Las grandes 'farmas' sellan alianzas con grupos chinos por 73.600 millones

Western pharmaceutical companies are forging alliances with Chinese firms to secure lucrative sales opportunities, with agreements reportedly surpassing $82.43 billion in 2023 (73.6 billion euros). This comes as their blockbuster treatments approach patent expiration, leaving a gap in revenue. According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, third-party licensing agreements for Chinese innovator drugs reached a record $110 billion in July, involving 81 deals with foreign entities.

ING estimates that China will account for nearly a third of all new molecules in global pharma development portfolios this year, up from just 4% in 2014. Major pharmaceutical giants are increasingly incorporating Chinese-developed drugs into their portfolios and research programs. The bank projects that total licensing agreements with Chinese biotech firms could exceed $250 billion by 2026, driven by international demand for their assets.

Chinese pharmaceuticals can develop innovative drugs two to three times faster than global averages, thanks to their ability to bring a molecule from concept to candidate at lower costs compared to Western rivals. This efficiency is bolstered by their ability to hire thousands of researchers. China's share of innovative treatment candidates rose from 8% in 2018 to 30% last year.

The country has also simplified regulatory processes and accelerated standards over the past decade to align with Western counterparts. Clinical trial approval times have dropped from 501 days to just 87 days. These growing capabilities have attracted Western biotech firms seeking licensing rights or co-development partnerships for innovative medications. China aims to achieve a 25% global share of pioneering drugs by 2030, driven by these international collaborations.

Companies like AstraZeneca (18.5 billion potential deal with CSPC Pharmaceutical for eight experimental drugs for obesity and related conditions), Novartis (collaboration with Akeso for an oncology drug licensed from Summit Therapeutics), Roche (exclusive rights to Simcere Pharmaceutical's antibody), Merck-MSD (license for SciBrunch Therapeutics' cancer treatment), GSK (oncology drug from Hutchmed), and Novo Nordisk (global rights for an experimental oral obesity drug from Hengrui) have all signed agreements with Chinese partners.