Multiple factors were behind Merck & Co’s rise to ace AstraZeneca and others to become the leading pharma multinational in the world’s second-largest pharma market in 2023, including partnerships and competition and a strong position in the growing HPV vaccine sector.

As the rollout of volume-based procurement to more products brings more pain, drug makers are exploring different China strategies. One indicator, though, is clear - local innovation and distribution can’t be ignored anymore.

Plus deals involving Lipocine/Verity, Vivtex/AI Proteins, Windtree/Lee’s Pharmaceutical, Biogen/Ji Xing, Sermonix/Henlius and news from the world of technology transfer.

Although the domestic developer did not provide sales figures for 2023, a new homegrown shingles vaccine in China is poised to eat into the market share of GSK’s Shingrix in the country.