As the birthplace of China's modern biomedical industry, Shanghai has brought together world-leading biomedical enterprises, ranking first in the country in sci-tech innovation in biomedicine.

Achievements in 2025

​Industry Support

Enhancing Enterprises' Global Competitiveness

• Supporting enterprises in strengthening forward-looking investments in international frontier fields and emerging segments such as synthetic biology, cell and gene therapy, nucleic acid drugs, brain-computer interfaces, and AI-enabled pharmaceuticals;
• By 2027, exports of pharmaceuticals and medical devices will exceed 50 billion yuan ($7.46 billion), and two to three enterprises will each generate more than 10 billion yuan in overseas market sales.

Continuous Clinical Resource Support

• 6 national clinical medical research centers, 27 municipal clinical medical research centers, 117 national key clinical specialties, and 158 municipal key clinical specialties have been established, with a total of 655 new technologies implemented;
• 33 municipal hospital research wards have been established in two batches, which conducted 1,617 drug clinical trial projects in 2025.

Diverse Factors Support for Development

• Shanghai is home to 1/5 of China's high-level biomedical talent and 1/4 of the nation's biomedical industry talent;
• There are over 500 business incubators, including 49 national-level ones;
• 22 detailed measures have been introduced to further improve the regulatory system, mechanisms and approaches for pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Highlight Elements

Industry Associations: Shanghai Biopharmaceuticals Industry Association (SBIA), Shanghai Medical Instrument Trade Association (SMI), etc.

Conventions & Exhibitions: International Biopharma Industry Week Shanghai, BioShanghai Zheng Xiang Hui Seminars, etc.

Industry Platforms: Shanghai Functional Platform for Biomedical R&D and Innovative Translation (SFPBRIT), Shanghai Center of Biomedicine Development (SCBD), Municipal Hospital-Industry Collaborative Innovation Platform – Clinical Trial Accelerator, Synlinx Brain-Computer Interface Incubator, etc.

Industry Policies

 I. Several Opinions on Supporting the Innovation and Development of the Entire Biomedical Industry Chain

II. Detailed Rules of Shanghai Municipality for Promoting the Transformation of Sci-Tech Achievements in Medical and Health Institutions

III. Action Plan of Shanghai Municipality on Promoting the Full-chain Development of the High-end Medical Device Industry

• Encouraging the development of high-end AI medical devices and advanced rehabilitation therapy products;
• Supporting enterprises that have obtained registration certificates for imported or homegrown medical devices to produce Class II and Class III medical devices in Shanghai.

Exemplary Case

In September 2025, Daiichi Sankyo broke ground on a new facility to produce antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) in Shanghai. The facility, one of China's first national pilot programs for cross-border segmented production of biological products, focuses on high-value-added production stages in Pudong, serving as both a model for synergies between government policies and corporate strategies, and a reference for institutional opening-up in the biomedical industry.

Industry Map

During the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Shanghai will accelerate the development of a world-class biomedical industry cluster mainly in Pudong, Minhang, and Jiading.

​"1 + 5 + X": Spatial Layout of the Biomedical Industry in Shanghai

"1" Core

Zhangjiang Core Zone for Leading Biomedical Innovation

Areas of focus: Small-molecule drugs, cell therapy, antibody drugs, minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery, etc.

"5" Specialized Industry Zones

• Pilot Demonstration Zone for Precision Medicine in the Lin-gang Special Area
• Integrated Development Area for Life Science and Healthcare in Oriental Beauty
• Golden Coast Green Zone for Modern Pharmaceuticals
• North Shanghai High-end Biomedical Manufacturing Cluster
• South Hongqiao Pilot Zone for Smart Healthcare Innovation

"X" Specialized Industry Carriers

G60 Biomedical Industry Base, Qingpu Life Science Park, Circum-Tongji Medical College Base for Life Science and Healthcare, etc.

Source: 2026 Shanghai Foreign Investment Guide