China innovative drug out-licensing deal value reaches new high in first half of 2026, says CCTV

SHANGHAI, July 13 () - The value of China's innovative drug out-licensing ‌deals reached about $110 billion between ‌January and June, a record high, state broadcaster ​CCTV reported Monday, citing data from the National Medical Products Administration. • As of June 30, China's innovative drugs ‌have been ⁠out-licensed to foreign companies in 81 deals.

SHANGHAI, July 13 (Reuters) - The value of China's innovative drug out-licensing deals reached about $110 billion between January and June, a record high, state broadcaster CCTV reported Monday, citing data from the National Medical Products Administration. •

As of June 30, China's innovative drugs have been out-licensed to foreign companies in 81 deals. • A licensing agreement grants a company the rights to develop, manufacture or commercialise another company's pharmaceutical products or technologies in exchange for an upfront fee or future target-based payments, mitigating development risks.

• The deal value has already reached 80% of 2025's full-year total. •

The products licensed covered therapeutic areas including oncology, metabolism, immunology, and neurology. • The main licensee companies came from countries including the U.S., Britain, France and Italy.

• Global drugmakers are stepping up their search for China-developed experimental medicines ahead of patent expirations. (Reporting by Andrew Silver in Shanghai; Editing by Jamie Freed)