As AI technology continues to develop, investors are shifting their focus from "AI enabling industries" to "AI disintermediating middlemen", CLSA said in a research report. For CRO/ CDMO, AI is expected to have a clearer net positive for integrated CRDMO platforms. In contrast, the internal adoption of AI by pharmaceutical companies may have mixed effects on specialized CROs.

Therefore, CLSA favored CDMOs, expecting them to outperform CROs in terms of earnings visibility due to better capacity locking capabilities and longer-term projects. The top picks in the global CRO/ CDMO sector remained WUXI APPTEC (02359.HK)  +3.700 (+3.209%)    Short selling $83.38M; Ratio 22.617%   , WUXI BIO (02269.HK)  +1.940 (+5.068%)    Short selling $253.68M; Ratio 20.439%   , PHARMARON (03759.HK)  +0.550 (+2.856%)    Short selling $678.29K; Ratio 1.332%   , Lonza Group (LZAGY.US)      , and Samsung Biologics, all rated as Outperform. The target prices for WUXI APPTEC, WUXI BIO, and PHARMARON were HKD143.4, HKD48.5, and HKD28.8, respectively.
(HK stocks quote is delayed for at least 15 mins.Short Selling Data as at 2026-02-27 16:25.) (Real-time Streaming US Stocks Quote; Except All OTC quotes are at least 15 minutes delayed.)

Related NewsCLSA: Decline in WUXI BIO/ WUXI XDC on Thu Not Driven by Fundamentals