Pharma companies ensure production lines keep operating
Local and multinational health-care companies in Shanghai have strived to keep their operations running and remain in production through the pandemic.
At least a dozen pharmaceutical firms were included in the batch of key companies given the green light to resume operations under strict pandemic control measures.
Siemens Shanghai Medical Equipment Ltd was on the white list of the first batch of key enterprises released by Shanghai Commission of Economy and Information Technology to resume operation in mid-April.
"Currently more than 300 employees are under closed-loop management in the plant and we expect full production capacity to be realized later this month to meet market demand at home and abroad," said Kong Jun, senior vice president and general manager of Siemens Shanghai Medical Equipment Ltd.
It also took rapid and positive measures to ensure meals, work, rest and entertainment activities were provided for on-site staff.
A staffer at Siemens Shanghai Medical Equipment assembles product packaging at its Pudong site.
As more upstream and downstream enterprises return to normal operation, the overall situation has gradually improved with raw material supply back on track to meet manufacturing requirements.
"I am still full of confidence in the Chinese market and Shanghai as the fundamentals and advantages built up since the reform and opening up have not changed amid the pandemic," Kong said.
A worker at Siemens Shanghai Medical Equipment checks a medical equipment device.
Fosun and Kite Pharma's joint venture Fosun Kite has kept its lab running non-stop and continued to prepare for CAR-T cell therapy in which a patient's T cells are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells.
Mabwell (Shanghai) Bioscience Co also rushed to ensure supply of raw materials, smooth lab facility logistics and daily necessities for on-site employees, striving to minimize the impact of the pandemic.
The first batch of Junshi Biosciences staff returned to Zhangjiang sites in late April and started small batch manufacturing.
The first batch of Junshi Biosciences staff returned to its Zhangjiang sites in late April to prepare the production area's hygiene conditions and start small batch manufacturing.
Its production site inside the Lingang Area of the Pudong New District spans 70,000 square meters and has 30,000 liters of capacity in its phase-one facility.
