ChinaBio Partnering Forum 2026

Keynote | Global Innovation Strategy in China & APAC – From “Invest to Build" to “Invest to Partner”

Plenary Sessions Pudong Ballroom 1-3

Tuesday, 28 April 2026, 09:00 - 10:00

As China and the wider APAC ecosystem matures, global pharma is shifting its innovation strategy, from building internal R&D centres to partnering with local biotechs, biopharmas, and incubators. This keynote panel brings together senior BD and innovation leaders to discuss how China fits into a broader APAC strategy (including Japan, Korea, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan), how the “invest to partner” model is changing their footprint, and what capabilities they now look for on the ground.

• How are global pharma leaders reshaping their innovation models in Asia-Pacific, moving from “invest to build” towards “invest to partner”?
• How does China fit into a wider APAC portfolio when prioritising partnerships and capital allocation?
• What capabilities and behaviours distinguish the partners of choice today, across biotechs, biopharmas, and incubators, in China and APAC?

Moderator:

• Helen Chen - Global Sector Co-Head, Healthcare & Life Sciences, L.E.K. Consulting

Panelists:

• Chuan Sun - Managing Partner at Shanghai and Hong Kong, Morrison Foerster
• Stacy Feld - Global Head, External Scientific Innovation, Johnson & Johnson
• Deborah Baron - Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business Development, Pfizer
• Matthias Müllenbeck - SVP, Head Global Business Development & Alliance Management, Merck KGaA
• Frédéric Scaerou - Head of Global Business Development, Servier
• Kevin Chen - Founding Partner & CEO, BioTrack Capital

Panel Discussion | Beyond the Buzz: AI in Biotech - Transformative or Incremental?

Plenary Sessions Pudong Ballroom 1-3

Tuesday, 28 April 2026, 13:30 - 14:00

AI has become a constant talking point in biopharma, but is it truly transformative yet or still evolutionary? This session brings together innovators using AI across discovery, development, and clinical stages to debate its real-world impact and what’s next as geopolitical restrictions tighten around AI technologies.

• Is AI genuinely accelerating drug discovery and development, or is it still in an early adoption phase?
• How might U.S./China technology tensions around AI hardware and data affect biotech innovation?
• Which areas of drug development will see the next meaningful AI breakthroughs?
• How can investors and R&D leaders separate hype from scalable reality?

Moderator:

• Tam C. Nguyen - Director of Research & Innovation / IC Member, Monash Health / Horizon 3 Healthcare

Panelists:

• Janet Xiao - Partner, Morrison Foerster
• Feng Ren - Co-CEO & CSO, Insilico Medicine Ltd
• Gil Zhang - Head of AI & Data Compliance Group, Fangda Partners

Panel Discussion | Capital Flows in Flux: Navigating Investment Trends in 2026 and Beyond

Plenary Sessions Pudong Ballroom 1-3

Tuesday, 28 April 2026, 14:00 - 15:00

Global market volatility has reshaped the biotech financing landscape. This panel brings together leading VCs, strategic investors, and biotech CEOs to explore where capital is flowing, which models are gaining traction, and how to tell a global story that resonates with investors, including emerging non-IPO routes and asset-based financing models.

• Are IPO windows opening or closing for Chinese biotechs, both onshore and offshore?
• Beyond classic venture and public markets, where are alternative funding opportunities emerging (royalty financings, project finance, revenue-sharing, etc.)?
• How might early tokenization / “real world asset” pilots and other digital structures eventually fit into the financing toolkit?
• What makes a biotech story resonate with investors today and how should you demonstrate resilience and global relevance?

Moderator:

• Irene Hong - Founding Partner, CEC Capital

Panelists:

• Xiaoxi Lin - Partner, Morrison Foerster
• Matthieu Coutet - Partner, Sofinnova
• Linda Zhang - Partner, Innokylin Capital
• Dandan Ye - Executive Director, Head of Life Science & Healthcare, Shanghai Innovation Bank
• Tavo Espinoza - CFO, Ligand
• Mia Hu - Senior Director, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund