Source : chosun.com
The pharmaceutical sector in China is changing dramatically, moving away from generic medications and toward high-end, cutting-edge treatments
Chen Ying, a senior researcher at the Chinese pharmaceuticals. Industry Information Center, claims that China has become a major player in the global healthcare industry as a result of the explosive growth in the international licensing of Chinese innovative medications, or Business Development (BD) authorization.
Ying disclosed that offshore BD transaction values increased from $2.49 billion in 2015 to $60.07 billion in 2024, representing a compound annual growth rate of 42%, while speaking at the 40th China Pharmaceutical Industry Market Information Conference during API China 2025 in Chongqing. In 2025, the growth picked up speed even more, as the total authorized transactions surpassed the previous year's total of $87.4 billion in just the first eight months.
This increase demonstrates not only the quantity but also the quality and market value of China's cutting-edge medications, with a rising percentage of down payments suggesting significant negotiating power. The total value of top-tier transactions reached $46.7 billion in the first eight months of 2025, with 21 acquisitions above $1 billion, almost matching the yearly amount of 2024. Chinese pharmaceutical innovation is well-known throughout the world, as evidenced by a single contract worth $13 billion.
Ying pointed out that instead of being a secondary supplier of APIs and generics, China is becoming a major source of advanced drug pipelines. She projects that at least 60 to 70 Chinese novel medications may make their way into foreign markets in the near future, accounting for 25–30% of the pharmaceutical markets in the US and Europe.
Over the next ten years, business development licensing is expected to continue
to be a key tactic, supporting both the steady growth of the industry and the
internationalization of Chinese pharmaceuticals.
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