The Moon Race. The AI Race. Now the Biotech Race.

The biotech field is still recovering from the global pandemic. Recently, regulations, political decisions, and new policies may be costing the United States its long-standing leadership in the sector. Meanwhile, new players are rising and the US is beginning to make nervous moves.

Just last week, we covered how a healthcare giant from the Emirates made a major biotech investment, boosting the region’s stance in global innovation. Today, we see even stronger moves from another direction: China is accelerating. And this time, it might be the start of a biotech power shift.

How We Got Here

After the pandemic, biotech needed stronger support. Instead, the US saw regulatory freezes, funding cuts, key resignations, and a broader political uncertainty that began to weigh heavily on the sector:

Investor Anxiety: During the pandemic, a rush of generalist investors flooded into biotech, eager to capitalize on the “gold rush” of innovation and COVID-related market opportunities. But as the pandemic waned and volatility increased, many of these investors exited just as quickly, creating an artificial boom-and-bust cycle and leaving a vacuum in biotech funding. Meanwhile, ongoing concerns about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on biomedical innovation have left investors and innovators worried that new policies could slow progress rather than accelerate it.

Key Leadership Loss: The removal of Peter Marks, a highly respected FDA official who supported faster drug approvals, deepened concerns across the industry.

The Biosecure Act: Intended to protect US interests, this act aimed to sever ties between American and Chinese biotech industries. This, however, further isolated the US while encouraging China to find new partners elsewhere.

From Copycat to Competitor: China’s Biotech Surge

For years, China’s biotech industry was primarily known for producing generics and serving as a manufacturing hub. That narrative has evolved. Today, China is not only partnering with global players, but also innovating and exporting its own biotech breakthroughs.

• BeiGene, once a domestic-focused company, is now on track to post its first operating profit a significant milestone in the biotech sector.

• Jiangsu Hengrui has secured billion-dollar licensing deals, including a notable heart drug partnership with Merck.

• China's share of major licensing deals has risen from 5% in 2022 to 42% in 2025, highlighting its growing influence in the global biotech arena.

China’s Advances in Oncology, Genomics, and Advanced Therapies

China is making especially significant strides in oncology and advanced therapeutics:

• mRNA Vaccines:

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