On September 15th, the Science and Technology Innovation Board (STAR Market) hosted its collective earnings briefing for the biopharmaceutical and Contract X Organization (CXO) sectors, drawing participation from senior executives of numerous listed companies.
Insights from the investor Q&A session reveal that the primary focus for stakeholders in the biopharmaceutical and CXO industries revolves around international expansion strategies and research and development initiatives. Company leadership provided detailed explanations during the interactive discussions. A recurring theme in both semi-annual reports and these exchanges was the emphasis on "intensifying global market development efforts," prompting investors to probe deeper into the quality and strategic nature of this internationalization push.
Addressing a query, Jiang Biwang, Chairman of Suzhou NanoMicro Technology Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as NanoMicro), highlighted a significant shift in China's pharmaceutical sector. He noted that the surge in overseas licensing and partnership (BD) transactions, which now span not only early-stage projects but the entire value chain including technology platforms, clinical development, and commercialization, signifies a pivotal transition for Chinese firms from mere "product exporters" to "capability providers." NanoMicro is actively embodying this shift, where its overseas business now extends beyond selling chromatography media, analytical consumables, and instruments. The company's core objective is to methodically export and integrate its accumulated expertise in separation and purification technologies, process development, application services, and ecosystem coordination into the global pharmaceutical supply chain.
To illustrate, Jiang Biwang cited the official release of the international standard ISO/TS 4966:2026, initiated by NanoMicro, which sets specifications and testing methods for nanoporous silica microparticles in liquid chromatography. This landmark achievement, the first ISO standard globally in the niche field of liquid chromatography silica fillers, establishes a unified quality control benchmark for the industry. Furthermore, NanoMicro is actively assisting various clients in navigating complex overseas regulatory landscapes. This support effectively addresses clients' compliance challenges, drastically reduces audit times for international customers, and underscores the company's deep integration into global pharmaceutical registration systems.
Across the board, numerous listed companies echoed their commitment to leveraging product advantages for strategic positioning in both domestic and international markets, thereby broadening their global development pathways. Cui Jin, Board Secretary of CanSino Biologics Inc., explained that the company is concentrating on key overseas markets, using its diverse product portfolio as a springboard to strengthen its competitive edge. By cultivating long-term strategic alliances with partners, CanSino aims to advance collaborations and product supply through technology transfers and the provision of intermediates or finished products. Concurrently, depending on product positioning and development milestones, the company is preparing for World Health Organization prequalification for certain products and exploring procurement avenues with international bodies. For its globally innovative offerings, CanSino is also actively assessing entry pathways into developed markets. Domestically, CanSino is leveraging its product competitiveness to foster market growth and business expansion. With an increasing number of product approvals, the company is focused on boosting commercial sales and achieving enhanced operational outcomes, while also advancing research and development in the adult vaccine segment.
Beyond international expansion, a shared strategic consensus among these listed firms is the focus on core business operations, diversifying product portfolios, and reinforcing long-term corporate foundations. Fan Zhihe, Chairman of Shanghai Serum Biology Technology Co., Ltd., discussed his company's strategic response to its current reliance on antivenom serum products and equine anti-tetanus immunoglobulin, which results in a relatively narrow product line. He outlined a three-pronged approach to mitigate this dependency: concurrently advancing multiple projects such as anti-viper serum, rapid snake venom diagnostic reagents, broad-spectrum antivenom antibodies, and recombinant snake venom thrombin, with the goal of enriching the product matrix; expanding offerings in snakebite emergency care to establish a comprehensive product ecosystem, ranging from rapid diagnostics to specific and broad-spectrum therapeutics; and developing anti-bee venom serum to address unmet clinical needs like bee stings, while also venturing into hemostasis with recombinant snake venom thrombin.