Post-Pandemic Uncertainties in Life Science Tools – IVD: Strategic Reflections and Pathways Forward

On March 11, the National Health Commission issued the “Notice on Printing and Distributing the Trial Application Plan for SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing” and organized the formulation of the “Trial Application Plan for SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing,” thereby relaxing restrictions on COVID-19 antigen testing. The opening up of downstream application products has continued to catalyze growth in the upstream IVD industry.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the upstream in vitro diagnostics (IVD) industry has witnessed deterministic growth, achieving significant leaps in business operations, product control, and global expansion within just two years. However, as the pandemic recedes, what path should these enterprises take next?

Recognize the current situation to better chart a path for the future.

VCBeat, VCBeat New Medicine, and Huimei Capital jointly invited representative companies in the upstream IVD tools segment—Beaver Biotech, Yeasen Biotechnology, and Younuozhen Biotech—to launch “Reflections on Uncertainty in the Post-Pandemic Era”:

# Examining the Present: At what stage of development is the upstream IVD industry currently? What has pandemic-related business actually brought to companies?

Short- and Long-Term Considerations: What lingering challenges has the short-term pandemic-driven stimulus created for future business development? How can different market entry strategies pave the way to becoming a giant in China’s “life science tools” sector?

Guest Introduction

Beaver Biotech has long been dedicated to the independent research and development of magnetic nanobead technology. Progressing from first-generation dispersed-structure magnetic beads, through second-generation core-shell silica-coated magnetic beads, to third-generation multi-layered polymer magnetic beads, the company has filed over 30 core patents, including 22 invention patents. It participated in the key special project “Development of Standard Reference Materials for Important In Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Research on Traceability Technology Evaluation” under the National Key R&D Program of China’s 13th Five-Year Plan, titled “Research and Application of Common Technologies for National Quality Infrastructure,” which was led by the National Institute of Metrology (NIM) of China. In 2016, together with Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Beaver Biotech co-led an international standard project on magnetic nanobead technology under the jurisdiction of Working Group 4 (WG4) of ISO/TC 229 (Nanotechnologies) of the International Organization for Standardization; this standard was officially released worldwide in October 2021. The company operates a 6,000-square-meter R&D center (under construction) in Nano City and a production base of comparable scale, delivering automated solutions for the entire workflow of biological sample processing—including collection, preservation, and extraction—with products exported to nearly 30 countries. In 2021, Beaver Biotech recruited several high-caliber technical experts and management professionals to accelerate the industrial deployment of ton-scale production capacity for magnetic nanobeads.

Yeasen Biotechnology specializes in the research, development, and production of tool enzyme raw materials and antigens/antibodies, providing high-quality raw materials to enterprises engaged in life science research, in vitro diagnostic testing, and drug and vaccine development. Guided by its mission to help customers create value and make the world healthier and happier, the company is committed to becoming a leader in the life science tools industry.

Unogen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is a leading protein technology company. Over the past two decades, Unogen and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Absea Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Beijing), have become trusted partners for customized biological reagent development for numerous biotechnology companies both in China and abroad. Centered on protein development, engineering, integration, and characterization, Unogen has established a comprehensive technical platform dedicated to providing high-quality products and professional customized development services for life sciences, in vitro diagnostics, and drug discovery. By leveraging an interdisciplinary approach that integrates biotechnology, information technology, and chemical technology, the company specializes in the development and engineering of proteins and antibodies. With over 10,000 protein and antibody development and engineering projects completed annually, Unogen is progressively delivering comprehensive solutions based on next-generation immune molecules to the industry.

Huimei Capital is a specialized fund focused on healthcare investments. Leveraging the ecosystem advantages of Huimei Medical Group, it invests in the healthcare ecosystem through multi-dimensional and holistic approaches, striving to build a professional investment platform with international vision and local execution capabilities, helping early-stage and growth-stage healthcare companies grow rapidly. By working closely with innovative healthcare companies in rapid growth, it provides comprehensive strategic value-added services and systematic empowerment from a global perspective, sharing Huimei Capital's global business network and resource system with outstanding entrepreneurs.

VCBeat, founded in 2014, is a novel industry service organization that leverages data as its foundation, research as its core, and brand media as its connector to facilitate the precise aggregation of industry resources and accelerate the growth of industry innovators. It provides services such as brand communication, research consulting, data monitoring, and resource/project matchmaking for enterprises, government industrial parks, investment institutions, and other stakeholders across the industry chain.

VB Think Tank is one of VCBeat’s flagship events, serving as a face-to-face platform centered on exploring solutions in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, with the mission to “focus on practical challenges and discuss industry trends.” The event conducts in-depth discussions, analyses, and exchanges on the current state of development around core themes, addressing encountered difficulties, pain points, and barriers. Meanwhile, it gains a thorough understanding of the resource endowments of participating enterprises, fostering practical collaborations through intellectual exchange. “Each edition features one theme, one vehicle, and one ecosystem.”