China's innovative new drug technology exports reach record high... US containment also strengthens [Healthy Hankyoreh]

According to the Korean Institute of Entrepreneurship and Korean Bioindustry Association, China's innovation pharmaceuticals recorded the highest-ever international technology export volume in the first half of 2026, totaling $1.1 trillion (around 165 trillion won). This figure is based on GlobalData's aggregated data. The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China reported a similar amount for the first quarter of the year, with a 73% increase compared to the same period last year, totaling $600 billion.

One notable transaction was Astellas' acquisition of 4 candidate molecules for obesity treatment from China's Sichuan Pharmaceutical Group (CSPC) for $1.85 billion. Additionally, Ilinic secured international development and commercialization rights for Innovate BioLogics' immunotherapy platform and AbCellera's dual-specificity antibody candidate 'RC148' for $885 million and $560 million, respectively.

Excluding these major deals, China's pharmaceutical and biotechnology exports have seen explosive growth over the past five years, with a total of $1.39 billion in 2021, ranging from $1.6 billion to $2 billion in 2022 and 2023, reaching $4.15 billion to $4.37 billion in 2024, and projected to reach $1.357 to $1.377 trillion in 2025.

The catalyst behind this rapid growth is China's industrial focus on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and immunocancer therapies as the next generation of drug platforms, coupled with the race for exclusivity patent rights among global pharmaceutical giants. This competition is further fueled by the expiration of patents for blockbuster products.

Recently, Swiss investment bank UBS also projected a 20% annual growth for China's innovation pharmaceuticals industry from 2026 to 2030, estimating the Chinese pharmaceutical industry to generate $21 billion in revenue by 2030.

Despite this impressive growth, China's pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector faces policy challenges from the United States. The U.S. government has classified this development as a threat to pharmaceutical supply chain security, economic competitiveness, and national security, and has warned about the need for stricter regulation through the BioSafety Act.

GlobalData warns that the conflict between the two nations will be a critical variable shaping the global pharmaceutical development ecosystem, advising stakeholders to pay close attention to the shifting strategies for acquiring pipeline products among major international pharmaceutical companies and the burgeoning role of CDMO and technology transfer markets in neighboring countries.