardless of whether the decline in function was caused by exposure to heavy metals, plasticisers, heat stress or natural ageing, the researchers said. The findings of the study, conducted by researchers from several domestic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3336452/worldwide-sperm-quality-decline-can-easy-use-balm-china-solve-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3336452/worldwide-sperm-quality-decline-can-easy-use-balm-china-solve-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 06:31:34 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang US pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer has agreed to pay up to US$2.1 billion to Shanghai-based Fosun Pharma’s unit Yao Pharma for an experimental oral obesity drug, underscoring the growing trend of Chinese drug makers selling early-stage assets to global multinationals. Under the licensing agreement, Yao Pharma would grant Pfizer an exclusive worldwide licence for the development, use, manufacturing and commercialisation of oral small-molecule drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, including... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3335836/chinas-fosun-pharma-unit-strikes-us21-billion-obesity-drug-deal-pfizer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3335836/chinas-fosun-pharma-unit-strikes-us21-billion-obesity-drug-deal-pfizer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:15:14 +0000 Kamala Thiagarajan Kamala Thiagarajan China’s pharmaceutical industry is on the brink of enormous growth and transformation. In just a few years, it has moved on from being the world’s cheapest source of active pharmaceutical ingredients to becoming a major hub for pharmaceutical innovation – a place where new, more effective drugs are born. It is now the second-largest developer of drugs, trailing only the United States. In the global drug development pipeline, China’s growth rate is phenomenal, leaping from 3 per cent in 2013 to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334948/how-china-went-generic-drug-factory-biomedicine-innovator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334948/how-china-went-generic-drug-factory-biomedicine-innovator?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese drug maker 3SBio plans to raise HK$3.12 billion (US$401 million) by selling a 4.14 per cent stake in the company to fund clinical research in China and the US and expand the global reach of its drug portfolio. The Shenyang-based biopharmaceutical firm has agreed to sell 105.1 million new shares at HK$29.62 each. The placing price represents a 6.5 per cent discount compared with Monday’s closing price of HK$31.68, according to its filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3334844/chinas-3sbio-seeks-us400-million-hong-kong-boost-drug-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3334844/chinas-3sbio-seeks-us400-million-hong-kong-boost-drug-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 03:47:23 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang China’s growing pipeline of novel drug candidates is expected to draw increased attention from global pharmaceutical companies and investors scouting for licensing opportunities, as the country’s clinical trial capacity has expanded to match those in the US. That assessment was made by Shanghai-based Helen Chen, Greater China managing partner at L.E.K. Consulting, one of the most respected analysts in the mainland’s life sciences industry. “There is increased interest from multinational... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3333438/chinas-clinical-trial-capacity-matches-us-attracts-more-global-pharma-firms-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3333438/chinas-clinical-trial-capacity-matches-us-attracts-more-global-pharma-firms-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:30:16 +0000 Eric Ng,Julie Zhang Eric Ng,Julie Zhang The ferocity of China’s biopharmaceutical investment boom this year – fuelled by record-breaking licensing of commercial rights to global giants after a three-year slump – may have surprised casual observers. But according to Helen Chen, one of the most respected analysts and advisers in China’s life sciences space, the supercharged sector’s real renaissance came two years earlier. In December 2022, US drug maker MSD agreed to license global (excluding China) rights to develop and commercialise... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3331950/six-best-how-chinas-new-biotech-vanguard-banking-billions-breakthroughs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3331950/six-best-how-chinas-new-biotech-vanguard-banking-billions-breakthroughs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 03:00:14 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A Hong Kong biotechnology company behind a controversial human papillomavirus (HPV) screening method involving sanitary pads has said it will present its research to the government after authorities warned against using products that lacked scientific evidence. Dr Choi Pui-wah, the founder of WomenX Biotech, also said on Tuesday that the government’s dismissal of the technology would not dampen her view of Hong Kong as a destination for innovation. WomenX, the firm known for its sanitary pad... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330646/hong-kong-biotech-firm-back-controversial-sanitary-pad-hpv-test-evidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330646/hong-kong-biotech-firm-back-controversial-sanitary-pad-hpv-test-evidence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:37:07 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), a fast-growing next-generation cancer treatment, have become an investment hotspot due to its potential to become mainstream globally, according to biopharmaceutical industry insiders. To achieve sustainable growth and maximise revenue potential, companies should pursue differentiated product development and a global clinical strategy, according to Duality Biotherapeutics, which organised a biotech forum in Shanghai last week. The Shanghai-based company – which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3330377/china-biotech-forum-bills-antibody-cancer-drugs-next-generation-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3330377/china-biotech-forum-bills-antibody-cancer-drugs-next-generation-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 02:30:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Shares of Chinese drug firm Akeso – likened by some Western media outlets to artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek – rose after the company unveiled clinical-trial data showing that its lung-cancer drug outperformed a highly effective existing treatment. The data showed that ivonescimab had “a decisive and strong positive outcome with both significant and clinically meaningful benefits”, Akeso said in a filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Monday. The drug, used along with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3329639/chinas-akeso-dubbed-biotechs-deepseek-gets-share-boost-cancer-drug-trial-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3329639/chinas-akeso-dubbed-biotechs-deepseek-gets-share-boost-cancer-drug-trial-data?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:12 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Two Chinese drug developers have signed licensing deals that could yield as much as US$2.5 billion in performance-based payments, underscoring growing international confidence in China’s life sciences sector. Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group has agreed to license global rights – excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan – to develop and market a colon cancer drug candidate to F Hoffmann-La Roche, a unit of Swiss-based biotech giant Roche. Hansoh, a major psychotropic and cancer drugs... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3329353/chinas-hansoh-and-leads-biolabs-clinch-us25-billion-global-drug-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3329353/chinas-hansoh-and-leads-biolabs-clinch-us25-billion-global-drug-licensing-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 05:06:08 +0000