In-depth R&D: Imexpharm’s key to global expansion

Holding leading position in antibiotics market

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance is posing many challenges to humanity.

It is estimated that by 2050, about 10 million people will have died from antimicrobial resistance annually.

In order to mitigate these risks, Imexpharm Pharmaceutical JSC has made substantial investments over the years in a high-quality antibiotic production line utilizing Enzymatic technology.

This technology does not use solvents and chemicals during the production process, giving Imexpharm’s antibiotics advantages in terms of purity, stability, high safety for patients, and environmental friendliness.

Imexpharm’s high-tech antibiotic factory IMP4 meets EU-GMP standards. Photo courtesy of Imexpharm

Imexpharm offers a range of high-quality antibiotics, recognized for breakthroughs in purified raw material sourcing and production technology.

This brings outstanding effectiveness in treatment, as seen with products like Claminat (effective in treating ear-nose-throat and respiratory infections caused by sensitive bacteria), Bactamox (effective for patients with acute community-acquired respiratory infections), and Biocemet DT (effective for children and adults who have difficulty using drugs with upper respiratory infections).

In 2023, this enterprise led the antibiotic market with a 9% market share, achieving sales of about VND2,157 billion, an increase of 25% compared to 2022.

Popular antibiotic groups such as cephalosporin and penicillin, which account for more than 70% of the value in the Vietnamese market, are also the company’s main products.

Following a period of investment with EU-GMP standards, the company has begun planning to expand its antibiotic exports to the European market.

Research and product development at Imexpharm’s EU-GMP quality pharmaceutical factory. Photo courtesy of Imexpharm

“Since 1977, Imexpharm has prioritized quality, research, and development in its investment strategy,” said People’s Doctor, Pharmacist Tran Thi Dao, General Director of Imexpharm. “We have continuously invested in factories and production lines, growing into a leading pharmaceutical company with the largest EU-GMP factory clusters in Vietnam, comprising 3 EU-GMP factories and 11 EU-GMP lines.”

Imexpharm’s leaders reflected on its transformation from Dong Thap Pharmaceutical Union Enterprise in the early 1980s to Dong Thap Pharmaceutical Company.

In 1997, the company invested in the non-betalactam oral medication factory as the first GMP-ASEAN in Vietnam with the consulting support of Dr. Hartmut Haulth, a leading European expert on Quality Management and Technology systems from Sandoz Group, Switzerland.

In 1999, the company established a GMP-ASEAN beta-lactam factory for oral medication.

By 2000, the company successfully promoted franchise production cooperation with the Austrian Biochemie Multinational Group (currently Novartis-Sandoz).

Since 2001, following its transition to a public company, Imexpharm has achieved remarkable development with a pioneering strategy in technological advancement.

In 2023, Imexpharm allocated 5% of its revenue to R&D activities, resulting in 93 research and development projects, with 15 already launched on the market.

By July 2024, the company has registered 11 more EU MAs, bringing the total number of EU MAs to 28 EU MAs for 11 products.

Promoting pharmaceutical inventions, entering global supply chain

The current investment trend in the pharmaceutical sector has shifted towards a focus on innovation, clinical trials, and technology transfer.

Imexpharm is at the forefront of this trend, cooperating with Genuone Sciences, a prominent pharmaceutical company from Korea, to transfer technology for the production of diabetes and cardiovascular drugs.

In addition to its partnership with Genuone, Imexpharm has established franchise production agreements with several leading multinational pharmaceutical corporations, such as Sandoz, Robinson Pharma, DP Pharma, Galien, Pharma Science Canada, Sanofi-Aventis…

Imexpharm has signed a cooperation agreement with Genuone Sciences, a big pharmaceutical company from Korea, in order to transfer technology for the production of diabetes and cardiovascular drugs. Photo courtesy of Imexpharm

With this vision, Imexpharm is planning to expand its non-antibiotic product lines and construct a new IMP5 factory in Quang Khanh Industrial Park, Dong Thap Province.

In addition to traditional dosage forms, Imexpharm is capable of developing new dosage forms such as lyophilized, dispersible tablets, and multi-dose powders.

By adopting advanced technologies in pharmaceutical production, Imexpharm’s products are strictly monitored for difficult-to-control hazardous impurities such as nitrosamine (carcinogenic), residual solvents, and heavy metals.

These strategies lay a solid foundation to support Imexpharm’s vision to 2030, aiming to triple revenue growth and strengthen its position in the global, regional, and Vietnamese markets.

Currently, 80% of Imexpharm’s staff hold a university degree or higher, including 4 Masters of Pharmacy, a specialist pharmacist I, and 1 PhD in Pharmacy (graduated in France).

In addition to research and formulation equipment, Imexpharm also invests in a dedicated lab equipped with advanced technology for research and product testing, ensuring quality from the research design stage.

Moving forward, the company will continue to invest and apply WHO Good Practices for Research and Development Facilities for product research and development.

According to Imexpharm’s leaders, Vietnam needs supportive policies for innovation in the healthcare sector, specifically in pharmaceuticals.

“We believe that Vietnam can completely aim to improve healthcare and become a center of science and innovation in the region,” said Imexpharm’s leaders in a statement.