Bayer: breakthroughs in health care and nutrition industry

“Bayer is proud to show, on this excellent platform, our achievements in scientific and technological innovations that contribute to a better life for China and the world. We believe in collaboration and the promotion of prosperity and well-being for all through global trade.” Ms. Celina Chew, President of Bayer Group China operations, said in a letter to the Ministry of Commerce in February this year.

With respect to Bayer, a German origin with over 150 years of history, most people will recall aspirin, an impressive milestone of the 20th century. “150 years have passed and Bayer has consistently pursued innovation and excellence, and adapted to the changing needs of society. Our mission is ‘Science for a Better Life’. We use scientific discoveries to find solutions that bring a better life to people everywhere,” said Celina.

If you peep into your first aid box at home, you will find a number of non-prescriptive medicine and consumer health products, such as Redoxon to boost your immune system, Compound Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride Tablets for treatment of cold, Clarityne for antianaphylaxis, Hydrotalcite of stomachache, Elevit Vitamin Complex Tablets for pregnancy, etc., all of which are products of Bayer, a company specialized in health care and life science.

During the China International Import Expo, Bayer highlights its theme of “Energize Your World” and showcases its global portfolio of products and solutions, covering all its businesses of pharmaceuticals, consumer health, crop science and animal health care.

Celina said, “We bring our innovative products to China. We always look to see how we meet the unmet-needs of Chinese patients and society.”

Pharmaceuticals

Bayer continues to increase its investment in R&D to bring more valuable solutions to patients. In 2017, Bayer increased its global R&D investments to nearly EUR 4.5 billion – 64% of the R&D investment is in pharmaceuticals, focusing on therapeutic areas with high unmet needs, including cardiovascular, oncology and gynecology.

Building on 120 years of innovation, Bayer is committed to prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CV), where significant mortality and morbidity continues despite current interventions. With novel treatments, we help ensure that more people living with CV disease enjoy better lives. Our portfolio is evolving to cover the entire Circulation System, from addressing risk factors such as hypertension, anti-platelet, and anticoagulation to end organ protection, including heart, brain, and kidney.

As a leader in ophthalmology, Bayer is working to advance the state of care in ophthalmology and provide new treatments for retinal conditions. The company is helping improve outcomes for two causes of vision loss in China including DME and nAMD. Bayer is working with the ophthalmology community to provide education around the importance of eye health and improve outcomes for those who are affected by visual impairment or blindness.

With a focus on current urgent demands in the field of cancer, Bayer introduced drugs to improve quality of life, especially in liver cancer treatment. Bayer’s cancer drugs have already been approved in China for several types of cancer, including metastatic colorectal cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, advanced thyroid carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma.

Consumer health

Bayer has gathered a variety of its star products, some of which are debuts on the Chinese market, across its affiliates, including Elevit vitamin complex tablets for pregnancy imported from Australia, and One A Day vitamin complex portfolio from Germany. One product worth highlighting is Clarityne anti-allergy syrup for children. Clarityne is the original brand for Loratadine. Clarityne Syrup for children displayed is fully imported from Europe, tailor-made for the children at the age between 2 and 12 to quickly relieve multiple allergies.

In the self-care field, 1 dollar spent equals a saving of 6-7 dollars of healthcare investment. The annual growth of non-prescriptive medicine has reached 6%, where we see high growth potential in China still. Bayer has been committed to self-care with the intention to build a healthy lifestyle. This is also one of the key messages Bayer wants to share with the expo participants.

Crop science

This year, by acquiring Monsanto, Bayer has enhanced its global edge in agriculture. Bayer Crop Science division has been closely following the long-term trends of the agricultural market and promoting development through seeds & trait technologies, crop protection solutions and data science.

In Crop Science, Bayer will highlight our efforts to shape agriculture through innovation for the benefit of farmers, consumers and our planet, starting from sowing, the very beginning of our food, to managing crops, to harvesting, then to consuming the food. Bayer together not only keeps crops healthy and the harvest higher in quantity and quality, but also helps preserve biodiversity.

Animal health care

Pets have become a key family members, giving rise to a high potential for Bayer’s pet business. As a consequence, popular pet products have surged on the Chinese market.

Bayer’s attachment to China can track back to 1882; in 1913, Bayer established the 1st Chinese branch in Shanghai; in 1936, Bayer started producing Aspirin in Shanghai; in 2009, Bayer established global pharmaceuticals R&D center in Beijing... After over a century in China, Bayer’s sales revenue last year in China has reached EUR 2.8 billion, with approximately 10,000 staff spanning 7 production bases. Bayer is also planning to establish an R&D center for consumer health at Qidong, Jiangsu Province.

Looking ahead, Celina said, “When I first came to China in 1993, Shanghai was a very different place. There were many opportunities. But if you fast forward now, twenty-five years later, Shanghai is a glittering city, full of innovation and dynamism, full of promise.”

China is opening up its market to the world with confidence and has proven to be a great nation with self-assurance and foresight embracing the world and promoting global open attitudes to international partners. Industries are vested with more competitive opportunities with improved technology.

“China has been, and will continue to be, a key market for our global business strategy and growth. We believe Bayer contributes to the development of China, and the China International Import Expo is a great chance for us to bring more high-quality products and solutions to China, to meet the needs of Chinese patients, consumers and farmers and improve their lives,” said Celina.