A young female worker in a protective suit carefully carries a container containing blister-wrapped capsules, a critical step in the transport process of pharmaceuticals. Introducing the importance of safety and attention to detail in the industry.
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Chinese biopharmaceutical stocks soared in Hong Kong on Monday after reports that the United States is considering rules that would allow American drugmakers to continue licensing most medicines from Chinese companies.
Innovent Biologics While it rose by 6%, Akiso soared 8%, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group It increased by more than 6%. hatch med Although it increased by 3%, china biopharmaceuticals Added 8%.
The Hang Seng Biotechnology Index also rose more than 5%.
The move follows reports on Friday from Reuters, citing people briefed on the process, that the U.S. Treasury Department is drafting rules likely to allow U.S. drug companies to invest in promising new drugs being developed by Chinese companies, except those related to pathogens or biotechnologies that could be weaponized. The rule has not yet been finalized and is subject to further changes, the report said.
If that happens, biopharmaceuticals will be on a different trajectory from fields such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, where the United States is tightening regulations on China.
Global data cited by Reuters shows that in 2025, nearly half of the U.S. contracts to license foreign drugs will be with Chinese companies.
In May, for example, Pfizer announced a partnership worth up to $10.5 billion with Innovent for research and development across 12 oncology programs.
China’s licensing out boom continues despite geopolitical concerns. A record 81 deals, worth a total of $110 billion, were completed in the first half of 2026, according to NMPA data cited by Nomura.
The bank cited the strong value proposition of Chinese companies in drug development and said investors now appear to be “nearly immune” to intermittent geopolitical concerns surrounding the sector.
Mr. Nomura pointed out that China has also made globalization a key goal for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in its 15th Five-Year Plan. Against this background, the central bank expects that license-out agreements between China and the United States will “ride the tide.”
