BioCentury This Week Ep. 315 - China Speed: Data, Deals, First in Class
Aug 14, 2025
Franck Le Deu, a Senior Partner at McKinsey, and Ji Li, a former BD executive at major biopharmas, delve into the booming collaboration between Western and Chinese biotechs. They examine the surge in cross-border deals driven by China's maturing biotech ecosystem. The conversation reveals the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's role as a hotspot for biotech IPOs, shifting dynamics in deal-making, and the emergence of innovative companies in China. Insights on upcoming conferences and networking opportunities also highlight the future of global biopharma partnerships.
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Western Biotechs Leading China Deals
- Two-thirds of deal volume with China licensors went to Western biotechs rather than multinationals.
- About 40% of disclosed deals involved potential first-in products, including novel targets and new modalities.
Broad-Based Corporate Interest
- Interest in sourcing Chinese innovation is now broad-based across top multinationals and biotech firms.
- Drivers include pipeline needs, successful early deals, and fear of missing out on Chinese innovation.
China's R&D 'Secret Sauce'
- China develops drugs faster by re-engineering end-to-end drug development and leveraging an agile clinical ecosystem.
- Their focused execution mindset and speed make China a distinctive R&D competitor.