Beyond technology exports into ‘NewCo and co-development’ – Successes and failures of new drug development cooperation from Chinese biotech companies
- 2026.10.21
- 173
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Chinese pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies gaining prominence in global drug licensing deals shared firsthand advice with Korean biotech firms based on their actual collaboration experiences. They discussed strategies involving NewCos (new entities), equity investments, and co-development tailored to a drug candidate’s development stage, as well as cases in which collaborations fell through after global pharmaceutical companies withdrew their investments.
In particular, the Chinese pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms emphasized that collaboration opportunities extend beyond licensing out (L/O), but the deal structure alone does not guarantee success. They advised choosing a suitable partner based on the candidate’s development stage and the funding and personnel required, while establishing a foundation to sustain development after the agreement is signed.
A panel discussion titled ‘Beyond Licensing: New Partnership Models for New Drug Development’ was held on October 12 at the ‘2026 KDDF CPG Symposium,’ hosted by the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul. Representatives from BeOne Medicines, a multinational pharmaceutical company with roots in China, Chinese pharmaceutical group Fosun Pharma, and the U.S. investment industry attended and shared global collaboration strategies and firsthand deal experiences.
Diana Pignalosa, Head of Strategic Partnering and Strategic Advising at Debiopharm, who moderated the discussion, stated, "Many Korean biotechnology executives view licensing as their primary partnership strategy. Although licensing is an important means of fundraising, it is not the only option."
Read the full article on [THEBIO]