AstraZeneca’s chief executive returned from a recent trip to China exuberant about an “explosion” of biotech companies in the country and the potential for his business to deliver drugs discovered there to the world.
Pascal Soriot said the market was “completely open” for pharma investment. “It’s hard to not be impressed by the progress that has been made in China over the last few years,” he added on a press call in April.
While the G7 has warned of the threat of “economic coercion” from China and the US is scrutinising Chinese investment in its biotech sector, AstraZeneca is focused on capitalising on its position in China as the largest overseas pharmaceutical company by sales.