A breakthrough in China’s biotech scene came on Jan. 6, 2026, when Sanofi announced that the country’s regulator approved Reidapu – the Chinese brand of Arrowhead’s Plozasiran sodium injection. This is the world’s first siRNA drug that targets the APOC3 gene, dramatically lowering triglyceride levels and the risk of pancreatitis in patients with the rare condition familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS). The drug, already cleared by the U.S. FDA in late 2025, can be given just once every three months via a simple injection. The approval marks a turning point for small‑nucleic‑acid therapies in China and comes as the market heats up. RiboBio, a Chinese biotech focused on nucleic‑acid delivery, listed on the Hong Kong main board on Jan. 9, 2026, unlocking fresh capital for its pipeline. Meanwhile, global players are betting big: Novartis’s siRNA drug Leqvio saw sales surge in 2025, and the company has signed $9.3 billion worth of collaborations with Borrowed Ship Pharmaceuticals. China’s innovative‑drug ecosystem is booming. In 2025 the country approved a record 76 new drugs, and overseas licensing deals involving Chinese firms topped $135 billion, far outpacing 2024. The NMPA is streamlining reviews to encourage “China‑first” launches, while specialized ETFs, such as the Hong Kong Stock Connect Innovative Drug ETF (159570), are channeling investor money into these high‑growth biotech stocks. The wave of approvals and capital inflows signals a new era of domestic drug innovation and global partnership.
Read moreShanghai’s Pudong district is emerging as a hotbed for breakthrough medicines. The first home‑grown, AI‑designed drug for Charcot‑Marie‑Tooth disease, RTX‑117, has cleared China’s first‑in‑class approval and will start Phase I trials in early 2026. Built on XtalPi’s AI‑plus‑robotic platform, RTX‑117 blocks a key molecular pathway and has already restored motor function in animal models, offering hope of early‑stage intervention for this rare nerve disorder. Meanwhile, U.S.‑based NeuPharma announced that its novel M4‑receptor modulator, NS‑136, earned FDA clearance to begin Phase II testing for agitation in Alzheimer’s patients – the company’s first U.S. trial and a major step toward an international, multi‑center development program. In a parallel win for mental‑health treatment, Ark Biosciences secured Chinese approval for Aizida, a combined immediate‑release and long‑acting ADHD capsule. The formulation, the world’s only drug that blends d‑methylphenidate with a pro‑drug, promises rapid onset and full‑day coverage, filling a long‑standing gap in ADHD therapy. Together, these milestones showcase Pudong’s full‑chain biotech ecosystem, from AI‑driven discovery to clinical trials and market launch, positioning the region as a leader in innovative drug development.
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