2025-07-14 00:36Summary of CXO Industry Conference Call Industry Overview - The CXO industry is experiencing a recovery in revenue and profit growth in Q1 2025, although some companies are under pressure due to high base effects from Q1 2024. A continued recovery trend is expected in Q2 2025. [1][4] - Representative companies reported a revenue growth of 14%, with net profit attributable to shareholders and adjusted net profit increasing by 118% and 28.1% respectively. Gross margins have stabilized, and net margins have improved, with various expense ratios declining year-on-year. [1][4] Investment Trends - Global biopharmaceutical investment saw slight growth in 2024, with a larger increase in chemical pharmaceuticals, while biopharmaceuticals remained flat. In Q2 2025, global biopharmaceutical investment is expected to decline slightly, mirroring trends in the domestic market where both chemical and biopharmaceuticals are experiencing minor declines. [1][5] Order Trends - Domestic CXO companies faced pressure on orders in 2024, but overseas orders have shown a good recovery. In Q1 2025, domestic-focused CXO companies began to see order recovery, with Kangde reporting an order backlog of 52.3 billion yuan, a 47% year-on-year increase, and the Taizi division's orders growing by 106%. [1][6] Market Opportunities - The GLP-1 peptide drug market is benefiting from treatment effectiveness and is expected to maintain high growth rates, driving the development of peptide CDMO. The global peptide CDMO market is projected to reach $20 billion by 2032, with the domestic market potentially exceeding $4 billion. Kangde's Taizi business revenue grew by 188% year-on-year, with capacity expansion underway. [1][7] ADC CDMO Development - ADC drug production, characterized by high complexity and outsourcing, is driving ADC CDMO business growth. WuXi AppTec reported a revenue of 4 billion yuan in 2024, a 91% increase, with net profit rising by 277%. The backlog of unfulfilled orders approached $1 billion, a 71% year-on-year increase. [1][8] Performance of Overseas CROs - Overseas CROs are showing mixed performance, with Charles River experiencing a revenue decline but a net book-to-bill ratio above one, while Lonza reported strong Q1 2025 results. Sangamo expects a revenue increase of 20% to 25% for the year. [1][9] Regulatory Impact - The proposed U.S. biomanufacturing safety bill raised concerns about Chinese CXO dominance in global drug supply, significantly impacting the CXO industry. However, the bill was ultimately shelved, reflecting the importance and irreplaceability of the domestic CXO supply chain. [1][12][13] Tariff Policies - The U.S. announced a 10% basic tariff on all countries, with higher tariffs on those with significant trade deficits, but pharmaceuticals remain exempt. The CXO industry primarily exports R&D services to the U.S., which are tariff-free, limiting the overall impact on the industry. [1][14] Geopolitical Factors - Geopolitical factors are becoming normalized, but domestic CTO companies are building global competitiveness through supply chain integrity and cost advantages. Companies like Kangde and WuXi Biologics are actively planning overseas capacity to maintain their leading positions. [1][15][16] Company-Specific Performance - WuXi AppTec's H1 2025 revenue is projected at 20.8 billion yuan, a 21% increase, with adjusted net profit of 6.3 billion yuan, a 44% increase. The company’s integrated CRDMO model and global layout are key drivers of its performance, with expectations for continued growth in H2 2025. [1][17] - Tigermed is benefiting from supply-side consolidation in the clinical CRO sector, with new order numbers and amounts increasing by approximately 20% year-on-year in Q1 2025. [1][18][19]