Since 1990s, many leading global pharmaceutical companies withdrew from the antibiotics market and resulted in a decline of antibiotic research worldwide. However, due to the widespread use of antibiotics, the rapid emergence of drug-resistant strains without effective treatments has become an increasingly acute unmet medical need. Therefore, In recent years, many large pharmaceutical companies,via multiple acquisitions and reinvestments, have actively re-engaged in the research and development of novel antibiotics. In this article, we analyzed global changes of policies and the market places in recent years; and from the perspectives of current regulatory policies and market demands in China, we provide valuable help to the pharmaceutical companies conducting antibiotic research and development.