US lawmakers John Moolenaar and Debbie Dingell proposed the Biotech Investment National Security Act to impose Treasury reviews on US–China pharma licensing, equity, and joint ventures. The bill specifically targets Pfizer’s $10.5 billion cancer licensing agreement with Innovent Biologics, potentially halting new cross-border investments or partnerships.
The Biotech Investment National Security Act (BINSA) was proposed to amend the 2025 COINS Act, empowering the Treasury Department to oversee and restrict US biotech and pharma investments in Chinese entities, including licensing agreements, equity stakes, and joint ventures.
The act specifically singles out Pfizer’s $10.5 billion cancer licensing agreement with Innovent Biologics and Bristol Myers Squibb’s up to $15.2 billion Hengrui deal, labeling such cross-border partnerships as potential threats to domestic pharmaceutical production.
Under BINSA, the Treasury would review any outbound technology licensing, intellectual property transfers, equity investments, and joint venture proposals, with the authority to block or impose conditions on transactions deemed contrary to US research and innovation interests.
Cross-border licensing between US and Chinese biotechs reached $136 billion in 2025, driven by a looming patent cliff expected to cost the US market over $230 billion between 2025 and 2030, heightening lawmakers’ urgency to safeguard domestic drug pipelines.
Globenewswire
