In recent years, Chinese assets have played an increasingly large role in the biopharmaceutical industry. This topic is important for industry experts, biopharmas, and investors alike. The global landscape of drug development is changing quickly, and Chinese biotechnology companies and research programs are emerging as significant players, offering unique opportunities and, naturally, some challenges as well. To explore this topic further, I had a conversation with Dr. Kanya Rajangam, to explore her perception of the potential for Chinese biotech assets and programs in the US market. In this Q&A-style discussion, we talked through some of the current perceptions about Chinese biopharma, opportunities, the inherent language challenges, and risks on the horizon.
Current perceptions
Alok Tayi: How does US biopharma perceive Chinese biotechs & assets?
Kanya: The Chinese biotech sector has evolved dramatically over the past decade. We’re seeing a surge in high-quality clinical programs, particularly in oncology and autoimmune diseases. What’s interesting is the speed and efficiency of clinical proof-of-concept studies in China, and the ability to often generate meaningful clinical data much faster than in traditional Western markets.
Opportunities for US biopharma
Alok: What opportunities do you see for US biopharma looking to in-license Chinese assets?
Kanya: I’ll cite two: higher probability of success (PoS) programs and scale. First, many Chinese biotechs can obtain meaningful clinical data within 18 months of launch. Thus, if you’re in-licensing a Chinese asset and then filing a US Investigational New Drug (IND) application, that program will have a higher PoS because you have early clinical data already.
Second, the scale—theoretically, a US biopharma can open up more in-licensing opportunities for pre-clinical and clinical assets. This creates an opportunity for business development to find the best program,—but there’s a catch: much of the critical data and documentation is in Chinese, not English. Honestly, this is where AI can be transformative and why I’m excited by VibeOne. What traditionally took months of translation and due diligence can now be evaluated in days, without additional headcount.
Overcoming language barriers
Alok: How do you see the language barrier impacting the evaluation of these assets?
Kanya: For any asset, independent of geographic origin, biopharma has to make sure they understand the risks and make a bet on the best science. The language barrier of Chinese scientific documents, even if translated into English, makes it difficult to tease science and data challenges apart from communication challenges.
A diligence team routinely checks for data consistency and data completeness. This is a trivial task in your native tongue but an uphill battle in a foreign language. I think this is where AI can offer a competitive advantage: we can assess the quality and risks of a program intelligently with technology.
Emerging risks in the biopharma market
Alok: What are the risks you see on the horizon?
Kanya: Speed is everything in this market. The biggest risk is that your potential blockbuster assets become undermined by an overseas company that just executed faster. Further, we’re seeing cases where companies pursuing a specific indication have been leapfrogged by competitors who quickly identified and in-licensed promising Chinese assets in that space.
It’s time for change
Chinese biotechs are going to continue to expand their influence in the global market, and US biopharma companies must be quick to investigate both the opportunities and challenges that come with evaluating and in-licensing the promising assets they bring. While language barriers and competitive risks still require careful diligence, AI-driven analysis can enable faster, more accurate evaluations, helping business development teams to make informed decisions quickly. The future of drug development is global, and this conversation highlights the importance of staying informed about the market and up-to-date about the latest technology available to accelerate the discovery of new cures.
Drs. Kanya Rajangam is a distinguished biotech executive with over 20 years of experience in drug development and clinical strategy. Dr. Rajangam is responsible for leading the development and regulatory strategy to rapidly advance Senti Bio’s off-the-shelf CAR-NK cell oncology programs into and through clinical development. Dr. Rajangam has served as chief medical officer at various biotech companies, including Nkarta Therapeutics, Atara Biotherapeutics, and Cleave Biosciences. Earlier, Dr. Rajangam gained relevant senior leadership experience at Onyx and Exelixis. Dr. Rajangam currently serves on the board of directors of Turnstone Biologics and is a member of Vibe Bio’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Alok Tayi is a scientist and serial entrepreneur. After completing postdoctoral work at Harvard University with George Whitesides, Alok started two pharma SaaS companies, PreScouter and TetraScience and launched and led the life sciences division of Egnyte. Alok is also the co-host of the Biotech2050 Podcast, as well as the co-founder and CEO of Vibe Bio.
Read more of my thoughts on the question of how Chinese assets will reshape drug development.
