If someone says that nowadays monkeys have become a part of a business worth crores of rupees in China, then perhaps it would be difficult to believe. But this is the reality. In China, the demand for macaque monkeys used in labs has increased so rapidly that their price has reached near the record level during the Covid period. In some cases, the price of a healthy and research-ready monkey is said to be up to 2 lakh yuan (about Rs 24-30 lakh). The biggest reason for this is China’s rapidly growing pharmaceutical and biotech industry. In fact, China is no longer just the world’s factory. It is also giving a tough challenge to America in the global race to develop new medicines and biological medicines. For this reason, the demand for monkeys used in research labs has suddenly increased. Let us tell you about these monkeys in detail.
First of all you should know what is it about these monkeys that they are in such high demand in the market. Any new medicine has to go through many stages before bringing it to the market. First tests are done in the lab, then pre-clinical trials on animals and then clinical trials on humans start. The DNA and biological reactions of the body of the rhesus and cynomolgus macaque monkeys most commonly used in research are very similar to those of humans. Therefore, they are used to assess the safety and effectiveness of new medicines related to cancer, obesity, diabetes, neurological and immune systems. However, monkeys are not necessary for every new medicine. Many drugs are also tested only on rats or other animal models. But there is still a need for primates in complex biological drugs and antibody-based treatments.
Why did drug research increase in China?
In the last few years, China has invested heavily in the biotech sector. Its effect is clearly visible now. 5,215 clinical drug trials were registered in China in 2025. About 57.5 percent of these trials were related to new medicines. This figure is almost double that of 2020. This shows how fast research on new medicines is increasing in China. Not only this, global pharmaceutical companies are also making licensing and research deals with Chinese biotech companies. China has now joined the major countries developing medicines for cancer, obesity and autoimmune diseases.
Why did the price of monkeys skyrocket?
As the pace of drug research increased, the supply of monkeys could not increase that much. It takes about four years to prepare a macaque monkey suitable for use in a lab. First his birth, then upbringing, health test and infection free certification is done. Therefore, if there is a sudden increase in demand, the supply cannot be increased immediately. During the Covid pandemic, China had also imposed several restrictions on the export of lab monkeys. This further reduced the availability in the domestic market. Now that the biotech industry is growing rapidly, the demand has far outstripped the supply. As a result, prices have reached record levels.
| data | what does it tell |
| 5,215 | Clinical drug trials registered in China in 2025 |
| 57.5% | These include trials of new medicines |
| 2 times | Number of trials compared to 2020 |
| 49,000-52,400 | Estimated supply of lab monkeys every year in 2025-27 |
| around 10,000 | Estimated decline of monkeys every year |
According to industry estimates, approximately 49 thousand to 52 thousand lab monkeys are expected to be available in China every year between 2025 and 2027. But considering the pace of biotech research, this number is not considered sufficient. Many research institutes have to wait for months. This is the reason why monkeys have now become not just a part of scientific research but an expensive biological asset.
Will there be less need for monkeys in the future?
Work is being done around the world to reduce animal testing. New technologies like artificial intelligence, organ-on-chip, 3-D cell culture and computer models are being developed so that dependence on animals can be reduced. Despite this, experts say that at present the option of primates is not completely available for many complex medicines, especially biological and immunology based medicines. Therefore, the demand for lab monkeys may remain high for the coming few years.
Overall, the rising price of monkeys in China is not the story of a wildlife market, but of the world’s changing pharmaceutical economy. As fast as China is progressing in the development of new medicines, the demand for biological resources required for research is also increasing. A monkey used in the lab has today become not just an animal but an important link in the billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry. On the strength of this monkey, China is continuously growing rapidly in this sector.
Leave a Reply