Guilin Pharma, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma has been shortlisted for three years in a row and rose to the top three on the list of“Chinese Top 10 exporters of Finished Pharmaceutical Products 2015”, which is  released by China Chamber of Commerce of Medicines & Health Products Importers & Exporters (CCMHPIE). 

According to the data from China Chamber of Commerce of Medicines & Health Products Importers & Exporters: in 2015, the total export of western medicine made in China was($ 31.5 billion, with a YOY increase of 0.42%; while the import was $ 27.853 billion, with an increase of 6.16%. Among them, API export amounted to $ 25.623 billion, with a decrease of 0.91%; Finished pharmaceutical products export amounted to $ 3.198 billion, with a YOY increase of 8.85%. In the last two years, the market of API has almost become  saturated and the exports fluctuated with the global economy. Big API producers are trying to find a way out. Although the export volume of fihished pharmaceutical products cannot compare with that of APIs, but some of the pioneer companies w have entered the international market of finished pharmaceutical products by business transformation and upgrading, which is becoming a trend of prosperous development in the coming years.

As one of the earliest Chinese  pharmaceutical companies exploring the international market, Guilin Pharma has achieved a steady growth with its good antimalarial product portfolio and global dominance in the field of anti-malarial drugs, although the foreign trade of Chinese pharmaceutical industry grows  at a low speed recently.  In 2014, Guilin Pharma’s export of finished pharmaceutical products was RMB 258 million, while in 2015 the number reached a recording high of RMB 430 million among which 90% cam be credited to the company’s core products of artemisinin based antimalarial drugs.

Guilin Pharma represents China in the international anti-malarial market, which is dominated by big multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis and those Indian generic drug giants.  Guilin Pharma is recognized as the best Chinese manufacturer in the field of R&D and production of antimalarial drugs.

Artesunate from Guilin Pharma of Fosun Pharma is an innovative drug   developed independently by Chinese. In 1987, the drug was issued a certificate of Class 1 innovative drug by China National Health and Family Planning Commission with features of low toxicity, rapid onset, high efficacy, low recrudescence rate. The artemisinin based antimalarial products manufactured by Guilin Pharma has been registered and sold in many countries and regions. These drugs are currently the most effective anti-malarial drugs and a typical representative of Chinese innovation. Artesun (artesunate for injection), is now the international golden standard to treat severe malarial and the first line treatment of severe malaria recommended by WHO. Artesunate for injection has fully replaced quinine injection  by taking over 90% of the global market share of severe malaria treatments. In the last five years,Artesun has helped to save more than 700 million lives of severe malaria patiens,  among which most are children under five years old. That has made an outstanding contribution to the decline of child malaria mortality.

Guilin Pharma has launched the programme of WHO pre-qualification of artesunate for injection since 2005 and was approved in 2010; since 2011, the company has begun to market and promote this new generation therapy in malaria-endemic regionslike Africa. By the end of 2015, the cumulative sales of Artesun reached 50 million. After a decade, the Company finally success to introduce a Chinese innovative drug with independent intellectual property to the international market and  became the leading global brand of artemisinin based antimalarial drugs.

Looking ahead, with the continuous growing of its business  and new products entering the market qualified by the WHO, Guilin Pharma is confident to lead the anti-malarial drug market continuously in future, and become the backbone of the internationalization of Chinese pharmaceutical companies.

Chinese Top 10 exporters of Finished Pharmaceutical Products 2015 (Note: The data is from China Chamber of Commerce of Medicines & Health Products Importers & Exporters)

Rank Enterprises

1. Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

2. Qilu Tianhe Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

3. Guilin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

4. North China Pharmaceutical International Limited Co., Ltd.

5. Sinopharm Weqida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

6. Zhejiang Kangle Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

7. Shanghai Rongheng International Trading Co., Ltd., of Rongheng Orient International Group

8. Zhuhai United Laboratories Holding Ltd

9. Shandong Reyoung Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

10. Zhejiang Jiuzhou Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.