Authoritative Ranking Released: Chia Tai Tianqing Retains Top Tier in China's Pharmaceutical R&D Power for 11th Consecutive Year

SHANGHAI — In the latest ranking of China's pharmaceutical R&D power, one name keeps appearing at the top: Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.

The flagship subsidiary of China Grand Pharmaceutical (1177.HK) has secured a spot among the country's elite drug developers for the 11th consecutive year, according to the 2026 Drug R&D Capability Rankings released at the 11th PDI Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation Conference. The company also placed highly in both the Chemical Drug R&D and Biologic Drug R&D sub-rankings.

The sustained showing underscores Chia Tai Tianqing's transformation from a traditional generics maker into one of China's most prolific innovators — a shift backed by numbers that would turn heads on Wall Street.

An R&D War Chest

During China's 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), the company poured more than RMB 18 billion (approximately USD 2.5 billion) into research and development. In 2025 alone, R&D spending exceeded RMB 4.6 billion (approximately USD 630 million), representing more than 23% of total revenue — a ratio that places it among the most research-intensive pharmaceutical companies in Asia.

That investment is now translating into a diversified pipeline spanning oncology, liver disease and cardiovascular-metabolic disorders, respiratory and autoimmune conditions, and surgery and pain management.

A Wave of Firsts

Since the start of 2025, Chia Tai Tianqing has brought multiple innovative products to market — several of them global firsts:

• Rovalcitinib tablets (Anxu®): A first-in-class dual JAK/ROCK inhibitor offering a new treatment option for patients with intermediate- to high-risk myelofibrosis.
• Cumoxili capsules (Saitanxin®): The world's first CDK2/4/6 inhibitor, now approved for both first- and second-line treatment of advanced breast cancer.
• Zongaitinib tablets (Shenghetu®): The first oral targeted therapy anywhere for HER2-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
• Recombinant human coagulation factor VIIa N01 injection (Anqixin®): China's first domestically developed recombinant factor VIIa, enabling high-quality import substitution for bleeding disorders.
• Naldemedine tosylate tablets (Xinpuluo®): The world's first oral selective peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, addressing opioid-induced constipation at its source.
• Pelaganan spray (Puyike®): A first-in-class ganan-class anti-infection agent for secondary wound infections in burns and scalds.

Meanwhile, the company's oncology flagship — anlotinib capsules (Fukewei®) combined with benmelsudimab injection (Andewei®) or penpulimab injection (Anniike®) — added three new first-line indications in 2025, reinforcing its position as a cornerstone of China's anti-cancer arsenal.

Pipeline on the Doorstep

Three additional new drug applications have been accepted by China's Center for Drug Evaluation:

• Bepirovirsen, a first-in-class drug developed in exclusive partnership with GlaxoSmithKline for chronic hepatitis B;
• CLDN18.2 ADC (vitricovab conjugate), developed by Liming BioPharma and filed by Shanghai Chia Tai Tianqing, targeting solid tumors;
• M701, China's first CD3/EpCAM bispecific antibody, for patients with urgent unmet needs.

From Lab Bench to Global Stage

Behind the pipeline sits a full-chain technology platform — from AI-assisted drug discovery to industrial-scale manufacturing. The company has built capabilities across small molecules, biologics, advanced formulations, oral PROTAC, siRNA, antibody-drug conjugates, inhalation and transdermal delivery systems.

Internationally, Chia Tai Tianqing has deepened partnerships with Boehringer Ingelheim and Shionogi in 2025, while its exclusive licensing deal with Sanofi for rovacitinib signals growing confidence from global pharma in the company's homegrown innovation.

For a company that started as a generics manufacturer in eastern China's Jiangsu province, the trajectory is clear: Chia Tai Tianqing is no longer just keeping up with China's pharmaceutical revolution — it is helping to lead it.