Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Aventis established a new production base in Hangzhou on July 20, 2010. With a total investment of 410 million yuan, the production base covers an area of 44,775 m². The construction for the new base will be completed by 2012. Once completed, the production base will become an important source of pharmaceutical exports to other Asian markets.

As a Fortune 500 Company, Sanofi Aventis is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. This year in January, Sanofi Aventis signed an agreement with Hangzhou Minsheng Pharmaceutical Group to establish a joint venture.

Currently, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry is one of Hangzhou’s core industries. The industry includes the biotech drug industry, contemporary Chinese herbal drug industry, modern chemical industry and new medical technology industry. Hangzhou’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry has become the most vibrant one in the Yangtze River Delta region.

By Xie Fang and Liu Jingyuan