From “Follower” to “Parallel Competitor”: Lianyungang Pharmaceutical Firms “Sprint Ahead” Through Innovation

From: Lianyungang Daily Updated: 2025-06-25 09:14

Yesterday, it was learned from the municipal development zone that Lianyungang-based Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals has climbed two spots to rank 46th on the 2025 Global Top 50 Pharma Companies list released by Pharmaceutical Executive magazine, marking a strategic leap from “follower” to “parallel competitor” in the global pharmaceutical arena.

The Top 50 Global Pharma Companies list released by Pharmaceutical Executive (PharmExec) magazine serves as an annual “ranking of industry strength” in the global pharmaceutical sector. The ranking, compiled by Evaluate Pharma, evaluates pharmaceutical firms based on preion drug sales, core product revenue, and R&D investment. Hengrui’s ascent underscores China’s pharmaceutical industry transition from imitation to innovation-driven global competition.

Lianyungang’s pharmaceutical sector traces its roots to the 1970s. In 2011, Hengrui broke into international markets by exporting its irinotecan formulation, a generic drug. Today, the city’s pharmaceutical exports span Europe, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Central Asia, with strategies evolving from generic drug exports to innovative drug licensing (BD) deals. Recent financials show Hengrui’s BD partnerships have become a key profit driver, generating nearly $14 billion through 14 licensing agreements since 2022. These deals involve core assets like Lp(a) inhibitors, DLL3 ADCs, GLP-1 combinations, and PARP1 inhibitors, partnered with global giants including Merck & Co., IDEAYA Biosciences, Kailera Therapeu－tics and Germany’s Merck KGaA.

This global outreach is fueled by innovation. Lianyungang pharmaceutical firms operate over 10 R&D centers worldwide, employing a 10,000-strong global research team. They have established advanced platforms for PROTAC (Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras), peptide drugs, monoclonal antibodies, bispecific/multispecific antibodies, ADCs (Antibody-Drug Conjugates), and radioligand therapies, while pioneering AI-driven drug development. Domestically, these firms have launched nearly 30 Class 1 innovative drugs, with over 100 self-developed products in clinical trials, forming a sustainable pipeline of marketed, clinical-stage, and preclinical assets.

Innovation remains the cornerstone of competitiveness. Sino Biopharmaceutical, another Lianyungang-linked firm, ranked 39th with 4.02 billion in revenue. In 2024, Sino Biopharmaceutical’s revenue from innovative drugs surpassed the 12 billion yuan threshold for the first time, yet anlotinib and magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate—developed by its subsidiary CHIATAI TIANQING—remain their primary revenue drivers. Anlotinib capsules made history at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting with nine studies selected for oral presentations, setting a national record for domestically developed drugs. Meanwhile, Hengrui Pharmaceuticals has built a robust oncology drug pipeline by targeting diverse pathways and maintaining R&D investment. This strategy not only avoids direct competition with standard treatments but also carves out new market opportunities by addressing drug resistance and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. It is evident that for Lianyungang-based pharmaceutical firms expanding globally, innovative drugs remain both their core competitive edge and market passport.