While China’s increasingly inward-looking macro economic policies and other regulatory hurdles are likely to impact smaller players, positive biopharma policy moves in competing hub contenders including Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area also offer attractive opportunities.

Plus deals involving Zai Lab/Karuna, Zai Lab/Blueprint, Lotus/PharmaMar, Nippon Shinyaku/Dynacure, Alphamab/Ascletis, Aptose/Hanmi, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals/HUYABIO, KoBioLabs/SPH Sine, CURACLE/ Théa Open Innovation, Signet/XtalPi, Curi Bio/NEXEL, CANbridge/Scriptr and Ligand/CRDC.

I-Mab sets commercial plans with Sinopharm for felzartamab in multiple myeloma. Legochem and Antengene team up on antibody-drug conjugates, Luoxin licenses respiratory drug from Marinomed.

A concerted effort to mobilize the pharma industry, research organizations and state-backed healthcare venture capital firms is under way in Shanghai.