Hasten Biopharma's New Internationalization Paradigm: A Strategic Pathway from Local In-Licensing to Global Expansion

Few in the industry doubt the resolve of domestic pharmaceutical companies to accelerate their global expansion.

Amid the increasing integration of the global pharmaceutical market, internationalization has become a wave that pharmaceutical companies are eagerly pursuing, serving as one of the best pathways to break through the constraints of existing stock and reshape industrial competitiveness. Under this major trend of industry internationalization, pharmaceutical companies are exploring their respective paths, with independent overseas expansion and licensing-out being the two most common approaches.

Yet, despite the massive wave of Chinese pharmaceutical companies expanding overseas, many have stumbled along the way. How to “go global” efficiently and effectively navigate the volatility of international markets remains a mandatory lesson for Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises.

Not long ago，The “internationalization” new paradigm behind a cross-border acquisition has drawn industry attention:Heisen Biopharma Completes Acquisition of Commercial Rights to 14 Branded Products from Celltrion’s Portfolio Across Multiple Countries and Regions in the Asia-Pacific, Securing Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH) Rights for These Products in Eight Countries and Regions.

Unlike the conventional path of testing international waters with new products, Haisen Biopharma has chosen a more stable and efficient route to globalization, offering new insights for the industry’s overseas expansion. However, the success of the “Haisen Model” cannot be simply replicated; it is underpinned by unique strategic considerations and market logic.

For Haisen Biopharma, this large-scale international acquisition across the Asia-Pacific region carries multiple strategic implications.

Since its inception, Heisen Biopharma has focused on addressing unmet needs in the fields of chronic diseases and acute/critical care, striving to become a leading biopharmaceutical company in this sector. This clear strategic positioning has enabled the company to concentrate its resources, achieve significant growth through a series of in-licensing and acquisition deals, and rapidly expand within specific therapeutic areas.

The acquisition of 14 branded products under Celltrion has further enriched its existing product pipeline and strengthened its market competitiveness in the field of chronic disease management. Following the completion of the acquisition, Haisen Biopharma has established a portfolio of several classic products in the area of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, including Yidabi, Beixin, Aiketuo, Bilos, and Nixinna.

Actually,Building a more comprehensive product portfolio is only part of the story; the greater significance of Haissen Biopharma’s move lies in accelerating its commercialization strategy and advancing its internationalization process.

It is important to note that the long-term strategy of this innovative pharmaceutical company is to build a full-chain biopharmaceutical enterprise with international commercialization capabilities. Looking back on its development history,From initially highlighting its commercial advantages, to gradually building a full-industry-chain closed loop with parallel R&D and production, and then expanding its international footprint, Haisen Biologics is accelerating its global layout and actively exploring new pathways for overseas expansion.

Over the past two years, Haisen Biologics has significantly accelerated its internationalization process, as evidenced by a series of landmark events: In March 2023, its wholly-owned German subsidiary, Hyberson Pharmaceuticals (Germany) GmbH, was officially launched; in December of the same year, the marketing authorization for Stilamin in Switzerland was successfully transferred to its wholly-owned Swiss subsidiary, Hasten Biopharmaceutic (Switzerland) AG, marking the company’s first acquisition of a drug marketing authorization; entering 2024, collaborations with multiple European biopharmaceutical companies, including BCN Peptides, Alfasigma, and Merck, have further solidified the cornerstone of its global supply chain.

This acquisition officially marks the beginning of its Asia-Pacific expansion, covering eight countries and regions, including South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, and Hong Kong, China, thereby launching a new model for global expansion. Previously, the company primarily focused on introducing products into the Chinese market; now, through its “full-industry-chain” and “globalization” strategies, it is further “going global” to accelerate the expansion of its broader Asia-Pacific commercial footprint.

Acquiring already-listed products enables direct leverage of existing market foundations and supply chain systems, thereby avoiding the costs associated with cultivating a market and promoting products from scratch. Furthermore, the proven track record of these products provides strong support for Haisen Biologics to rapidly enter new markets, gradually building its brand influence and market resources across the broader Asia-Pacific region.

The broader significance lies in the fact that, by acquiring a portfolio of mature products and actively building an overseas commercialization platform, Haisen Biopharma is paving the way for the internationalization of its subsequent innovative products, thereby fostering a virtuous-cycle ecosystem.Compared to the ad hoc establishment of international platforms for innovative products, a pre-established pathway for global expansion offers a clearly more streamlined and efficient approach.

As stated by CEO Xia Shaofei, this acquisition marks a significant step in the company’s pan-Asia-Pacific business layout and serves as a crucial milestone in its globalization journey. By establishing a commercial presence across multiple Asia-Pacific regions and encompassing a portfolio of classic products, the company has not only expanded its product coverage in the pan-Asia-Pacific region but also paved the way for the successful international expansion of more high-quality products in the future.。“This is consistent with our unwavering development strategy of ‘seeking progress while maintaining stability’ based on Heisen speed.”

Haisen Biotech’s innovative trajectory is reflected not only in its efficient establishment of overseas expansion channels, but also in the early emergence of its business model innovations: by continuously building commercialization capabilities to generate cash flow, acquiring high-quality original drugs or high-potential products under development, and steadily enhancing R&D and manufacturing capacities, the company has ultimately formed a strategic layout with international commercialization capabilities and full industry chain coverage.

This differs from startup pharmaceutical companies that have focused on “R&D” from the outset,Haisheng Biologics Chose Commercialization as Its Starting Point, once funding is in place, it can rapidly introduce innovative products, fully leverage market-proven collaboration models, actively advance strategic partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies, ensure robust cash flow from commercialization, maximize the allocation of limited resources in the market, and continuously amplify its competitive advantages.

It is precisely due to its innovative business model that it has generated strong self-sustaining revenue capabilities—Commercial Operations Over Two Years Yield Doubled Performance, undoubtedly further enhancing its investment value. After all, against the backdrop of a tightening pharmaceutical capital market, investors place greater emphasis on a company’s stable cash flow and profitability.

Looking at the evolution of the pharmaceutical industry, Heisen Biotech’s development has undoubtedly been highly efficient.

Since 2022Since commencing commercial operations, this “rising star” pharmaceutical company has completed multiple milestone acquisitions in just over 800 days.Expanding its business and market presence at a remarkable pace, the company has rapidly evolved from initially strengthening its commercialization capabilities into a cross-regional biopharma integrating commercial promotion, R&D, and manufacturing. It has achieved a seamless transition from its early “bring-in” strategy to its current “go-global” approach.

How is Heisen Biotech able to achieve this? This is by no means a coincidence,This success is underpinned by investor support and the cultivation of “Heisen speed.”

Notably, since its inception, Heisen Biotech has been a somewhat distinct presence in the pharmaceutical industry.Backed by Strong Capital Support, its controlling shareholders are Qiaokang Capital, an asset management firm focused on investments in the healthcare sector, Hefei Industrial Investment Group, and Feidong County of Hefei City. This stands in stark contrast to most biotech companies currently facing tight cash flow.

In addition to financial support,Kangqiao Capital’s exceptional capabilities and extensive experience in large-scale cross-border M&A, platform development, and post-investment operations,It also offers significant reference value for Haisen Biopharma’s series of M&A decisions. Leveraging its unique “investor-operator” model, Qiao Capital integrates innovative thinking, extensive industry experience, and mature commercial operational management capabilities to help portfolio companies identify high-quality assets and pursue international expansion.

While investor support is certainly important, the efficient operation of internal systems is equally critical. To review why Heisen Biotech has managed to stand out in fierce market competition,“Agility” is one of the core keywords of its success model.

This is particularly evident in the “short and efficient decision-making chain.”, which is reflected not only in the speed of mergers and acquisitions and business expansion but also permeates the entire process of product research and development, production, and market promotion, becoming a key advantage for the enterprise to rapidly respond to market changes and seize business opportunities. Coincidentally, “agility” is also one of the core values of this pragmatic enterprise.

Upon closer examination,First, it is inseparable from the management team’s keen market insight.ThisThe management team is predominantly composed of executives from multinational corporations, boasting extensive industry experience and keen insights, enabling them to promptly detect market shifts and respond rapidly.。Second, its unique internal decision-making mechanism.Multinational pharmaceutical companies, due to their vast organizational structures and cumbersome processes, often require multi-layered approvals and negotiations to implement local strategies. In contrast, Haisen Biopharma stands apart with its efficient and agile local decision-making process, enabling rapid execution once plans are finalized.

“Short decision-making chains” in turn drive “strong implementation.”A series of past acquisitions have demonstrated the Company’s ability to rapidly absorb employees and integrate teams from acquired entities, establish robust management systems, and ensure a smooth business transition alongside rapid growth.

The results were immediate: In August 2023, the Hefei production base obtained a Drug Manufacturing License; in 2023, Lerodalcibep, a third-generation novel long-acting PCSK9 inhibitor, was introduced from LIB, and its clinical trial application was approved by the CDE this May... The rapid achievement of these milestones has become a concrete embodiment of “Haisen Speed.”

More importantly, after establishing robust self-sustaining revenue generation driven by commercial capabilities, Heisen Biopharma did not rest on its laurels. Instead, it accelerated its high-speed growth with “Heisen Speed,” prioritizing the development of in-house R&D and manufacturing capabilities to establish a strategic layout across the entire industry chain.

Looking back at Heisen Biotech’s development trajectory from the current vantage point, it is evident that its success stems from accumulated strengths over time. Whether it be its distinctive foundational “genes,” robust support from investors, or its steady strategy to build a full-chain biopharmaceutical company with international commercialization capabilities—underpinned by an efficiently operating internal system—its model and pace have been validated through successive milestones. These achievements are poised to provide greater confidence and competitive advantages for its future growth.