In just two short days, domestically developed innovative drugs have secured five major international deals, several of which involve transactions totaling over $1 billion. On October 16, Shenzhen Puregene Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced a collaboration with Kite Pharma, a cell therapy company under Gilead Sciences in the U.S., to advance an in vivo genome editing therapy, with the potential deal value reaching up to $1.64 billion. On the following day, Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. signed a licensing agreement with Roche Group of Switzerland for a groundbreaking antibody-drug conjugate targeting therapy, valued at up to $1.53 billion. These cutting-edge collaborations—spanning frontier therapeutic areas, innovative drug targets, and substantial international deals—underscore not only the growing global recognition of China's biopharmaceutical industry but also the trust and confidence that multinational pharmaceutical giants place in its innovative capabilities.

　　During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the number of domestically developed innovative drugs approved for market launch has steadily increased, while overseas transactions have repeatedly seen major deals. This marks a profound transformation—from "quantitative accumulation" to "qualitative leap." The innovation ecosystem of the biopharmaceutical industry continues to mature, significantly enhancing its global competitiveness. As a result, the sector has not only become a robust growth engine driving high-quality economic development but has also transitioned from being a "follower" to a "key contributor" on the international biopharmaceutical stage.

　　Seize the opportunity and ride the wave.

　　The deep integration of artificial intelligence technology has transformed drug development from "searching for a needle in a haystack" to "precise navigation." During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's biopharmaceutical industry is strategically positioning itself to embrace the transformative opportunities brought by cutting-edge technologies such as AI and virtual cells. By equipping drug discovery with an "intelligent engine," the industry aims to break through the traditional constraints of time and space that have long hindered conventional R&D processes.

　　"China's pipeline of new drugs accounts for over 20% of the global total, propelling the country to second place globally in new drug research and development." Guo Yanhong, Deputy Director of the National Health Commission, highlighted that zanubrutinib, an anti-cancer drug independently developed by China, has been approved for marketing in multiple countries. Additionally, several domestically innovative drugs, including sugemalimab, ensartinib, and gilteritinib, have recently received approval, filling critical gaps in the availability of locally developed innovative medicines in their respective therapeutic areas.

　　Behind the accelerated pace of domestically developed innovative drugs coming to market lies the biopharmaceutical industry's deep integration and application of transformative technologies. "Our goal is to compress the traditional drug development cycle by 90%," said Zhao Yu, a researcher at the Western Institute of Computing Technology, CAS, and Deputy Director of the Turing-Darwin Laboratory. By leveraging computational medicine technologies to establish digital twins of cancer patients and develop advanced drug models, we can not only advance fundamental theoretical and applied research in pharmaceutical innovation but also cover critical stages such as molecular design, retrosynthetic analysis, process development, and clinical trials. This approach will significantly accelerate new drug discovery and become a powerful "engine" driving the robust growth of the biopharmaceutical industry."

　　"An innovative platform integrating artificial intelligence, quantitative simulation, and high-throughput screening not only enhances R&D efficiency but also helps break through existing barriers," said Cai-da Lai, Co-founder and CEO of Jitai Technology. He added that, taking the niche area of nanodelivery as an example, extrahepatic delivery remains a significant challenge in the industry. However, by leveraging the AI-powered nanodelivery platform to support development, researchers can identify novel nanomaterials with precise targeting capabilities for multiple organs and tissues, thereby accelerating the discovery and development of new drugs for various diseases."

　　The biopharmaceutical industry has never lacked new growth opportunities. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's biopharmaceutical sector has precisely seized the momentum of technological revolution and evolving market demands, fostering an innovation-driven industrial development landscape. As a result, the industry is actively leading the charge in several emerging fields, including nanocarrier technology and antibody-drug conjugates.

　　R&D Strength, Internationally Recognized

　　On October 17, clinical data reports for Kuomoxili capsules, China's Class 1 innovative drug, were presented at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology Annual Meeting. This novel cell cycle-dependent kinase (CDK2/4/6) inhibitor was independently developed by Zhengda Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.

　　In recent years, the number of Chinese new drugs presented at international academic conferences has steadily increased. Moreover, innovative Chinese medicines that directly benchmark against globally renowned pharmaceuticals through clinical trials have continuously demonstrated their strength with robust, hard-hitting data. For instance, the combination therapy of anlotinib and bemarituzumab has conducted "head-to-head" comparative studies against K-drug (Keytruda), the global market leader in oncology, across multiple indications including lung cancer and colorectal cancer, offering a superior "Chinese solution." Similarly, the novel bispecific antibody drug, envovolimab, has also been shown in "head-to-head" trials to significantly prolong progression-free survival in cancer patients...

　　From emulating and tracking to becoming a regular participant in international academic conferences, daring to compete even with the "King of Medicines" and ultimately surpassing it in therapeutic efficacy—behind China's biopharmaceutical industry gaining global recognition through its innovative strength lies decades of relentless dedication to cutting-edge innovation.

　　Building on a deep understanding of the importance of "original innovation," Chinese innovative pharmaceutical companies have continuously ventured into the "deep waters," pursuing breakthroughs rooted in the biological mechanisms underlying disease development and progression. This approach has driven the advancement of translational medicine innovations that are firmly guided by clinical needs, yielding a series of internationally recognized achievements. Xie Chengrun, CEO of China Biopharmaceutical Corporation, noted that the company's annual R&D investment has now surpassed 4 billion yuan. Leveraging its independently developed technology platforms—spanning cutting-edge fields such as bispecific antibodies, small interfering RNA (siRNA), and gene therapy—the company is forging close partnerships with hundreds of leading hospitals. These collaborations are steadily empowering the company to confidently pursue globally first-in-class and best-in-class therapeutic innovations.

　　According to incomplete statistics, the total amount of China's innovative drug licensing deals in the first half of 2025 reached nearly $66 billion, surpassing the full-year figure of $51.9 billion recorded in 2024. Chinese innovative pharmaceutical companies are accelerating their integration into the global elite innovation community through flexible and diversified approaches, including overseas licensing, investment, and mergers & acquisitions.

　　During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's biopharmaceutical industry achieved a historic leap forward: in the pharmaceutical sector, "China" is no longer merely synonymous with generic drugs and cost advantages, but has instead become the primary focus of multinational pharmaceutical companies and global investors.