In a little more than a month, 17 big biopharma companies will be subject to U.S. President Donald Trump’s long-promised section 232 global biopharma sector tariff. But instead of paying the 100% duty on imported patented drugs and their key ingredients, most of those companies, if not all, will pay much reduced rates or no tariff at all, based on where the imports are coming from, what type of drug is being imported, and whether the companies have signed onshoring and most-favored-nation pricing agreements with the administration.

Biopharma deal value through the first five months of 2026 reached $135.36 billion, outpacing every prior year and topping 2025’s previous high of $103.92 billion. May was the year’s biggest month so far at $41.78 billion in transactions, making it one of the strongest individual months on record, and far outpacing April’s $13.87 billion.

Biopharma deal value through the first five months of 2026 reached $135.36 billion, outpacing every prior year and topping 2025’s previous high of $103.92 billion. May was the year’s biggest month so far at $41.78 billion in transactions, making it one of the strongest individual months on record, and far outpacing April’s $13.87 billion. May 2026 comes in third in recent years in terms of deal value, after October 2023’s $44.91 billion and December 2022’s $42.45 billion.

The biotech industry delivered another year of strong headline performance in 2025, yet beneath the surface, a growing divide between the industry’s haves and have-nots is reshaping every dimension of how companies raise money, build pipelines and navigate an increasingly volatile policy environment. That is the message of the EY Biotech Beyond Borders Report 2026, an annual industry analysis produced by EY Insights that framed the sector’s defining challenge in a single question: “How can biopharma keep its balance?”

Total biopharma financing through the first five months of 2026 reached $49.46 billion, the third-highest total for the period in the dataset and more than doubling of 2025’s $21.4 billion over the same stretch.

If the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago from May 30 to June 3 demonstrated anything about the evolution of China’s biotechnology sector, it was that the industry’s center of gravity is shifting. While Chinese companies once relied heavily on PD-1 antibodies and licensing deals to gain international visibility, this year’s oral presentations showcased a broader innovation base.

The recent introduction of the bipartisan Biotech Investment National Security Act in the U.S. House has industry and venture capitalists urging lawmakers to take a breath, step back, and consider a less invasive approach than restricting U.S. biopharma deals with Chinese innovators.

Total med-tech financing through the first five months of 2026 reached $11.01 billion, falling between 2024’s $12.76 billion and 2023’s $8.95 billion over the same period, and trailing 2025’s $14.83 billion.