By Fineline Cube Cynomolgus monkeys, or macaques, used in laboratory experiments have seen their value skyrocket due to China’s booming biologic drug development sector. A recent report indicates that early-stage biotechs are facing rapidly increasing research costs, partly due to the rising cost of monkeys, which have surged from RMB 13,800 (USD 1,936) per animal in 2017 to over RMB 150,000 (USD 22,341) currently.
Demand Drivers in Biologic Drug Development
The increasing cost reflects growing demand from biologic drug developers and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) who prefer primate models over rodents for pre-clinical testing due to their closer physiological similarity to humans. China’s rapid COVID-19 vaccine development has further increased demand. Import restrictions on biological materials and the naturally low reproductive rate of macaques have limited the population pool available for the market.
Preclinical Testing and CRO Advantages
Approximately 70-80% of biological drugs in China are tested on laboratory monkeys in preclinical trials, which can require up to 60 monkeys per trial—around 40 for toxicology and 20 for drug metabolism experiments. Large CROs like WuXi AppTec and Pharmaron have gained advantages by securing monkey supplies through acquisitions, such as WuXi’s 2019 purchase of Suzhou Kanglu Biotechnology Co., Ltd., helping control costs for clients.
Market Growth for Animal Models
The market for genetically modified animal models is expected to grow significantly with China’s rising biotech sector. Valued at USD 582 million in 2016, it grew to USD 799 million in 2020 and is forecast to reach USD 1.21 billion by 2025.-Fineline Info & Tech