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ABOUT USAffiliated to SSY Group Limited, Hebei Guangxiang Technology Co., Ltd., is a high-tech enterprise specializing in drug research and technology development.
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INNOVATIONSSY Group Limited has built a relatively perfect scientific research and innovation system with the synergy between “industry, academia, research and application” based on multi-disciplinary integration and multi-directional combination.
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SUBORDINATEThe group has decided to establish research institutes in its subsidiaries, Hebei Ghuangxiang Drug Research Institute, Jiangsu Best Medical Material Research Institute, and Hebei Hanlin Biological Research Institute.
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RECRUITWe actively establish a joint talent cultivation mechanism between schools and enterprises, and currently have over 500 high-level talents in various fields such as drug research, analysis, and clinical practice.
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CONTACTWe will continue to strengthen innovation-driven development, vigorously promote the integration of production and research, constantly improve the five domains: new drugs, biological drugs, traditional Chinese medicine, generic drugs and APIs.
Innovation Leads the Way, Focusing on “Butterfly Transformation”: A Series of Highlight Reports on Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical Group’s Achievements in High-Quality Development—Part Two
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Time：2022-08-15
Sweat waters the fruits, and hard work makes dreams come true. As night falls, the bright and spacious laboratories of Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical R&D Center glow with lights. Yang Xian, head of the Innovation Department, and her colleagues are still deeply engrossed in their work, sorting through the day’s experimental analysis data. Right now, there are many, many Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical employees—just like them—who are “racing against time.”
Sweat waters the fruits; struggle makes dreams come true.
As night falls, the bright and spacious laboratories of Shijiazhuang Siyao R&D Center are lit up brightly. Yang Xian, head of the Innovation Department, and her colleagues are still deeply engrossed in their work, sorting through the day’s experimental analysis data. Right now, there are many, many Shijiazhuang Siyao employees—just like them—who are “racing against time.”
At the Shijiazhuang Siyao Pharmaceutical Factory, located in the Shijiazhuang High-tech Zone, a row of striking large characters—“Regard yesterday as outdated, and take today as a new starting point”—adorns the rooftop of the impressive building. Situated right next to Huai’an Road, the slogan is particularly eye-catching.
The slogan of “atmosphere” may seem simple, but sticking to it is no easy feat. The people of Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical, who have engraved the word “innovation” deep in their bones, are constantly illustrating this principle through their daily actions.
R&D innovation “blossoms continuously.”
Continuously adding “weight” to enterprises’ transformative upgrades.
Innovation is the “soul” of enterprises and also the powerful “source of momentum” driving Shijiazhuang’s biopharmaceutical industry toward high-quality development.
Guided by innovation, Shijiazhuang No.4 Pharmaceutical has diligently honed its internal strengths, boldly tackled key “bottleneck” technologies, and developed high-quality products, continuously adding new momentum to the company’s transformative upgrade—from a single dominant business to diversified development.
“Right now, I’m leading the R&D efforts for five Class 1 innovative drugs,” Yang Xian said excitedly to the reporter as soon as they met. “The project I’m currently working on is ADN-9 (code name)—a Class 1 innovative drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis, jointly developed by Siyao Pharmaceutical and Zhengzhou University. Once it’s successfully launched, it’ll fill a domestic gap!”
“We are currently improving the formulation process to enhance the bioavailability of this innovative drug, ultimately addressing the ‘bottleneck’ issue in bioavailability,” said Yang Xian. According to preliminary studies, ADN-9 stands out for its high efficacy, low toxicity, and multi-target synergistic effects, making it highly promising for the treatment of complex liver fibrosis.
The reporter followed Yang Xian as she hurried into a laboratory. She sighed, “Every day feels like there’s simply not enough time. We’ve got to make the most of every minute and strive to complete the Phase I clinical trial application for this project as soon as possible, turning our research findings into practical applications that will benefit both society and businesses.”
“R&D innovation is a long-term endeavor that demands both arduous effort and sustained dedication—it’s not something that can be achieved overnight,” said Sun Lijie, Executive President of Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical Group and General Manager of the R&D Center. Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical has set its sights on the cutting edge of the industry and market demands, clearly articulating an R&D strategy that combines generic drug development with innovative research, highlights distinctive features, and focuses on key areas. To this end, the company has strengthened top-level planning and systematic benchmarking, and is comprehensively advancing the development and research of generic drugs, innovative drugs, specialty APIs, and products undergoing consistency evaluations. Leveraging our city’s supportive policies aimed at helping the biopharmaceutical industry achieve breakthroughs ahead of others, and by reinforcing the construction of national-level enterprise technology centers and national-local joint laboratories—among other innovation platforms—the company continues to significantly increase its R&D investment, with R&D expenses now accounting for nearly 10% of its sales revenue. This relentless commitment to innovation is accelerating Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical’s shift in product structure—from focusing solely on whether or not it has certain products, to ensuring that its products are of the highest quality. Moreover, its R&D efforts have moved from merely imitating existing drugs to entering a new stage of original innovation research, with increasingly complex formulations and innovative pharmaceuticals continuously being incorporated into its R&D plans.
Currently, Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical has 195 projects under development. Among these, three first-class new drugs targeting conditions such as liver fibrosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension have either been approved for clinical trials or have submitted applications for clinical trials, and there are as many as 119 new products awaiting approval. In the first half of this year, the company obtained approvals for a total of 22 new products, including the country’s first generic version of Bunanoxin tablets and Acetaminophen Mannitol Injection—exceeding the total number of approvals received for the entire last year. The company’s innovative achievements have entered a concentrated “harvest period,” and its efficiency and volume in developing specialty generic drugs rank among the top in China’s pharmaceutical enterprises. Driven by innovation, the company is effectively leveraging and commercializing its intellectual property assets. To date, Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical has filed a cumulative total of 326 patent applications and been granted 200 patents, including 91 invention patents. The company has been recognized as a National Intellectual Property Advantage Enterprise and a Pilot Enterprise for the Commercialization of Intellectual Property Rights in the Industrial Sector. All 42 new products approved since last year have now been successfully launched, achieving a 100% industrialization rate and providing strong impetus for the company’s high-quality development.
Today, 80% of Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical’s profits are generated by new or upgraded products. Innovation powerfully enables the continuous optimization and enhancement of our product structure and hierarchy. Our products are sold in 90 countries and regions worldwide, helping to elevate our enterprise’s industrial chain toward the high-end of the value chain.
Smart manufacturing is full of "new ideas."
Improve quality and boost efficiency to strengthen our “muscles and bones.”
Innovation knows no bounds, and innovation isn't limited to the realm of scientific research alone.
In the process of industrialization, Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical has consistently adhered to the principle of innovation first—whether it comes to production processes or equipment and facilities, every aspect must be innovative and each project must have its own distinctive highlights.
Stepping into the formulation production building of Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical, the reporter saw advanced, modern, and intelligent equipment everywhere through the glass curtain wall of the visitor’s walkway.
“This is the production workshop for BFS three-in-one plastic bottle ampoule injections. This fully automated production line integrates the three processes—bottle manufacturing, filling, and sealing—into a single, seamless operation within a cleanroom environment, with a daily output capacity exceeding 1 million vials,” said Jiang Deguang, Deputy General Manager of the Manufacturing Center at Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical Group, as he pointed to the equipment behind the glass curtain wall.
In the intravenous solution production workshop, from the preparation stage of injection water to the automated logistics and distribution stage, the reporter deeply experienced the powerful impact of intelligent manufacturing in enhancing production efficiency and improving product quality.
“The centralized liquid preparation system is the ‘heart’ of the workshop,” Jiang Deguang explained from outside the main control room of Workshop 103. “It prepares pharmaceutical solutions of various specifications and formulations—this entire process is completed with a single ‘click,’ requiring just one command.” The workshop employs an internationally advanced, fully automated computer-controlled system for enclosed powder conveyance and online weighing, which minimizes human-induced contamination, boosts product yield, and makes the production process management more precise, efficient, and safe.
“We’ve put tremendous effort into smart manufacturing and have taken the lead in the industry by establishing a seamlessly integrated intelligent information management system. Over 80 percent of our workshops now achieve intelligent production. With the empowerment of smart manufacturing, the commercialization of innovative research results has gained even greater momentum,” said Jiang Deguang with deep emotion.
Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical has successively been included on several lists, including the National Pilot Program for the Integrated Development of Advanced Manufacturing and Modern Service Industries, as well as Hebei Province’s Benchmark Enterprise for Intelligent Manufacturing. Intelligent manufacturing has not only given Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical “wings” to enhance quality and efficiency but has also provided a “model” for the industry, fully demonstrating its leading and driving role.
Innovative mechanisms leverage strengths and harness momentum to attract talent.
Provide a broad “stage” for innovative talent. ”
Achievement is made possible by talent; undertakings are broadened by talent.
Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical is seizing the opportunity presented by our city’s in-depth implementation of the talent-strengthening strategy. Focusing on industry needs and the characteristics of high-level, application-oriented talents, the company is collaborating with renowned universities and research institutes to jointly explore new approaches, mechanisms, and models for the collaborative cultivation of high-caliber, application-oriented professionals.
Since last year, Shijiazhuang No.4 Pharmaceutical has successively joined hands with Academician Wang Guangji to establish provincial-level academician collaboration units, and has launched joint research efforts with the research team led by Vice President Lu Tao from China Pharmaceutical University and experts from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University on the development of small-molecule compounds and pioneering generic drugs with distinctive features. At the same time, the company has actively established a joint talent cultivation mechanism between universities and enterprises, collaborating with institutions such as China Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Hebei Medical University, Hebei University of Science and Technology, and Shijiazhuang College to set up undergraduate internship and practice bases. This year, Shijiazhuang No.4 Pharmaceutical has accepted more than 110 undergraduate students majoring in pharmacy-related fields to carry out semester-long graduation internships at the company.
On July 15, the unveiling ceremony was held for Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical’s university-level practice base for professional-degree graduate students and its off-campus internship practice base for college students, jointly established with China Pharmaceutical University. Starting this coming autumn, 12 graduate students will annually undertake a two-year study-and-practice program at Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical, actively exploring valuable experiences and setting up exemplary models for cultivating and attracting talent in our city’s biopharmaceutical industry.
On August 8, another piece of good news arrived: the national key science and technology project—Construction and Demonstration Application of a Clinical Evaluation Technology Platform for Pediatric Drugs—in which Shijiazhuang No.4 Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. participated, has been successfully concluded.
Taking advantage of the favorable opportunity presented by strategic partnerships with universities and research institutions, Shijiazhuang No.4 Pharmaceutical has been actively introducing high-level, highly qualified talent. At the same time, through assigning challenging responsibilities, providing promising projects, and leading teams, the company places great emphasis on cultivating and identifying existing talent in practical work settings. Additionally, the company has implemented incentive measures such as providing subsidized transportation, offering preferential housing, and granting exceptional promotions, ensuring that researchers wholeheartedly committed to the company’s innovation and development can truly experience the happiness, fulfillment, and sense of belonging that come from innovation and creativity.
“Currently, our group has an R&D team of nearly 500 members, over two-thirds of whom hold doctoral or master’s degrees. The series of new talent policies introduced this year by our city are highly attractive and will greatly facilitate our efforts to attract top-tier talent,” said Tian Pengmei, Executive President of Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical Group and General Manager of the Strategic Development and Human Resources Center. This year, we’ve recruited another 10 PhDs to take on R&D tasks related to advanced and complex pharmaceutical formulations.
“To bring high-quality products to fruition, we must not only rely on our own R&D capabilities but also leverage external resources—drawing on expertise, ideas, and momentum—to achieve leapfrog development. For instance, the key technology behind osmotic pump formulations has long been a major challenge hindering industrialization in the industry. To address this, our city’s science and technology authorities have introduced a ‘Challenge-Based Funding’ program as part of their industry-oriented technological initiatives, providing enterprises with more choices in terms of R&D channels and approaches,” said Sun Lijie. With the support of science-and-tech policies designed to benefit businesses, three projects undertaken by enterprises—including “Development and Application of Key Microjet Technology for Emulsions” and “Research and Application of Key Technologies for Osmotic Pump Formulations”—have been selected as part of our city’s first batch of ‘Challenge-Based Funding’ projects. As a result, these enterprises have successfully partnered with top experts and research teams in the industry, making it only a matter of time before they overcome some of the industry’s most pressing “bottleneck” challenges.
Joint efforts “safeguard” enterprises as they hone their “internal strengths.”
Boost the biomedical industry to achieve breakthroughs ahead of others.
A good wind lends its strength—now is the perfect time to hoist the sails.
“‘Innovation’ has already become ingrained in the DNA of us at Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical,” said Sun Lijie. As for the next step, Shijiazhuang Fourth Pharmaceutical will continue to refine its innovation mechanisms, attract more innovative talent, and jointly embark on the “path of innovation,” contributing to the further growth and strengthening of the company and helping the city build a bio-pharmaceutical industry cluster worth hundreds of billions of yuan.
The Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government attach great importance to the development of the biopharmaceutical industry. They consistently and fully implement the new development philosophy, vigorously promote breakthroughs in the biopharmaceutical sector, and strive to build a biopharmaceutical industry cluster worth hundreds of billions of yuan. To this end, they have issued the "Several Measures (Trial) for Supporting the Pioneering Breakthroughs in the Next-Generation Electronic Information Industry and the Biopharmaceutical Industry," along with a series of targeted special funds and incentives, encouraging all types of biopharmaceutical enterprises to strengthen their internal capabilities. All levels and departments in our city have also taken the initiative and acted proactively, doing their utmost to provide robust support and “accelerate” the innovative development of biopharmaceutical enterprises, including Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical.
Wang Jinsheng, Chief Engineer of the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, said that under the strong leadership of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal People’s Government, the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau has closely focused on the goal of achieving a breakthrough in our city’s biopharmaceutical industry. It has provided support for Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical’s scientific research and development by tackling key technological bottlenecks and strengthening platform construction. This year, the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau supported Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical in leading the establishment of the “Research Institute for Industrial Technology of Sterile Preparations for Chemical Drugs,” which has since been recognized as both a first-batch municipal-level industrial technology research institute and a provincial-level industrial technology research institute for 2022. Among the first batch of 15 “Challenge-Based” technology攻关 projects supported by our city, Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical was selected for three projects, with a total funding amount reaching 18 million yuan. The Municipal Science and Technology Bureau will disburse rewards and subsidies to the company, helping Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical become a new benchmark for technology-driven industrial development.
Niu Xuejian, Deputy Director of the Municipal Market Supervision Administration, said that under the strong leadership of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal People's Government, the Municipal Market Supervision Administration has fully leveraged its intellectual property functions to support Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical in areas such as patent commercialization, patent navigation, and the cultivation of high-value patents. The Administration has guided the company in establishing a patent pool focused on “antiviral (and antibacterial) and antitumor chemical drugs,” strategically deploying patents across fields including drug ingredients, production processes, and applications, thereby building a robust protection system. This will accelerate the company’s high-quality development and provide strong support for achieving our city’s goal of taking the lead in breakthroughs in the biopharmaceutical industry.
Relevant departments, including the Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, as well as park officials, all expressed that, in the next step, they will continue to fully leverage their functional roles, proactively provide coordination and services for enterprises, and encourage and guide more biopharmaceutical companies to make full and effective use of the city’s series of policies designed to benefit businesses. They will remain committed to innovation-led development, further increase investment in R&D and technological upgrades, broadly attract innovative talent, and strive to overcome a number of “bottleneck” key technologies. Relying on high-quality products and superior services, they will swiftly capture market share, enhance their core competitiveness, and secure greater influence in the market. Together, they will make even greater contributions to helping the city’s biopharmaceutical industry take the lead in achieving breakthroughs and driving the city’s total economic output past one trillion yuan.
With the wind at our backs, the future is full of promise!
Reprinted from: Shijiazhuang Daily
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