Does the US have what it takes to stay ahead of China in medical advancement?

The race to lead the world in biomedical innovation is now a toe-to-toe clash between two finalists. 

The U.S. owns the lead in the critical categories of scientific quality and commercial know-how. However, Chinese development is faster, bigger and cheaper—and gaining on us. 

Which nation will ultimately prevail? 

All bets are off, suggest researchers at NYC-based Cure, which supports member healthcare entrepreneurs with various labs, programs and educational offerings.

Cure arrived at its findings after surveying 61 industry leaders and 54 academic researchers.

In a June 22 release of the results, the company reports: 

• 85% of respondents believe the U.S. will lose its lead in 10 years or less.  
   
• 76% expect more R&D to shift outside the U.S. if current trends continue.
   
• 74% see declining U.S. federal research funding as the top threat to U.S. biomedical leadership (rather than any single Chinese competitive move).
   
• 72% think China’s biomedical sector is improving faster than the U.S.’s. 
   
• 62% rate China a significant or existential competitive threat.

China gaining ground, but U.S. still capable  

Commenting on the market research, Cure CEO Seema Kumar says America’s challenge is “no longer discovery alone.” 

“The emerging battleground is translation, the speed and efficiency with which scientific breakthroughs move from the laboratory into development, commercialization and patient impact,” she explains. 

For the U.S. to sustain its edge over China, it will need to “fix the translational bottlenecks,” Kumar adds. 

This will require renewed funding, especially for early translational work, along with modernized clinical trial infrastructure and stronger bridges between academic research and industry, she says. 

China: the ‘UFC’ of drug discovery 

The same report promotion quotes Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, chief executive of Insilico Medicine. 

“When it comes to saving lives and curing diseases, there should be no competition, only cooperation,” Zhavoronkov says. “But if you want to compete with China, it is important to set up local presence and compete with China in China.”

Zhavoronkov has more to say. 

“China is the world’s UFC (Ultimate Fight Club) of drug discovery,” he quips. It’s “the ultimate gym where every dollar, every month, every quality metric counts and is used for competitive advantage. If you can win in China, you can win everywhere in the world—and you can really win against diseases.”

The Cure report is available in exchange for contact information.