The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant reduction in the export of laboratory monkeys from China, causing a dramatic increase in the costs associated with drug development in the United States. According to a Nikkei report citing research from Evercore ISI, the price for lab-tested monkey species has escalated to around USD 55,000-USD 60,000 by April of this year, up from USD 35,000-USD 40,000 in January 2023, and a pre-pandemic range of USD 4,000-USD 7,000, marking a staggering 15-fold increase.
China’s Role in the Global Lab Monkey Supply and US Dependency
China stands as one of the world’s most important sources of laboratory monkeys, but the COVID-19 pandemic has restricted exports. In 2019, the US relied on China for 60% of the over 20,000 monkeys imported to the country. However, by 2020, import numbers plummeted to 3,723 as export restrictions took effect. The US sought to source monkeys from Cambodia, but a ban on imports was imposed in November 2022 after the discovery that wild-born monkeys were being exported.
The Necessity of Captive-Bred Lab Monkeys and Their Impact on Drug Development
Lab monkeys must be raised in captivity to ensure they are free from natural diseases, making them an essential component of drug development. All drugs must undergo animal testing before they can proceed to human trials, as mandated by the US FDA. The source warns that if new sources of lab monkeys are not identified, the pace of drug development in the US may begin to falter from June this year.-Fineline Info & Tech
