Multinational Pharma Giants Reveal Strong China Revenue: Merck & Co. and AstraZeneca Both Surpass $5.8 Billion

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Industry Dynamics】Based on the enormous market demand in China, as well as the continuous optimization of the policy environment, many foreign pharmaceutical companies have actively increased their investment in the Chinese market and achieved good results. As global pharmaceutical companies gradually release their 2023 financial reports, their business revenue in the Chinese market has also come to light.
 

According to the statistics, in 2023, MSD's business revenue in China reached 6.71 billion USD; AstraZeneca's business revenue in China reached 5.876 billion USD; Novartis, Sanofi, Roche, Novo Nordisk, and Eli Lilly's business revenues in China were 3.267 billion USD, 3.184 billion USD, 3.171 billion USD, 2.42 billion USD, and 1.54 billion USD respectively.
 

According to the 2023 financial report released by MSD, the company's global sales for the full year of 2023 were $60.1 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 1%; the net profit attributable to shareholders was $365 million, marking a year-on-year decrease of 97.49%. In 2023, MSD's revenue in China was $6.71 billion, accounting for 12.5% of the company’s global market, with a year-on-year increase of 32%.
 

Industry insiders said that MSD has successfully seized the growth opportunities in the Chinese market by continuously launching new original research drug products and cooperating with local companies. In 2023, MSD's layout and strategy in the Chinese market received positive feedback, making it one of the multinational pharmaceutical companies with the best performance in China in 2023.
 

According to AstraZeneca's 2023 performance report, the company's total revenue for the full year was $45.811 billion (+3%), including $43.789 billion in product revenue, representing a year-on-year increase of 2%. Excluding COVID-19 products, total revenue was $45.488 billion, up 13% year-on-year. In terms of regional distribution, revenue from the U.S. market reached $19.077 billion for the full year, an increase of 6% year-on-year; emerging markets contributed $12.025 billion, up 2% year-on-year. Specifically, China contributed $5.876 billion, accounting for 13% of AstraZeneca's global market.
 

According to reports, since the beginning of this year, AstraZeneca has continued to expand its production and R&D layout in China. For instance, at the beginning of March, AstraZeneca officially signed a cooperation agreement with Wuxi City for a new small molecule innovative drug factory project. The project involves a total investment of 475 million US dollars and will realize the production of specific small molecule drugs from formulation to packaging in Wuxi, aiming to build one of AstraZeneca's global production and supply bases in China.
 

AstraZeneca recently announced that Shanghai has become its fifth global strategic center. Shanghai, China will become another global strategic center integrating R&D, commercialization, and production operations, in addition to the four major R&D-focused strategic centers: Cambridge in the UK, Boston and Gaithersburg in the US, and Gothenburg in Sweden. It will serve as an important strategic pivot for AstraZeneca's global strategy, R&D, and long-term development.
 

According to the 2023 financial report released by Novartis, the company's total revenue for the full year of 2023 was $45.44 billion, a year-on-year increase of 10%; net profit was $8.572 billion, a year-on-year increase of 62%. In 2023, Novartis achieved revenue of $3.3 billion in China, a year-on-year increase of 17%. It is reported that in terms of production capacity, on December 1, 2023, Novartis announced plans to invest more than 600 million yuan to establish a radiopharmaceutical production base in Haiyan, Zhejiang, in order to accelerate the introduction of innovative radioligand therapies into China.
 

According to Sanofi's 2023 financial report, the company's total sales for the year reached 43.07 billion euros (46.52 billion US dollars, calculated at the current exchange rate of 1 euro = 1.08 US dollars, the same below), representing a year-on-year increase of 5.3%. In terms of geographical distribution of revenue, the US market remains Sanofi's main battlefield, contributing 18.512 billion euros (approximately 20.243 billion US dollars) in revenue, marking a year-on-year increase of 4.8%; revenue from the Chinese market was 2.912 billion euros (approximately 3.184 billion US dollars), with growth also slowing down (a year-on-year increase of 0.4% in 2023, compared to 6.2% in the previous year).
 

It was reported that in 2023, Sanofi received approval for 12 innovative products and indications in the Chinese market. Earlier, the company announced a plan to introduce 25 innovative products and indications in China from 2020 to 2025. With the approval of Levebri, the first preventive measure against respiratory syncytial virus for all infants, at the end of 2023, Sanofi announced it had achieved its goal two years ahead of schedule.
 

In addition, Roche achieved a total revenue of $65.627 billion in 2023, of which the income from its business in China was $3.171 billion, representing a 6% increase. In 2023, Novo Nordisk's revenue reached approximately $33.771 billion, marking a 31% year-on-year growth; the company's operating profit also increased by 37%, reaching about $14.914 billion, with revenue from its business in China amounting to $2.42 billion, up by 11%. Eli Lilly's total revenue for the full year of 2023 was $34.124 billion, a 20% year-on-year increase, while net profit was $5.24 billion, down 16% year-on-year. Revenue from the China region was $1.54 billion, showing an 11% year-on-year growth.
 

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