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 plans to invest over 100 billion yuan ($14.39 billion) in China by 2030, focusing on cell therapy and oncology innovation, and expanding its workforce above 20,000.
- Recent deals include a $1.2 billion upfront licensing deal with CSPC Pharmaceutical and up to $630 million for global rights to a CAR-T therapy from Cellular Biomedicine Group.
- In 2025, AstraZeneca earned $43.24 billion globally (Jan–Sept), with the US accounting for 43% and China for 12% of revenue.
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Who’s Who
- AstraZeneca
- AstraZeneca (referred to as 阿斯利康 in Chinese) plans to invest over 100 billion yuan ($14.39 billion) in China by 2030. This significant expansion will focus on oncology, particularly cell therapy and radionuclide drug conjugates, and includes upgrading existing manufacturing hubs and establishing new ones. China is AstraZeneca's second-largest market.
- GSK
- GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) is mentioned as one of the major British corporations accompanying UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his visit to China. Its Chairman, Jonathan Symonds, was part of the delegation. The article primarily focuses on AstraZeneca's investment plans, but GSK's presence indicates its continued interest in the Chinese market.
- Cellular Biomedicine Group
- Cellular Biomedicine Group (西比曼生物科技有限公司) recently entered into an agreement with AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca will pay up to $630 million to the group for exclusive global rights to C-CAR031, a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy specifically designed for solid tumors. This collaboration highlights AstraZeneca's deepening ties with Chinese biotech firms in critical innovation areas like cell therapy.
- CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.
- CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. (石药集团有限公司) is a Chinese biotech firm collaborating with AstraZeneca. They signed an exclusive global licensing agreement for GLP-1 drug development. This deal includes a $1.2 billion upfront payment and potential milestones of up to $17.3 billion.
- Hansoh BioMed
- The article does not contain information about Hansoh BioMed (翰森制药). It mentions other collaborations between AstraZeneca and Chinese biotech firms, including Cellular Biomedicine Group, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd., Harbour BioMed, Jacobio Pharmaceuticals, and Syneron Bio.
- Harbour BioMed
- Harbour BioMed is a Chinese biotech firm collaborating with AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca is deepening its ties with various local Chinese biotech firms, including Harbour BioMed, to advance its cell therapy and radionuclide drug conjugate (RDC) initiatives in oncology.
- Jacobio Pharmaceuticals
- Jacobio Pharmaceuticals, a Chinese biotech firm, partnered with AstraZeneca in 2025. This collaboration is part of AstraZeneca's strategy to deepen ties with local Chinese companies. The nature of their partnership, while not fully detailed, likely focuses on key innovation areas such as oncology, specifically in cell therapy and radionuclide drug conjugates.
- Syneron Bio
- Syneron Bio (欣荣生物) is one of the local Chinese biotech firms with which AstraZeneca is deepening its collaborations. This partnership is part of AstraZeneca's strategy to invest significantly in China, with a focus on cell therapy and radionuclide drug conjugates, particularly in oncology.
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What Happened When
- Early 2025：
- AstraZeneca announced a $2.5 billion plan to build a new R&D center in Beijing and expand its workforce in China.
- 2025：
- AstraZeneca disclosed partnerships with Jacobio and other domestic Chinese players.
- First three quarters of 2025：
- AstraZeneca’s U.S. market accounted for 43% of revenue (~$18.52 billion), China for 12% (~$5.28 billion), and Europe for 21%; total global revenue for the period was approximately $43.24 billion (up 11% year-over-year).
- First three quarters of 2025：
- Farxiga generated $6.35 billion in sales; Tagrisso, $5.35 billion; Imfinzi, $4.32 billion.
- October 2025：
- AstraZeneca reached an agreement with the Trump administration regarding investment and drug pricing in the U.S. The U.S. government agreed to delay certain pharmaceutical tariffs for three years. AstraZeneca committed to investing $50 billion in the U.S. by 2030.
- Early 2026：
- AstraZeneca agreed to pay up to $630 million to Cellular Biomedicine Group for exclusive global rights to C-CAR031.
- January 30, 2026：
- AstraZeneca signed an exclusive global licensing agreement with CSPC Pharmaceutical to develop and commercialize GLP-1 related treatments.
- January 31, 2026：
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer concluded a four-day official visit to China.
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