Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the China drug industry but discusses potential impacts of US drug pricing changes on the sector [5]. Core Insights - The report highlights significant uncertainty regarding the Trump administration's plans for US drug pricing, which could affect the Chinese drug industry in various ways [5]. - Changes in US drug pricing could hinder the Chinese drug industry's international expansion due to a perceived smaller US market, but may also create opportunities for Chinese innovative drugs to be licensed out due to R&D cost advantages [5]. - The report notes that Chinese CRO/CDMO companies may face mixed impacts; reduced R&D expenses from US clients could negatively affect them, while increased outsourcing demand could arise as companies seek cost-saving measures [5]. Summary by Sections Impact of US Drug Pricing Changes - The report discusses the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of a "most favored nation" pricing model and its potential opposition in the US [5]. - It emphasizes that the actual impact on the Chinese drug industry remains unclear due to various factors, including whether Medicare or Medicaid pricing will be affected [5]. Opportunities and Challenges for Chinese Companies - If US drug prices decrease, it could limit the Chinese drug industry's ability to expand internationally [5]. - Conversely, innovative drugs from China may have better licensing opportunities due to their potential R&D cost and speed advantages [5]. - For Chinese CRO/CDMO companies, the report suggests that while some clients may cut R&D expenses, the overall demand for outsourcing could increase [5].

April 22, 2025 09:00 PM GMT China Healthcare | Asia Pacific SMID-Cap CRO/CDMOs: Impacts from Potential Tariffs and FDA Animal Testing Rules Direct CMO tariff exposure of major China CRO/CDMO names is no more than 10%, while increasing macro uncertainties beyond tariffs could dampen funding beta. FDA proposal to phase out animal testing has limited impact on our covered pre-clinical CROs in 2025. Key Takeaways Higher tariffs + Increasing uncertainty = Softer funding beta + more cautious R&D budget: The direc ...