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.

Sinopharm boasts over 1,600 subsidiaries, including publicly listed ones such as 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) and Chongqing Taiji Industry (Group) Co Ltd (600129.SH).

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. 

Manufacturing

Sinopharm has over 100 enterprises across the four industrial segments of bio-pharm, chemical pharmaceuticals, Chinese traditional and herbal medicine and medical equipment. 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. 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 an 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. Sinopharm owns 11 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 more than 10,000 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 a total of over 16,000 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.

Comprehensive and Professional Support

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

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. 

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.

In terms of international business, Sinopharm 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, prequalification by the World Health Organization (WHO) and over 400 valid overseas registration certificates, enhancing the international competitiveness of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry.

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.

Sinopharm has played an active role in responding to national strategies and supporting rural rejuvenation. By studying and implementing the plans of comprehensively revitalizing rural areas, it has considered the actual needs of assisted areas, actively explored and innovated assistance models, continuously increased investment, and fulfilled its social responsibilities as a central State-owned enterprise.

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 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.