New to Chivanta? Start Here

I'm ShaoChi Cheng. I write about how biopharma research and products find their customers and markets. You don't need to start with the latest post or read everything. Pick the question you most want answered right now.

Pick a reading path

Three articles per path. Read them in order.

Path A

I want to understand biopharma BD, or move into it

What BD people actually do, and whether your background can carry over.

What does BD actually do? Five types of BD workSee the whole job first
A reader's letter: what pharma BD is really likeExpectations vs. the real work
What a Korean dinner taught me about BDDeals move outside meeting rooms too

Read the first one Full BD series →

Path B

I'm developing CDMO clients

Finding clients, asking the right questions, and reading cost and timelines.

A CDMO BD's honest take on finding clientsJudgment and reality in client development
Why does GMP manufacturing take 6+ months?Lead time is more than production days
How to profit from "unprofitable" ordersUnderstanding cost allocation

Start with client development Full CDMO series →

Path C

I need to judge whether a product and market are worth it

Not just the biggest market: entry conditions and what your company can deliver.

Don't waste your bullets: assess before you actBuild an assessment discipline
Which overseas market should a generic enter first?A concrete selection case
Big markets don't guarantee survivalCan your operating model carry it?

Start with market assessment Full decisions series →

Path D

I want to understand the business outlook for cell therapy

Beyond efficacy: how manufacturing, hospitals, and payment shape adoption.

CAR-T Commercialization MapStart with the big picture
Why didn't a revolutionary therapy become a big business right away?The core question
In vivo CAR-T: holy grail or high-stakes bet?The next route

Open the map Technology routes →

Only have time for one?

New to BD

Five types of BD work

What BD really looks like, through five kinds of work to disclose BD.

CDMO in practice

Take a look on CDMO business development

Judgment and reality from the front line of business development in CDMO.

Business assessment for technology

CAR-T Commercialization Map

How manufacturing, hospitals, and payment decide whether a therapy reaches patients.

ShaoChi Cheng

Who writes this

I've worked across research, project management, and business development, and I've seen great technology struggle to become a business. Chivanta is where I organize those experiences, questions, and decision frameworks.

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