Former AstraZeneca China president Wang Lei charged in Shenzhen case

by CHEN Yang

AstraZeneca said in its 2025 annual report that prosecutors in Shenzhen have filed charges against AstraZeneca China and two former executives, including former China president WANG Lei, in a case involving alleged illegal trading and personal data violations.

Prosecutors in Shenzhen completed their review in November 2025, charging AstraZeneca China, a former executive vice president and a former senior employee with illegal collection of personal information and illegal trading, the company said. The two former executives were also charged with medical insurance fraud. AstraZeneca China was not accused of insurance fraud or of profiting from illegally obtained personal information.

The cases have been consolidated into a single proceeding at the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court, with a trial date yet to be announced, according to the filing.

The filing identified the former executive vice president as Wang Lei, who previously served as global executive vice president, president of international business and president of AstraZeneca China. AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a separate matter, AstraZeneca China received a final assessment from Shenzhen Customs in October 2025 stating it owed 24 million yuan (US$3.5 million) in unpaid import duties related to three oncology drugs — Imfinzi, Imjudo and Enhertu. The company said it voluntarily prepaid the full amount. If found liable on the charges, AstraZeneca China could face additional fines of between one and five times the unpaid duties, according to the annual report.

The investigation was first disclosed in October 2024, when AstraZeneca said Wang was cooperating with Chinese authorities. At the time, the company said the matter was unrelated to a separate insurance fraud case involving its lung cancer drug Tagrisso and instead concerned drug imports and data-related issues.

China is AstraZeneca's second-largest market globally and its largest outside the United States. The company has reiterated its long-term commitment to the country.

In March 2025, AstraZeneca announced a $2.5 billion investment plan to build its sixth global strategic R&D center in Beijing, alongside several research and manufacturing partnerships. In January 2026, it said it plans to invest more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) in China by 2030, expanding research and production capacity across multiple cities.

AstraZeneca reported global revenue of $58.7 billion in 2025, up 8% year on year. Revenue from China rose 4% to $6.65 billion, accounting for about 11% of total sales.