BioSpace, a leading global biopharma media outlet, recently released "The 5 Most Powerful Women in Biopharma" list. Michelle Xia, founder, chairwoman, president and CEO of Akeso, takes the third place, making her the only Chinese leader from an innovative drugmaker to appear on the ranking.

Meanwhile, Akeso is also named among the world's most valuable biopharmas, the only Chinese company to earn this distinction.

A Sun Yat-sen University biochemistry graduate, Xia went on to earn postgraduate degrees from the UK's Newcastle University and the University of Glasgow. She later conducted cancer immunotherapy research at the University of Louisville in the US, gaining extensive drug development experience through work in labs and global pharma firms.

Since founding Akeso in 2012, Xia has transformed the company into a globally recognized biopharma player. In the first half of 2025, Akeso reported commercial sales revenue of 1.401 billion yuan, up 49.2% year-on-year. 

To date, Akeso has developed over 50 proprietary innovative drugs, with 22 candidates advancing to clinical trials. Since its 2020 Hong Kong IPO, Akeso's market cap has surged 594%.

According to Forbes' previous estimates, Xia, 58, and her family hold an 8.5% stake in the company, valuing their net worth at 1.2 billion US dollars. This places her among the world's billionaires and makes her one of just 13 self-made female billionaires globally in the healthcare sector.