China Captures Half of 2026 Drug Licensing Deals as Faster Trials Fuel Oncology Rise
Updated
Updated · worksinprogress.co · Jun 4
China Captures Half of 2026 Drug Licensing Deals as Faster Trials Fuel Oncology Rise
3 articles · Updated · worksinprogress.co · Jun 4
Summary
Roughly half of major global drug licensing deals struck so far in 2026 involve drugs originating from China, highlighting a sharp shift in where new medicines are being discovered.
China’s rise is tied to industrial policy and a faster clinical-trial system: investigator-initiated studies can start in about 6 months there, versus 18 months or more in the United States.
Carvykti illustrates that edge. Legend Biotech began trials in China in 2016, then licensed the therapy to Johnson & Johnson in a $350 million deal after early data outperformed the US-developed rival Abecma.
The multiple myeloma CAR-T later showed a 76% 12-month progression-free survival rate versus 55% for Abecma, and 33% of patients remained disease-free at five years.
US groups still dominate late-stage development, but the report argues the discovery pipeline is shifting toward China unless Congress turns a proposed 2027 FDA trial-streamlining budget into policy.