Chinese biotech companies are developing lower‑cost gene therapies to compete with Novartis’s $2.1M Zolgensma for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), driven by affordability and access gaps in lower‑income markets. The coverage highlights early‑access use of Lantu Biopharma’s experimental therapy and notes several other domestic developers advancing clinical programs. The push tests whether China’s accelerating gene‑therapy ecosystem can deliver safe, effective, and substantially cheaper alternatives at scale, and underscores geopolitical and pricing pressures reshaping global rare‑disease markets.