Four biotech leaders gathered in Shanghai’s Science City district to boast about how much faster and cheaper drug development happens in China than anywhere else, including the United States. The executives appeared triumphant during a balmy, overcast Sunday at the ballroom level of the five-star Hilton.
Zhui Chen, co-founder of the now $6 billion Shanghai-based biotech Abbisko, recalled a trial on a drug licensed to the German pharma Merck KGaA. Abbisko’s trial finished in 11 months, so quickly that Merck executives asked if Abbisko could train their staff.
The Numbers On Stage
The executives compared China’s drug development pace directly to the United States and Europe. They argued that trials move faster, cost less, and operate more efficiently in China.
Chen’s example was specific. Abbisko completed its trial in 11 months, which prompted Merck to request training. The anecdote carried the broader argument: if China can outpace a German pharma giant, it can outpace anyone.
What The Pitch Sells
The gathering in Science City was a chance for Chinese biotechs to show off to the world. The executives made their pitch at the Hilton, where the event took place.
The executives’ argument was simple: the country can do it faster, cheaper, and better.
A Familiar Comparison
China’s biotech sector has spent years building this reputation. The comparison to the United States and Europe is part of the executives’ joking.
Chen’s story is a small piece of that larger picture. One trial, one timeline, one request for training.
The Bottom Line
The executives were confident. Their argument rested on a single data point: 11 months.
Whether the comparison holds beyond one trial is an open question.
“Certainly than the United States.”
The executives’ message is clear: China is catching up, and it is doing so at a pace the rest of the world cannot match. Whether that claim survives scrutiny is another matter entirely. For now, the pitch stands — and the room was full of people who believed it.
See the a run of 35 images at STAT.
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