Sinopharm expands its international presence

Sinopharm Group, a centrally owned enterprise, has accelerated its international operations in recent years, now exporting products to over 70 countries and regions, with those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative being a focus for developing new markets, executives said last week.

In the vaccine area, one of the group's key business sectors, it has been actively promoting overseas production capacity collaborations and fast-tracking product approvals in key regions, the company executives said during a media interview.

"We have signed localization production agreements or intentions with companies in Indonesia, Myanmar, Brazil, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, and Hungary. These agreements cover products, including rotavirus, hepatitis B, influenza, and rabies vaccines," Liu Tun, deputy director of Sinopharm's public affairs department, said.

"Notably, the hepatitis B vaccine has already been locally packaged in Myanmar and approved for market by the country's drug regulatory authority," he said.

Luo Jian, deputy general manager of Sinopharm's Shanghai Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd, added that it has engaged with BRI countries and regions in recent years, and negotiations regarding vaccine products for measles, mumps, and rubella, as well as BCG, which helps prevent tuberculosis in children, are under discussion. 

Founded in 1987, Sinopharm is China's only centrally owned enterprise focused on life and health. The group aims to enhance national healthcare standards while boosting the international competitiveness of the country's pharmaceutical industry. The group's operations currently span Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania, with partnerships in over 190 countries, regions, and international organizations.

In addition to vaccines, traditional Chinese medicine has seen significant export growth in the BRI countries and regions, with 2,000 sales terminals and 1,000 TCM clinics established overseas, particularly in Southeast Asian markets like Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, according to Liu.

In terms of the group's overall strength, data from the group showed that in the area of raw materials, its export volumes of clavulanate potassium and the penicillin series have reached a leading position globally.

"Our raw materials are consistently supplied to high-end regulatory markets, including Europe, the United States, and Japan, and we serve as a core supplier for several renowned European pharmaceutical companies," Liu Wei, deputy director of the marketing department at the group's Shanghai Shyndec Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, said. 

In the area of formulations, the group has achieved full coverage of the world's mainstream markets, including Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, and has extended its reach to other high-end markets, such as northern Europe. Meanwhile, by participating in procurement for public medical institutions in the BRI countries and regions, the group has expanded its influence in those local markets.

Sinopharm's subsidiaries are also spearheading overseas hospital construction projects to boost local healthcare industries, said the executives. The group has led Chinese enterprises in building over 11 hospitals in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Guyana, addressing local medical resource shortages. By the end of this year, 11 hospitals are scheduled to be completed in Guyana, all utilizing Chinese standards, technology, and equipment. 

As of early this year, the six hospitals in Guyana have treated over 75,000 patients and performed more than 1,000 surgeries. Equipped with advanced Chinese medical facilities like CT scanners and digital X-ray machines, many of which were put into use in the country for the first time, these hospitals are significantly enhancing local healthcare standards and establishing a modern medical service network across the major regions of Guyana, according to the group.