Michelle Xia

Michelle Yu Xia is cofounder, chairwoman and CEO of China-based biotech firm Akeso, which has multiple approved drugs in China to treat cancer.

Akeso has captured attention in the biotech world because one of its drugs outperformed Merck's bestseller Keytruda in a head to head Phase 3 trial in 2024.

The success of that Akeso drug, ivonescimab, drove up the price of Akeso's shares; the company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Prior to Akeso, Xia worked in research and at U.S. biotech firms for a dozen years starting in the mid 1990s and obtained U.S. citizenship while in America.

Akeso licensed its most promising cancer drug to Miami-based firm Summit Therapeutics in 2022 for markets including the U.S., Europe and Japan.