How China Became the Biotech Industry’s Back-Office

Core Insights - The U.S. biotech industry is increasingly dependent on China, which has become a critical player in drug development and innovation [4][5][18] - China's role has evolved from contract research and manufacturing to significant contributions in novel drug discovery and licensing [17][19] Industry Overview - Major biotech hubs in the U.S. include Boston, San Francisco, and San Diego, while China has developed significant life-science clusters in cities like Shanghai and Beijing [3] - Zhangjiang Science City in Shanghai hosts over 1,700 biomedical companies, including major global pharmaceutical firms [3] Financial Landscape - The average cost for a big pharma company to develop a drug in 2024 is $2.23 billion, while biotech startups require a median investment of $304.1 million to develop FDA-approved biologics [5][6] - U.S. biotech funding has declined, with only 8.3% of venture funding going to biotech in 2025, the lowest in over 20 years [6][7] Research and Development - China conducted nearly one-third of the world's clinical trials in 2024, benefiting from lower operational costs and a unified data system [13][15] - The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has significantly increased its capacity, clearing a backlog of drug applications much faster than the FDA [15] Licensing and Innovation - In 2024, the value of drugs licensed from China to the West reached $48 billion, a 15-fold increase since 2020, with Chinese firms accounting for nearly a third of large licensing deals [18][19] - The share of global licensing deals from Chinese companies increased from 5% in 2019 to 48% in 2025, while U.S. companies' share dropped from 55% to 29% [18] Regulatory Environment - The U.S. government has enacted the BIOSECURE Act, restricting federal agencies from purchasing biotech products from certain companies, signaling a shift in the regulatory landscape [21][24] - The Act reflects the growing perception of biotechnology as a matter of national security, potentially altering the dynamics of U.S.-China biotech relations [24]