On September 4, Wu Xiaoying, Managing Partner of Consulting Services at EY Greater China, highlighted that the current CRO (Contract Research Organization) industry is showing positive signs, with notable improvements in both new and backlog orders. Some preclinical CRO companies experienced significant year-on-year growth in new orders during the first half of the year. In the clinical CRO sector, the number of new projects and new order prices have also begun to rebound, indicating a substantial recovery in demand.

Wu Xiaoying stated that if R&D investment in innovative drugs remains robust, the CRO industry is expected to transition from order recovery to profitability recovery this year, though the pace of recovery will vary across different business segments. She further emphasized that AI will increasingly differentiate CRO companies in the future. AI will shift clients' focus toward the actual performance of CRO firms, particularly in the drug discovery phase. As AI accelerates the generation and screening of candidate molecules, the efficiency of experimental validation and decision-making will become critical. Companies that can swiftly help clients eliminate ineffective approaches and advance promising molecules are more likely to secure high-value projects.