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Jun 23, 20261
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China's Drug Clinical Trials Surpass 5,000 for First Time in 2025
China's drug clinical trials reached a historic milestone in 2025 with 5,215 registrations, the first time surpassing 5,000 annually. Class 1 innovative drugs comprised 72% of trials with nearly 38% focused on anti-tumor treatments, while Phase I trials in China ranked first globally.
Quick Facts
Who
National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)
What
Drug clinical trial registrations exceeded 5,000 for the first time
When
2025 (annual total)
Where
China
- Drug clinical trial registrations exceeded 5,000 for the first time
- Class 1 innovative drugs comprised 72% of trials
- Anti-tumor treatments represented nearly 38% of Class 1 drug trials
- Phase I clinical trials in China ranked first globally
- Average time to enroll first subject shortened by 4 months
China's drug clinical trial registrations reached a historic milestone in 2025, with 5,215 trials recorded on the Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Disclosure Platform—the first time the nation has surpassed 5,000 trials annually. This represents a 6.4% increase from 2024 and marks a doubling from 2020, demonstrating sustained growth over three consecutive years. The milestone was announced by the Center for Drug Evaluation under the National Medical Products Administration on June 22, 2026.
The clinical trials comprised two major categories: new drug clinical trials (2,997 trials, 57.5% of total) and bioequivalence tests (2,218 trials, 42.5% of total). Class 1 innovative drugs—defined as first-in-class global pharmaceuticals never approved for marketing domestically or internationally—accounted for 72% of registrations, totaling 2,171 trials. Nearly 38% of these Class 1 drug trials focused on anti-tumor treatments, reflecting significant research investment in oncology.
The data reveals China's growing capacity for original pharmaceutical innovation. Almost 43% of Class 1 drug trials were Phase I trials, covering novel therapeutic targets and innovative modalities including cell therapy and gene therapy. Notably, the number of Phase I clinical trials in China surpassed that in the United States in 2025 to rank first globally, according to Li Ning, chief physician at the clinical trial center of the National Cancer Center of China.
The government has accelerated new drug development across the entire clinical trial pipeline. The average time between obtaining clinical trial approval and enrolling the first subject was shortened by four months in 2025 compared to 2024. Additionally, approximately 74% of projects secured written informed consent from their first enrolled subjects within six months of receiving approval, up from 66% in 2024.
Multi-regional clinical trials have also expanded significantly. Nearly 14% of 2025 registrations were for multi-regional tests, spanning more than 70 countries and regions. The United States hosted the largest number of overseas trial sites at over 22% of the total, followed by Japan, Germany, Spain, and Italy. These efforts reflect China's strategy to accelerate new drug approvals and enable innovative treatments to reach patients more rapidly while strengthening the nation's position in global pharmaceutical research.
Why This Matters
China's surge in drug clinical trials—particularly the dominance of Class 1 innovative drugs and the global leadership in Phase I trials—signals accelerating domestic pharmaceutical innovation and faster pathways to novel treatments. For patients and healthcare stakeholders, this expansion directly translates to quicker access to cutting-edge therapies, especially in oncology. For investors and industry observers, it demonstrates China's strengthening position in global pharmaceutical R&D and competitive capacity in innovative drug development.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2020
WireChina recorded approximately 2,600 drug clinical trials
Jan 1, 2023
WireDrug clinical trial registrations first exceeded 4,000 mark, reaching 4,300 trials
Jan 1, 2024
WireDrug clinical trial registrations reached 4,900 trials, up 13.9% year-over-year
Jan 1, 2025
WireDrug clinical trial registrations reached 5,215 trials, surpassing 5,000 for the first time
Jun 22, 2026
WireCenter for Drug Evaluation releases 2025 Annual Report on China's New Drug Registration Clinical Trial Progress