Navigating China’s Biopharma Evolution

The pace of change in China’s biopharmaceutical sector is unlike anything we’ve seen before, and, unless you are deeply immersed in China biopharmaceutical activity, it can be difficult to grasp just how large the sector has grown. Over the past decade, the country has gone from being viewed mainly as a hub for generics to emerging as a powerhouse in innovative biopharma, with a global impact that is only growing stronger.

At Scrip, my colleagues and I have been following this story closely for years – tracking China’s rapid rise in R&D, its shifting regulatory environment, and the growing appeal of its innovations to global partners and investors. Reporting on these changes has been fascinating in itself, but what makes this webinar especially exciting is the chance to step out from behind the bylines and have a real-time conversation with an audience that cares about these issues as much as we do.

That’s exactly why I’m looking forward to joining my Scrip colleagues for our upcoming webinar on how China is shaping the face of the pharma industry. We’ll be taking a close look at the forces driving this transformation.

I think this quote from a recent report by Evaluate captures the scale of what’s happening:
“The rapid rise of China’s innovative bioscience sector – bankrolled by generous government funding – may mark the most important upheaval to Western biopharma to date. China’s scientists are not simply making generics anymore. They are crafting well-engineered assets whose profile is capturing a growing share of Western buyers’ attention and money.”

One of the most striking trends is just how quickly China has expanded its share of global innovation. Citeline’s Pharmaprojects noted that while Chinese research accounted for around 8% of new molecular entities in 2015, that figure rose to 33% in 2024. At the same time, the US share has been declining. These shifts are reshaping global pharma strategy in real time, and many companies are still catching up.

In our discussion, we’ll explore not just the data, but also the strategic questions it raises:

• What do regulatory reforms mean for global market access?
• How should companies think about partnerships in China?
• And where do the biggest opportunities (and risks) lie in this fast-evolving landscape?

It’s a huge topic, and our challenge as speakers may well be how to fit everything into 60 minutes. But by the end of the session, our goal is to leave attendees with a clearer, more actionable view of China’s role in the global pharma industry.

I’m genuinely looking forward to this one, not just for the chance to share insights, but to hear your perspectives and questions too. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to register and join the conversation. This is a discussion anyone in pharma can’t afford to miss.