AstraZeneca Doubles Down on China With 100 Billion Yuan Pledge
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AstraZeneca has announced plans to invest more than 100 billion yuan ($14.39 billion) in China by 2030, a significant expansion of its research and manufacturing footprint in the pharmaceutical giant’s second-largest market.
The commitment was announced following a visit to Beijing by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, underscoring the company’s efforts to entrench itself in China even as it navigates a complex geopolitical landscape involving Washington and London. Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca’s chief executive, described the move as a new chapter for the company’s development in the country.
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- AstraZeneca will invest over 100 billion yuan ($14.39 billion) in China by 2030, focusing on cell therapy and oncology R&D.
- The company reported $43.24 billion in global revenue for the first nine months of 2025, with the U.S. as its largest market (43%) and China second (12%).
- AstraZeneca aims for $80 billion revenue by 2030, with 50% from the U.S.; recent China deals include major partnerships and licensing agreements in biotech and diabetes drugs.
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Who’s Who
- AstraZeneca
- AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical giant, plans to invest over 100 billion yuan ($14.39 billion) in China by 2030, significantly expanding its research and manufacturing. This investment focuses on oncology innovations like cell therapy and radionuclide drug conjugates, and will upgrade existing manufacturing hubs while establishing new ones. China is AstraZeneca's second-largest market, after the U.S., accounting for 12% of its revenue in the first three quarters of 2025.
- GSK
- GSK (葛兰素史克) Chairman Jonathan Symonds accompanied UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his four-day official visit to China. The visit by the British prime minister, the first in eight years, aimed to bolster economic and commercial ties between the two nations, with executives from over 50 major British corporations present.
- Cellular Biomedicine Group
- Cellular Biomedicine Group (西比曼生物科技集团) is a Chinese biotech firm collaborating with AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca agreed to pay up to $630 million for global rights to C-CAR031, a CAR-T therapy for solid tumors developed by Cellular Biomedicine Group.
- CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.
- CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. is a Chinese biotech firm collaborating with AstraZeneca. They signed an exclusive global licensing agreement on January 30, 2026, for GLP-1 drug development. The deal includes a $1.2 billion upfront payment and potential milestones up to $17.3 billion.
- Harbour BioMed
- Harbour BioMed is a Chinese biotech firm that AstraZeneca is collaborating with. AstraZeneca is deepening its collaborations with local Chinese biotech firms, including Harbour BioMed, as part of its plan to invest over $14.39 billion in China by 2030.
- Jacobio Pharmaceuticals
- Jacobio Pharmaceuticals is a Chinese biotech firm that has partnered with AstraZeneca. In 2025, AstraZeneca disclosed partnerships with Jacobio and other domestic players in China, indicating a deepening collaboration between the companies. While the specific nature of their partnership in 2025 isn't detailed, it falls under AstraZeneca's broader strategy to expand its presence and innovation in key therapeutic areas like oncology within the Chinese market.
- Syneron Bio
- Syneron Bio is a Chinese biotech firm collaborating with AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca is deepening its collaborations with Syneron Bio and other local Chinese biotech companies as part of its plan to invest more than 100 billion yuan in China by 2030, focusing on cell therapy and radionuclide drug conjugates.
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What Happened When
- October 2025：
- AstraZeneca reached an agreement with the Trump administration regarding U.S. investment and drug pricing; U.S. government agreed to delay certain pharmaceutical tariffs for three years.
- Earlier in January 2026：
- AstraZeneca agreed to pay up to $630 million to Cellular Biomedicine Group for exclusive global rights to C-CAR031.
- Jan. 30, 2026：
- AstraZeneca signed an exclusive global licensing agreement with CSPC Pharmaceutical to develop and commercialize GLP-1 treatments.
- Jan. 31, 2026：
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer concluded his four-day official visit to China.
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