Several Chinese companies are developing lower‑cost gene therapies intended to compete with Novartis’ one‑time spinal muscular atrophy drug, Zolgensma, which costs roughly $2.1 million per dose. Firms such as Lantu Biopharma are running clinical trials and early‑access programs domestically and signaling ambitions to supply markets where the branded therapy is unaffordable. Lantu and peers emphasize pricing and local development as strategic priorities and argue their approaches could expand access globally. Novartis said Zolgensma is approved in many countries and continues efforts to improve access. The developments test whether China‑based developers can deliver safe, scalable, and economically viable advanced therapy medicinal products to broader patient populations while meeting international regulatory and manufacturing standards.