According to a Bloomberg report on July 20, a new study reveals that between 2020 and 2025, China approved more novel anti-cancer therapies than the United States—underscoring a dramatic surge in the competitiveness of China’s biopharmaceutical sector in recent years.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, was jointly conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Friends of Cancer Research, a leading advocacy organization. Data shows that from 2020 to 2025, Chinese regulatory authorities approved 94 novel oncology therapeutics, compared with 87 approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the same period.
The study also highlighted that China began outstripping the U.S. in annual approvals in 2023, maintaining its lead through 2025. In 2025 alone, China approved nearly three times as many novel anti-cancer drugs as the U.S.
However, the U.S. retains a clear edge in pioneering, “first-in-class” innovation. Of the 36 first-in-class cancer drugs evaluated in the study, 30 received their initial regulatory approval in the U.S. Furthermore, the FDA’s median review timeline was 117 days faster than China’s regulatory body.
Researchers noted that over the past 15 years, China has successfully transitioned from a generic-dominated market into a dynamic hub capable of innovative drug discovery and commercialization. Dr. Jeff Allen, President and CEO of Friends of Cancer Research and co-author of the study, noted that China’s sustained, high-intensity investment in its biotechnology sector is rapidly yielding tangible research and development outcomes.
“This clearly demonstrates that China’s investment in the biotechnology sector continues to expand rapidly—and that those investments are paying off,” Allen remarked.
Expanding Medical Insurance Coverage Nationwide
Through annual updates to the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL), China’s National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) systematically incorporates high-value, innovative medicines into public coverage.
The NRDL currently features 3,159 drug entries, addressing the vast majority of clinical needs and substantially enhancing financial protection for major critical illnesses, particularly cancer.
Broad Therapeutic Coverage: The present NRDL reimburses over 230 anti-cancer drugs—ranging from traditional chemotherapy agents to targeted therapies and advanced immunotherapies—covering more than 20 prevalent malignancies, including lung, breast, and gastric cancers. This has drastically reduced out-of-pocket drug costs for patients.
Supportive Care Integration: Beyond direct anti-tumor drugs, essential supportive regimens are also fully integrated. To mitigate common chemotherapy side effects such as nausea, vomiting, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, highly effective antiemetics and long-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) are included in the coverage.
Market Scale: When converted to individual marketing approval license numbers, the 3,159 listed drugs represent more than 70,000 approved drug entries, accounting for approximately 63% of all active commercial pharmaceuticals in the Chinese market.
Accelerated Access for Breakthroughs: Through annual NRDL price negotiations, new, effective, and life-saving drugs are integrated into reimbursement schemes shortly after entering the market—frequently within less than a year of receiving initial approval. For instance, six major PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors are currently listed, significantly easing patient financial burdens. Notably, Ivonescimab—a novel domestic bispecific antibody that demonstrated superior efficacy over Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in head-to-head clinical trials—was approved in May 2024 and added to the NRDL within the same calendar year.
Patient Financial Assistance Case Studies
(Data from a Class 3A Tertiary Hospital in Zhejiang Province, 2025)
Case 1 (Feb 2025): Surgical Intervention for Liver Cancer
Patient Profile: 63-year-old male/female undergoing liver cancer resection and perioperative care.
Total Expenditure: ¥56,954.50
Policy-Eligible Expense: ¥46,665.57
Basic Medical Insurance Coverage: ¥39,844.32
Overall Reimbursement Rate (Insurance Fund / Total Cost): 69.96%
In-Policy Reimbursement Rate (Insurance Fund / Eligible Expense): 85.38%
Case 2 (Jan–Sep 2025): Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
Patient Profile: 53-year-old female receiving 12 outpatient/inpatient chemotherapy cycles (primary drugs: Capecitabine, Gemcitabine).
Total Expenditure: ¥39,277.84
Policy-Eligible Expense: ¥27,338.42
Basic Medical Insurance Coverage: ¥23,008.19
Overall Reimbursement Rate: 58.58%
In-Policy Reimbursement Rate: 84.16%
Case 3 (Mar–Sep 2025): Targeted Therapy for Colorectal Cancer
Patient Profile: 74-year-old patient undergoing 14 targeted therapy sessions (primary drug: Bevacizumab).
Total Expenditure: ¥114,800.67
Policy-Eligible Expense: ¥94,131.82
Basic Medical Insurance Coverage: ¥64,480.52
Overall Reimbursement Rate: 56.17%
In-Policy Reimbursement Rate: 68.50%
Bloomberg highlighted that as a growing number of multinational pharmaceutical companies forge strategic licensing partnerships with Chinese biotechs, China is rapidly evolving from a global drug manufacturing base into a vital strategic partner in innovative drug discovery and development.
This trend aligns with a prior report from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which acknowledged that China’s sophisticated laboratory infrastructure and expanding biomanufacturing ecosystem are positioning the nation as an emerging leader in commercializing global scientific breakthroughs.
Editor: Grace
