As the world’s second-largest healthcare market, China spends about $575 billion a year on the sector, roughly equivalent to Sweden’s GDP. But because of China’s large population, that translates into only $420 in per capita healthcare spending, just 4% of what an average American spends. This healthcare supply shortage is exacerbated by rising demand from wealthier Chinese who seek quality care, better insurance, and diverse services.
On the regulatory side, the Chinese government continues to reform the healthcare sector by allowing doctors to work
outside the public hospital system, encouraging the privatization of hospitals, and expanding public healthcare insurance to cover private hospitals.
The significant mismatch between supply and demand, coupled with policy changes to support the sector, have incentivized private investment to flock into areas ranging from advanced pharmaceuticals and medical devices to primary care clinics, elderly care, and insurance products.
China Pioneer Pharma is a distributor of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. The company buys from small and medium-size suppliers outside of China and offers marketing and sales channel management services to facilitate foreign firms entering the China market. The company currently has eight main suppliers in North America and Europe and has invested in the suppliers to establish exclusive partnerships.
Li Xinzhou
Shanghai
(021) 5049.8986
info@pioneer-pharma.com
The company made several equity investments in NovaBay, a biopharmaceutical company incorporated in Delaware, resulting in a 34.1% stake for the Chinese company.
Through a Singapore subsidiary, the company made several investments into Covex S.A., an active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturer in Spain, and Q3 Medical Devices, an Ireland-based company. However, both investments generated disappointing returns due to the changing nature and competitive landscape of the China market. The company dissolved its subsidiary in 2016 and subsequently exited its interests in the two firms.