In the dynamic landscape of the pharmaceutical industry, collaboration often serves as the key to innovation and expanding market presence. In recent years, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market has emerged as a hub for pharmaceutical development and investment, attracting attention from both local and global players. While cooperation between APAC-based pharmaceutical companies and their global counterparts has been on the rise, active cooperation among pharma companies within the APAC region is gaining traction, observes GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center, from 2019 to 2023, 673 deals (strategic alliances) occurred among companies that are purely based in APAC, with 360 deals* of them being for unique therapy areas. It is interesting to note that 44% of these deals* are for oncology, followed by infectious diseases (20%), central nervous system disorders (12%), cardiovascular disorders (4%), and ophthalmology (4%). The infectious disease space has gained traction in this cycle due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jithendra Kancharla, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “APAC is home to 60% of the world’s population, which makes it a demographic powerhouse. The region has emerged as a beacon of innovation, drawing the attention of global pharmaceutical giants. In a region where the need for healthcare solutions is ever-growing, collaborations play a pivotal role in addressing the growing need for necessary therapies.”

Notable partnerships that happened between APAC-based pharma companies are Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. And CS Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in January 2023 for the development and marketing of Bersiporocin; Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. And HK Inno.N. Corp. in May 2022 for the marketing of Tegoprazan in India and other emerging markets in APAC; Huadong Medicine Co. Ltd. And Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. In October 2021 for the commercialization of Alogliptin in China; and an agreement between Yuhan Corp. and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd in January 2019 to commercialize Ryaltris in South Korea.

Kancharla adds: “Of the 360 deals for unique therapy areas, 69 deals** are solely concerned with pipeline molecules, while 32 deals** are all about marketed drugs. In terms of deals involving molecules in pipeline (phases II, III, and pre-registration), China leads the major markets in APAC with 60%, followed by Japan (25%) and South Korea (16%). Conversely, with 43% of the deals** involving marketed drugs, South Korea is at the top, followed by China (26%), India (24%), and Japan (17%).”

Kancharla concludes: “Cooperation within the region is being impacted by elements like competitive marketplaces, regulatory complexities, and future growth. As the APAC pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, alliances will remain a cornerstone to address unmet medical needs and create sustainable value for stakeholders. By capitalizing on each other’s strengths and resources, these partnerships hold the potential to spur innovation, expand market access, and drive a positive change in the healthcare landscape of this region.”

* Excluded deals with multiple therapy areas

** Excluded overlapping deals with both marketing and pipeline molecules