AI boosting agility of Chinese pharma

As Chinese pharmaceutical companies accelerate their push into overseas markets, unified management and artificial intelligence are emerging as vital tools to sustain competitiveness and global credibility, said Chris Shim, general manager for Asia R&D and quality at US pharmaceutical digital solution provider Veeva Systems.

"China's biopharma sector is growing rapidly, not only through licensing partnerships, but also by directly seeking global approvals for innovative drugs," Shim said. "The challenge for these companies is to maintain the efficiency that has fueled their domestic success, while also proving their quality meets international standards."

According to a research report by China Post Securities, the total value of China's innovative drug license-out deals reached nearly $66 billion in the first half of 2025, surpassing the full-year transaction value of last year.

When Chinese pharmaceutical companies go global, complexity such as multi-country clinical trials, cross-border manufacturing and regulatory submissions may rise, which is creating huge opportunities for global digital solutions providers like Veeva, Shim said.

"Our role is to help them stay efficient and effective through a unified and standardized platform," Shim said, adding that more Chinese companies are becoming increasingly serious about adopting global-standard platforms. "Two or three years ago, many still treated their China business separately. Now, they want a single system for both China and global operations," he said.

The executive added the rapid globalization of Chinese pharma is leading to huge potential for deeper cooperation.

"When Chinese companies become global, we grow together. Some Chinese biopharma firms already generate revenues above $1 billion. In the next five to 10 years, some may grow tenfold. Our mission is to be a strong partner, helping them stay efficient and effective through that growth."

At the heart of Veeva's digital platform for drug R&D and quality management is the use of AI, which integrates data, content and intelligent agents. Shim believes this will be a "game changer" for the life sciences sector worldwide — and particularly relevant for China, where scale and speed are crucial.

"AI agents can take on specific, repetitive tasks, allowing professionals to focus on higher-value work. For Chinese companies expanding abroad, this means faster regulatory submissions, smoother quality oversight across borders and more efficient global collaboration," he said.

"By 2030, our goal is to improve industry productivity by at least 20 percent."

Shim added that Veeva's AI is designed to be open and adaptable to better serve the local market. This flexibility ensures innovation within a standardized, compliant framework.

Looking ahead, Shim sees vast opportunities in partnering with Chinese pharma companies as they scale globally.

"China has world-class science and a tremendous pool of talent. Some of these companies could become the next Huawei or (drone firm) DJI in their fields," he said. "Our mission is to ensure local best practices can be replicated globally."

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn