Syneos Health Buys Bestudy to Strengthen CRO Presence in China

• Syneos Health has acquired Chinese CRO Bestudy to expand its presence in China’s biopharma market. 

• Bestudy will continue to operate independently, while supporting Syneos’ clinical development services for global and China-based clients.

Syneos Health has acquired Chinese contract research organization (CRO) Bestudy as part of its strategy to expand in China’s growing biopharmaceutical market. The company said the deal is intended to strengthen its ability to support clients operating in the region. 

Bestudy will continue to operate as a standalone company with its own leadership, brand, and local operating model following the acquisition. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

The acquisition is designed to enhance Syneos Health’s capacity to support both multinational biopharma companies and emerging China-based developers across clinical development activities. A company spokesperson said the combined organizations are positioned to serve customers in what it described as a “rapidly growing market.” 

The move builds on Syneos Health’s prior efforts to expand its presence in China, including earlier partnerships with clinical research sites such as Wuhan Union Hospital. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to increase access to clinical trial infrastructure and patient populations in the region. 

China’s biopharma sector has seen rapid growth in recent years, supported by an increase in clinical trial activity and a competitive cost environment. According to a December report from Phesi cited in the article, the number of clinical trial sites in China grew 51% from 2023 to 2025, compared with 42% growth in the United States.