Join Business Finland on March 5, 2025, for a webinar that offers Finnish companies an opportunity to explore the accelerating biotech sector in China—an industry where innovation is rapidly advancing and gaining international acclaim.
Recent years have witnessed China's government enacting policies that have been steadfastly steering towards the bolstering of domestic biotech innovations. It is clear that China's biotech sector is rapidly ascending the global ranks in innovation. There are compelling signs that indicate a shrinking gap between China’s biotech innovation and that of the established global leaders in the West.
Remarkably, in 2023, the U.S. FDA granted approval to three innovative Chinese drugs, heralding an era of international recognition for China's pharmaceutical ingenuity. Furthermore, the frequency of out-licensing agreements by Chinese entities has surged, climbing from a mere 15 in 2019 to an impressive 33 agreements in 2023, with oncology witnessing the most significant upswing. These partnerships encompass a diverse array of therapeutic approaches, including both small molecules and complex biologics. Notably, clinical trials in China have skyrocketed, more than doubling in number from 2017 to 2021.
The pivotal question then arises: what opportunities does this landscape present for Finland's interface with China's thriving biotech ecosystem? Delving into viable market entry tactics, we contemplate how Finnish enterprises can poise themselves for successful market integration and sustained growth.
Ms. Helen Chen, who serves as the Global Sector Co-Head for Healthcare and Life Sciences for the Asia Pacific, alongside her role as a Greater China Managing Partner at L.E.K. Consulting, will illuminate the intricacies involved.
We also take immense pleasure in extending an invitation to a representative of a pioneering Chinese biotech enterprise, who will impart their invaluable insights gleaned from navigating China's dynamic biotech sector. Complementarily, a Finnish company will share their unique narrative of engagement with China's biotech sphere.
Speaker
Helen Chen is Global Sector Co-Head for Healthcare and a Greater China Managing Partner of L.E.K. Consulting based in Shanghai. Helen was a member of L.E.K.’s Global Leadership Team from 2012 to 2016. She is also a Director of the firm’s Asia-Pacific Life Sciences Centre of Excellence. Helen was named one of Consulting magazine’s Global Leaders in Consulting in 2019.
Helen has over 30 years of consulting and industry experience in the U.S. and Asia markets and has lived in China since 2000. She helps companies expand their presence in China and Asia, and leverages Asia’s innovation to improve their global businesses. For companies anchored in China, Helen advises on their drive to innovation and globalization. Helen is a frequent speaker and author on the opportunities and issues in China’s healthcare and life sciences sectors. Her expert commentary has appeared in Bloomberg, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Asia and the South China Morning Post, and in several industry publications, including BioCentury, In Vivo, Script and BioWorld.
