by Annabelle Kay
Asia’s pharmaceutical sector is undergoing a rapid transformation, with structure-based drug design (SBDD) emerging as a catalyst for the region’s shift from manufacturing powerhouse to innovation leader. This evolution is redefining global drug discovery as Asian nations harness advanced computational chemistry, world-class structural biology talent, and strong government investment to challenge long-established pharmaceutical hubs.
The rapid expansion of SBDD across Asia has been driven by several converging forces. Countries including China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore have invested heavily in computational infrastructure, molecular dynamics simulation facilities, and structural biology research centres. Over the past decade, China alone has launched more than 30 national drug discovery centres equipped with advanced X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and NMR spectroscopy platforms.
A steady “reverse brain drain” is seeing PhD-level scientists return to Asia after training at top Western research institutes, bringing with them new expertise with AI in drug discovery, advanced SBDD workflows, and international best practices. These developments have created a thriving ecosystem where computational chemists, medicinal chemists, and protein structure specialists collaborate seamlessly, accelerating the pace of ligand-based drug design and other advanced methodologies.
At DesertSci, we’ve seen firsthand how integrated platforms like Proasis enable cross-team collaboration and accelerate structure-based drug discovery workflows, helping teams translate structural insights into therapeutic candidates more efficiently.
China’s pharmaceutical sector has evolved beyond generic manufacturing into a leader in AI-enabled drug discovery. Companies like BeiGene, Innovent Biologics, and CStone Pharmaceuticals are now developing global-first drug candidates using structure-based and fragment-based drug discovery approaches.
Government commitment is strong. The National Drug Innovation Program has allocated more than USD $15 billion to innovative drug development, funding world-class facilities such as the synchrotron light sources in Shanghai and Beijing — critical for high-resolution protein-ligand docking and structure-based ligand design.
Outside of China, there are specific strengths and areas of expertise in different Asian countries.
Asian SBDD companies are not just following Western templates — they’re redefining them. Chinese firms are combining traditional Chinese medicine databases with structure-based virtual screening to identify novel leads. Taiwan’s expertise in gromacs molecular dynamics and semiconductor technology has enabled faster, more accurate steered MD simulations and protein structure analysis. Region-wide, proprietary AI and deep learning algorithms are being developed to predict protein-ligand interactions with unprecedented accuracy, streamlining drug discovery using AI and reducing lead optimisation timeframes.
Analysts project that by 2030, Asia will represent more than 40% of global SBDD activity, up from less than 15% a decade ago. This rise will address regional disease burdens — from specific cancer subtypes to infectious diseases overlooked by Western pipelines — while increasing global competition and accelerating new drug development timelines.
As Asia strengthens its position, the global pharmaceutical landscape is becoming truly multipolar, with innovation occurring across multiple continents, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide through increased competition, diverse approaches, and accelerated drug discovery timelines.
Discover how DesertSci’s Proasis platform can streamline your structure-based drug discovery workflow and help your team unlock insights faster.
Annabelle Kay, Director at DesertSci – connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more.
