China's growing influence on innovative medicines simply cannot be ignored.

The biotech sector in China has boomed in recent years; however, much of its innovation has remained in the country. This is changing.

A big topic at Arena International's Outsourcing in Clinical Trials (OCT) and Clinical Trial Supply (CTS) conference was how China is seeking more valuable relationships to initiate multi-regional clinical trials (MRCTs) as competition within the country becomes fierce.

Data shows that the top 20 deals in China since 2024 were worth a total of $85.6bn, with more than 20% of those deals occurring in H1 2026. The deals have also moved from low-cost and single-asset deals to acquisitions and higher-cost partnerships between big pharma and Chinese biotech.

China and US partnerships provide an opportunity to access early-phase assets, which is something big pharma is actively seeking as a significant patent cliff is approaching.

During the event, which took place on 8 and 9 September in Suzhou, editor of Clinical Trials Arena, Abigail Beaney, spoke with Sarah Nightingale, principal consultant for the APAC region at GlobalData Healthcare, and Rachel Wang, consultant for Deallus, about some of the key shifts that are leading China to continue in its quest to become a global force.

You can listen to more about what kinds of considerations Chinese biotechs are making and what to expect from the country in the next decade here:

A detailed agenda for the 2^nd Annual Outsourcing in Clinical Trials China 2026 conference and Clinical Trial Supply China 2026 conference can be accessed here. The conference is hosted by Arena International Events Group, a B2B events company owned by GlobalData, the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena and Pharmaceutical Technology.

Interested in attending or sponsoring OCT China and CTS China? Complete the form below, and the Arena team will be in touch.