China National Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (Sinopharm) is a centrally-administered State-owned enterprise under the direct management of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).

Sinopharm is a globally leading company in the healthcare sector in terms of scale, performance and comprehensive strength. With a primary focus on life & health, the company owns a complete industrial chain covering R&D, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, retail chains, healthcare, engineering technology, exhibitions and events, international business and financial services. Its operating revenue exceeds 700 billion yuan ($98.56 billion), ranking 80th among Fortune Global 500 companies, and claiming the top position among global pharmaceutical enterprises. 

With a total of 230,000 employees, Sinopharm boasts over 1,700 subsidiaries, including nine publicly listed ones: Sinopharm Group Co Ltd (Sinopharm Holding) (01099.HK), China National Medicines Corporation Ltd (600511.SH), China National Accord Medicines Corporation Ltd (000028.SZ, 200028.SZ), Beijing Tiantan Biological Products Co Ltd (600161.SH), China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings Co Ltd (00570.HK), Shanghai Shyndec Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (600420.SH), Chongqing Taiji Industry (Group) Co Ltd (600129.SH), Beijing Strong Biotechnologies Inc (BSBE) (300406) and Shenzhen Weiguang Biological Products Co Ltd (002880).

R&D

Sinopharm has 36 national strategic science and technology innovation platforms. Top-notch research institutes are across the country, including national key laboratories, national innovative enterprises, national engineering technology research centers, national engineering laboratories, biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories and production bases. It manages 85 provincial and ministerial-level R&D institutes, 17 laboratories accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS), five academician expert workstations, six institutions that offer master’s and doctoral programs, and 15 postdoctoral workstations (scientific research workstations).

Over the years, Sinopharm has won 55 State Scientific and Technological Progress Awards, 13 State Technological Invention Awards and one State Natural Science Award. It has led or participated in the formulation of more than 3,500 national technical standards, obtained more than 3,490 patents, and received more than 5,000 drug production approvals. Sinopharm serves as the pillar of the national vaccine chain and the source of original technologies for central Stated-owned enterprises in the fields of bio-pharm, chemical pharmaceuticals and Chinese traditional and herbal medicine.

Manufacturing

Sinopharm has over 100 enterprises across the four industrial segments of bio-pharm, chemical pharmaceuticals, Chinese traditional and herbal medicine and medical equipment. It produces over 1,550 medicines in 3,203 types. Over 40 products of Sinopharm have received certificates from the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union (EU), and part of them have received WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL).

Sinopharm’s bio-pharm sector covers six major areas of human vaccines, blood products, medical aesthetics, animal health, antibody drugs and medical diagnostics, with the capability of producing over 200 bio-pharm products. Sinopharm is the largest vaccine producer globally, supplying over 85 percent of vaccines for the national immunization schedule. It also has the strongest blood product manufacturing capacity in China, with an annual plasma collection volume of over 2,000 tons. The medical aesthetics segment has received widespread acclaim for its innovative products such as botulinum toxin, collagen and agarose.

In the Chinese traditional and herbal medicine sector it has established the world’s largest industrial cluster, with a complete industrial chain covering cultivation, research, production and sales. It has over 700 varieties of instant granules, nearly 800 types of medicines and nationwide Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) bases for medicinal herbs, as well as Chinese traditional and herbal medicine industrial parks. Sinopharm owns 12 Chinese time-honored brands, 12 national intangible cultural heritage medicines and various exclusive medicines.

The chemical pharmaceutical sector possesses manufacturing capabilities of all types of Sinopharm’s medicines and the largest anesthetics and psychiatric drugs production and sales system in China, as well as production bases for anesthetics and psychiatric drugs, anti-infectives, anti-cancer drugs, cardiovascular drugs, cerebrovascular drugs and metabolic and endocrine drugs. Many of its drugs and drug intermediates are well-received both domestically and internationally, and boast a significant market share and good reputation.

In the medical equipment sector, Sinopharm focuses on high-end intelligent medical equipment manufacturing. It collaborates with several top domestic and foreign medical enterprises and is actively engaged in the development of medical imaging, minimally invasive surgical instruments, in vitro diagnostics, medical consumables, intelligent wearable devices and other product lines.

Medical & Pharmaceutical Commerce

Sinopharm has the largest pharmaceutical logistics company in Asia, serving over 700,000 clients, including first-tier hospitals, retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical distributors and grassroots medical institutions. Sinopharm has built a nationwide network covering seven hub logistics centers, 43 provincial-level logistics centers and over 500 municipal-level logistics centers, with warehouse areas exceeding 3 million square meters.

In the retail chain sector, Sinopharm focuses on the core strategy of “wholesale and retail integration”. It has established nearly 15,000 chain drugstores under the brands of Guoda, Jinxiang, Lerentang, Tongjunge, Taiji and Chengdafangyuan, creating a nationwide pharmaceutical retail chain network.

Healthcare

Sinopharm has eight tertiary hospitals, 21 secondary and specialized hospitals and 141 medical institutions nationwide. It has more than 20,000 medical professionals and a total of over 20,000 hospital beds. This constitutes a comprehensive hospital system, along with specialized medical institutions in areas such as dentistry, maternal and child health, medical aesthetics and blood purification, fostering a multi-dimensional healthcare landscape.

Sinopharm is tasked with reforming national healthcare resorts. It is constructing 58 elder care bases in 18 provinces and cities across China, providing 15,000 beds. Its services extend to regions such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, the Bohai Rim, the Yangtze River Delta and the Greater Bay Area.

Comprehensive and Professional Support

Sinopharm also has diverse comprehensive and professional support businesses in exhibitions and events, engineering technology, investment and finance and the healthcare industry.

In the health-related exhibition and event sector, it owns 30 brands, including the China International Medical Equipment Fair, the National Drug Trade Fair and the China International Nutrition and Health Industry Expo. As a leading organizer of exhibitions and events in the healthcare sector, it hosts over 30 large and internationally renowned trade exhibitions each year, covering a total area of over 1.3 million square meters, attracting 750,000 visitors from more than 150 countries and regions.

In the engineering technology sector, Sinopharm, as a leading enterprise, has accumulated more than 6,000 pharmaceutical engineering designs and technical services. It has received 150 excellent design awards at the State and provincial level, led or participated in the formulation of 14 national design specifications and held over 30 proprietary technologies.

In the investment and finance sector, Sinopharm is dedicated to high-end manufacturing and has invested in more than 20 leading companies in various niche industries, spanning 17 distinct segments. It has incubated numerous national level “little giants” and high-tech enterprises, forming a Sinopharm development model in production and investment. With its high-quality financial services, Sinopharm has promoted the integration of industrial chains and the building of a favorable market environment. 

In the healthcare industry sector, Sinopharm leverages its industry status and research and production capabilities to develop a wide range of health products, including dietary supplements, healthy food, functional beverages, cosmeceuticals and medical cosmetology. It offers more than 2,000 healthcare brands, creating a new pattern for the healthcare industry.

International Cooperation

Sinopharm has been committed to building joint ventures for decades. It has partnered with renowned international companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Fresenius Kabi, Lonza, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, RX and Walgreens Boots Alliance. These collaborations have resulted in the establishment of nearly 20 joint ventures in China.

In terms of international business, Sinopharm has set up 45 overseas enterprises and institutions in 14 countries and regions. It has established trade relations with 195 countries, regions and international organizations, fostering a global industrial layout. It has actively pursued international registration and certification and earned over 40 international accreditations from countries such as the United States, the European Union and Japan, and prequalification by the World Health Organization (WHO), enhancing the international competitiveness of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry.

As for duty-free businesses, based on the Sinopharm China National Service Cooperation (“Sinopharm CNSC”), we have developed an integrated operation model that links health with duty-free shopping, covering both downtown areas and port areas, offshore islands, overseas markets and online platforms. We cooperate deeply with more than 300 global suppliers and provides consumers with over 800 brands and all categories of duty-free products, including 14 major categories for port duty-free shops and 45 major categories for offshore duty-free shops.

Social Responsibilities

Sinopharm has been responsible for national medical reserves and public health guarantees since its establishment. It has played a crucial role in safeguarding people’s lives and maintaining social stability by supplying ample medical resources during various emergencies and major events since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

During the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Sinopharm allocated its reserves in 1,196 batches, providing over 10 billion pandemic prevention supplies to 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, providing over 85 percent of the medical supply in the national fight against COVID-19 and the critical battles in Wuhan, Hubei province, and Shanghai, receiving widespread acclaim from all sectors of society.

In its commitment to building a global community of health for all, Sinopharm participates in China's foreign aid projects.

Over the years, it has participated in disaster relief in multiple countries, prevention and control of Influenza A (H1N1), and the building and operating of mobile clinics in Southeast Asia.

During the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, it has provided strong support for China’s foreign medical aid, supplying over 3.3 billion pandemic prevention supplies to 170 countries and regions.

It has shouldered most of the foreign medical aid tasks in the largest global emergency humanitarian campaigns since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

In addition, it has actively promoted the certification, registration and equitable distribution and use of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine was the first to be approved for market use globally and has obtained the WHO certificate. It has been approved for use in 119 countries, regions and international organizations, covering people from 196 countries with 3.5 billion doses distributed worldwide.

Looking ahead, Sinopharm will continue to uphold its corporate philosophy of “all for health, health for all”, practice a people-centered philosophy and serve the Healthy China 2030 strategy.

The company will vigorously implement the overall development strategy featuring innovative-driven, full life cycle, complete industrial chain and complete channels to build a globally competitive holistic healthcare group that will make new and greater contributions to China’s new journey toward growing into a modern socialist country in all respects.