China’s biotech boom sends price of lab monkeys for drug tests climbing

South China Morning PostEN 2 min read 100% complete by Julie ZhangFebruary 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

The rising demand for drug testing in China has significantly increased the price of laboratory monkeys. Currently, a lab monkey costs around 140,000 yuan (US$20,260), doubling in price over the last five years. This surge is attributed to increased drug-licensing deals between Chinese biotech firms and global pharmaceutical companies, along with a revival in pharmaceutical fundraising, pushing more drugs into early-stage testing. Government procurement records and public tenders, such as one from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, confirm the high prices. Analysts at Jefferies suggest that increased biotech funding, spurred by US rate cuts, is driving more projects into early stages, thus increasing the need for safety assessments using monkeys.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 40% Jefferies 50% Cui Cui 60% Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica 70% National Institutes for Food and Drug Control 70% China ×390%

Keywords

lab monkeys 100% drug research 80% biotech boom 70% drug tests 70% preclinical stage 60% pharmaceutical 60% drug-licensing deals 50% china 50% cynomolgus macaques 40%