Boehringer Ingelheim to open BI X Lab in Shanghai

Ti Gong

Boehringer Ingelheim announced on Monday that it will open a second branch of its digital lab BI X in Shanghai with an initial investment of 3 million euros (US$3.32 million).

This will be the first overseas branch for the drug firm's digital venture outside its headquarters in Germany, and in Shanghai it aims to hire 20 new staff to develop innovative digital solutions for Chinese patients. The new branch is scheduled to open in July.

The company joins a number of multinationals that are eager to leverage the local digital landscape and strong entrepreneurship to forge closer ties with local startups and partners to create tailor-made solutions.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s digital lab aims to use digital innovation to accelerate the development of health-care cures and the discovery of breakthrough treatments.

Since its establishment in 2017, BI X has brought together coders, data scientists, engineers and user experience designers to test and prove new applications within short time limits.

“With this step we are strengthening our footprint in a market that is very strong in digital innovation in health care and has a unique technological landscape," commented Michael Schmelmer, a member of Boehringer Ingelheim's board of managing directors.

"The close proximity to our Chinese patients and customers will enable us to develop better disruptive products for them and tap into the high digital capabilities in China,” he noted.

This year marks the 25th anniversary since Boehringer Ingelheim entered the Chinese market. “Today, China is one of the most important markets for Boehringer Ingelheim and also one of the epicenters of digital health innovation in the world,” said Country Managing Director China of Boehringer Ingelheim Felix Gutsche.

“We very much look forward to building a dedicated digital innovation business in China and offering our patients and customers purposeful and disruptive new solutions," he added.