Contract research organization (CRO) outsourcing has become a critical strategy for multinational biopharmaceutical companies looking to reduce costs, time-to-market and expanding their pipelines as blockbuster patents expire. Much of the growth in the CRO industry is coming from emerging markets, such as China and India. China's CRO industry began in 1996 and is still relatively young and fragmented. However, it is growing quickly at an annual rate of 30%. Global CRO giants such as Quintiles, PPD, Covance, Parexel and ICON have invested in facilities in China and some Chinese CROs have grown to become global players. This paper will provide a detailed analysis on CROs in China, including the characterization of companies and services provided, recent IPO/M&A deal activity, trends in the sector, and intellectual property and regulatory issues to consider. Readers will be able to obtain a clear picture of China's CRO landscape. This paper should serve as a guide for companies considering outsourcing R&D to China and investors looking for opportunities in China's CRO industry.
Full details at the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology
Contract research organization (CRO) outsourcing has become a critical strategy for multinational biopharmaceutical companies looking to reduce costs, time-to-market and expanding their pipelines as blockbuster patents expire. Much of the growth in the CRO industry is coming from emerging markets, such as China and India. China's CRO industry began in 1996 and is still relatively young and fragmented. However, it is growing quickly at an annual rate of 30%. Global CRO giants such as Quintiles, PPD, Covance, Parexel and ICON have invested in facilities in China and some Chinese CROs have grown to become global players. This paper will provide a detailed analysis on CROs in China, including the characterization of companies and services provided, recent IPO/M&A deal activity, trends in the sector, and intellectual property and regulatory issues to consider. Readers will be able to obtain a clear picture of China's CRO landscape. This paper should serve as a guide for companies considering outsourcing R&D to China and investors looking for opportunities in China's CRO industry.
Full details at the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology
Biosimilars, also known as follow on biologics, are complex biotechnology drugs that are similar, but not identical, to original biologic drug forms, and represent potential lower cost versions that may improve access. Yet biologics and their biosimilar forms have a key safety concern: unwanted immunogenicity. Emerging markets have tremendous interest in biosimilars, but are at a tipping point: they are moving from developing country concerns (e.g., communicable disease) to developed country needs (e.g., cancer therapies) that require biologic drugs. Production, however, is at lower than current Good Manufacturing Practice levels standard in highly-regulated markets. Emerging market public-private partnerships between public agencies, local producers, and global pharmaceutical firms, can incentivize biosimilar production at higher quality levels than required for local markets as well as position themselves for entry into developed markets. Public health goals can be reached while increasing economic opportunities in these markets to benefit global health.
Full details at the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology
Yali Friedman lives in Washington, DC and is author of Building Biotechnology and other books; founder of DrugPatentWatch; and chief editor of the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology.

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