Biotech breakthroughs showcase China's AI dominance

China is emerging as one of the strongest drivers of artificial intelligence's shift from concept to clinical testing in the field of life sciences. From the discovery of novel drug candidates, to the delivery of advanced genetic therapies, enterprises have shown AI's potential in generating breakthroughs that may reshape the global pharmaceutical landscape.

This momentum was highlighted in the MIT Technology Review's 2025 "50 Smartest Companies" list, known as the TR50, released in September, where life sciences ranked among the top four sectors.

The Beijing-based biotech company, METiS TechBio, debuted on TR50 this year, reflecting the promise of its NanoForge platform, which uses AI to design lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that can precisely carry RNA and gene-editing therapies to targeted organs.

The results are striking. METiS reported liver-targeting LNPs that exceeded existing clinical benchmarks and entered human trials. The company also tested lung-targeting systems that delivered mRNA into alveolar cells in primates, and first-in-class LNPs for heart and skeletal muscle tissue, which could enable new treatments for genetic cardiac disorders and muscular dystrophy.

"Delivery is the rocket of modern biotech. We're building the rockets that will carry tomorrow's therapeutic satellites," Chris Lai, co-founder and CEO of METiS TechBio, said, noting that rising investor confidence is fueling stronger collaboration between Chinese and global firms.

These advancements reflect the growth of China's innovation ecosystem. According to Stanford University's AI Index Report 2024, China accounted for 61.1 percent of global AI patent filings in 2022, far ahead of the United States at 20.9 percent. Analysts point to a decade of investment in AI talent, biomedical research, and supportive policy as the foundation for this new phase of growth.

Experts see this as part of a broader shift toward collaboration.

"With the rapid development of AI, we have seen an increasing number of pharmaceutical multinational corporations working with emerging biopharmaceutical companies in China in early drug development, as well as diagnosis and treatment", Wang Hongwei, professor at the School of Life Sciences and vice-president of Tsinghua University, told China Daily. "This kind of collaboration has already been formed as an innovative ecosystem in China."