The Asia Factor

In this whitepaper, you’ll discover China and Japan are combining to invigorate the deal making landscape in Asia, even though their biopharma ecosystem dynamics are markedly different. Regardless, they are affecting deal making strategies globally.

These biopharma sectors are intensfying, and together they are increasing a source of capital and assets for Western companies. The inverse is also true and equally important: Chinese and Japanese biopharma companies, large and small, are more willing than ever to look West for opportunities to in-license assets for their domestic markets, particularly in China, where the domestic market is potentially colosal, and a host of well-capitalized new biopharma companies are jockeying for position.

Tapping into these markets can no longer be an afterthought for US and European biotech companies, which in the past may have jettisoned Japanese or Chinese rights to an asset as part of a global alliance. Partnerships with Asia-based companies, whether in-licensing or out-licensing, are an integral and growing source of capital that biotechs can use to de-risk assets in their key geographic markets of the US and Western Europe.

Yes, the U.S. continues to dominate the biotech sector and is likely to do so for years to come, but the Asia Factor is real, strengthening, and not to be ignored.

About the authors:
Hayato Watanabe is the Senior Vice President, Head of Asia, Koji Hirabata is an Associate, and Stefanie Gan is an Analyst each operating out of Locust Walk’s Japan office.