Henlius leads way as bilateral ties power biopharmaceutical growth

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As China and Saudi Arabia strengthen their ties to explore collaboration opportunities across all sectors, Chinese biopharmaceutical company Henlius is eager to grow deeper roots in Saudi Arabia and leverage its expertise to support the nation's industrial upgrade and transformation.

Sheng Yanci, head of Henlius' Saudi joint venture subsidiary and also general manager of global strategy and project management office of Henlius, stated the Hong Kong-listed company, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma, is establishing joint ventures in Saudi Arabia with SVAX, a subsidiary of the prominent Fakeeh Family business group, to develop, produce and commercialize biopharma products. The construction is progressing as planned. "Henlius will assist our partners in constructing production sites, transferring technologies, establishing quality control systems and implementing management systems," Sheng said.

Founded in China in 2010, with focus on oncology, autoimmune and ophthalmic diseases, Henlius has been committed to expanding globally. So far, it has launched six products in China, while four approved in overseas markets. A total of five marketing applications are under review in China, the US and EU. Its products have been distributed in over 50 countries.

Sheng said the decision to invest in Saudi Arabia is based on the strong growth potential of the healthcare market.

"The local market is characterized by its small yet highly profitable nature," Sheng said. "Our initial entry into Saudi Arabia was facilitated with local distributors. The robust affordability in the region has bolstered our confidence to further localize our development and production."

"Chinese say business success depends on three things — tianshi, dili and renhe, which means perfect timing, a promising and profitable market, and strong support. Saudi Arabia is just such a business destination," said Sheng.

Looking ahead, Henlius will continue to support Saudi Arabia to develop its biopharmaceuticals chain. Through the joint venture, Henlius will look to extend to neighboring markets including North Africa, Turkiye and other Middle East countries. It will also try to bring Saudi Arabia's capital to China to boost its research and development.

"China's biopharmaceutical businesses have a proven record of having high efficiency around the globe. Our venture in Saudi Arabia will extend beyond mere factory construction; it will encompass a comprehensive, long-term strategy aimed at leveraging our expertise to support the local industry," said Sheng.

As one of the first Chinese biopharmaceutical companies to launch production in Saudi Arabia, Henlius will respect local culture and advocate cross-cultural communication to foster a mutually beneficial outcome, according to Sheng.

So far, Henlius has made presence in nations and regions such as the US, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Latin America. The company successfully established collaborations in regional markets to swiftly localize its products and now operations. "As a company rooted in China, our vision extends beyond merely being present in China for the globe; we aim to be a global contributor. This is why we are placing significant emphasis on our endeavors in Saudi Arabia," said Sheng.