Chinese Medical Innovation Delegation Launches First-Ever 'Go-Global Express' to Brazil

From July 3 to 7, a Chinese corporate delegation, led by the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association and supported by AstraZeneca, traveled to Brazil for a five-day cross-border exchange and cooperation initiative focused on building a health innovation ecosystem. This visit aimed to bridge the gap for Chinese enterprises seeking in-depth understanding of Brazil’s local healthcare policies, business environment, industry trends, and ecological landscape, while also facilitating access to market resources and uncovering potential opportunities for their expansion into Brazil. During the event, multiple collaborations were established in areas including local market innovation introduction, product promotion, ecosystem co-development, digital health, and patient services.

The Chinese business delegation was personally led by industry leaders including Wang Lei, President of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Global Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca, and President of International Business and China; Lai Minglong, General Manager of AstraZeneca China; Chen Bing, Vice President of AstraZeneca China and Head of International Business Development, Cooperation, and Strategic Investment; and Gong Huimin, Vice President of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Founder and President of Caijin Pharmaceutical, and Chairman of Minke Pharmaceutical. The 16 accompanying Chinese enterprises included Luye Pharma, AmoyDx, Kangtai Biological Products, Mindray Medical, Yiling Pharmaceutical, Caijin Pharmaceutical, Minke Pharmaceutical, Peking University Weixin Biology, Guanhe Pharma, Tangpai Medical, PegBio, Maccura Biotechnology, Berger Medical, Lida Rongyi, Bowei International, and Legend Capital. These companies spanned sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, vaccines, CROs, medical devices, diagnostics, healthcare big data, medical services, and capital investment. All parties look forward to leveraging this exchange visit to build upon Brazil’s healthcare industry ecosystem and proactively explore global commercial development pathways for Chinese enterprises expanding overseas.

The delegation received a warm welcome from local government authorities in Brazil. In Brasília, the delegation was personally received by the President of ANVISA, Brazil’s health regulatory agency. The two sides primarily discussed accelerating the entry of Chinese medical innovations into the Brazilian market and building Latin America into a hub for healthcare innovation and industry. Meanwhile, the delegation held cordial meetings with officials from the São Paulo State Government, including the Chief of Staff, the Secretary of Economic Development, the Minister of International Cooperation, and the Secretary of Health. As a supporting partner of the event, AstraZeneca introduced Chinese government officials and healthcare system leaders to the prospects of China’s healthcare market and the development of its health innovation ecosystem. Several companies in the delegation also presented their investment plans, covering areas such as medical supply chains, vaccine technology transfer, localized production of in vitro diagnostics (IVD), government collaboration on oncology testing, and clinical research services. During the meetings, the São Paulo State Government provided a comprehensive overview of local industrial development and business environment policies. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on how to better facilitate Chinese enterprises’ investments and ensure their efficient implementation in São Paulo State.

The Delegation Was Received by the President of Brazil’s Health Regulatory Agency, ANVISA

Beyond government meetings, the delegation also arranged a rich itinerary of local visits, laying a solid foundation for a comprehensive understanding of Brazil’s healthcare industry ecosystem. The delegation first visited Mindray’s Brazilian subsidiary. As a leading Chinese high-tech medical equipment company, Mindray has established a global business footprint over the years, including in Brazil. Through this visit, the delegation gained insights into the experiences of Chinese medical enterprises in expanding overseas and implementing localized operations. Subsequently, the delegation visited the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), one of Latin America’s top public universities, to discuss topics such as fostering positive impacts on innovation, technology, economy, society, and the environment through collaboration between local and international institutions. As the trip progressed, members of certain delegate companies traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second-largest city, to visit the Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation). Fiocruz is Brazil’s leading platform for innovative technological collaboration and the most authoritative health science and technology institution in Latin America, as well as a key partner for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine in the region. In-depth discussions were held among all parties on effectively facilitating the transfer and cooperation of Chinese medical innovations, as well as exploring other potential areas of collaboration.

CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Fiocruz

Leveraging the opportunity presented by this visit, the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fiocruz. The two parties will establish a partnership in the healthcare sector and pursue collaborative innovation. Additionally, AstraZeneca entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with IPT, one of Brazil’s largest public technology research institutions, to jointly establish the Brazilian Healthcare Innovation Center (IPE). Upon the completion of IPE, the International Life Science Innovation Park (iCampus) will also partner with IPE to jointly build a bilateral innovation ecosystem between Brazil and China. At the inauguration ceremony of IPE, Lida Rongyi, representing the delegation’s digital health companies expanding overseas, signed an MoU with AstraZeneca Brazil. The two parties will collaborate on the digital transformation of Brazil’s healthcare system in the future.

IPE Inauguration Ceremony

During this visit to Brazil, numerous companies in the delegation achieved substantial cooperation outcomes. In addition to the market-sharing session organized by AstraZeneca Brazil, which focused on gaining in-depth insights into local industry policies, the business environment, and key industrial trends, delegation members held separate discussions with leading Brazilian clinical trial and healthcare service groups DASA and Fleury, as well as with local hospitals Hospital Sírio-Libanês and Hospital HCor. They also explored future collaboration opportunities with local enterprises across various sectors, including pharmaceutical laboratories, diagnostics, contract research organizations (CROs), retail pharmacies, health insurance, and distribution. Meanwhile, the delegation received a warm welcome from the Chinese Association in Brazil.

Furthermore, all companies in the delegation signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for cooperation with AstraZeneca Brazil during the event. These signatories included Luye Pharma Group, Amoy Diagnostics, and Kangtai Biological Products, which have already established deep collaborative partnerships with AstraZeneca China, as well as industry-leading enterprises such as Maccura Biotechnology, Berger Medical, Caijin Pharmaceutical, Guanhe Pharma, and Legend Capital, which are poised to expand into the Brazilian market through this initiative. All parties are committed to introducing high-quality Chinese innovations to the Brazilian market in the future, thereby further promoting the advancement of the local healthcare industry and economic development. Together, they aim to enhance the efficiency and innovative capacity of Brazil’s healthcare system and foster the formation of a Sino-Brazilian healthcare industry ecosystem.

As a member of the Chinese enterprise delegation expanding into Brazil,Dr. Zheng Limou, Founder and Chairman of AmoyDxstated: “This latest collaboration with AstraZeneca Brazil underscores the strong partnership we have built with AstraZeneca over the past 13 years. We are delighted to contribute to improving Brazil’s healthcare ecosystem through such international cooperation, and we look forward to further expanding our areas of collaboration in the future to bring more innovative and efficient diagnostic technologies and services to Brazil.”

Regarding leading the Chinese enterprise delegation to Brazil,Mr. Lai Minglong, General Manager of AstraZeneca ChinaHe stated, “As an increasing number of high-quality Chinese enterprises expand globally and establish overseas presence, the wave of Chinese companies going global has truly arrived. As an active builder of China’s health innovation ecosystem, AstraZeneca is honored to partner with the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association to launch this inaugural venture into Brazil. The fruitful outcomes of this trip have further bolstered our confidence in future global expansion efforts. AstraZeneca looks forward to joining hands with more partners from China’s healthcare industry to ride the tide and navigate the waves of international growth.”

Wang Lei, President of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Global Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca, and President of International Business and China“He stated, ‘Having been deeply rooted in China for three decades, AstraZeneca has built an extensive network of partners within the health innovation ecosystem. Leveraging our global resources and international advantages, we are better positioned to help Chinese companies connect with potential international markets and rapidly establish overseas “beachheads.” At this new milestone of thirty years, AstraZeneca China sees new opportunities for local medical innovations to go global, which will become one of our key strategic priorities for the next decade.’”

Gong Huimin, Vice President of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Founder and President of Caijin Pharmaceutical, and Chairman of Minko PharmaceuticalHe stated, “The original intention behind the establishment of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association was to integrate industry resources and build a platform that empowers the sector and contributes to the Healthy China initiative. Currently, China’s healthcare industry has entered a new stage of development. Entrepreneurs in this field must not only continue to innovate but also seize the excellent opportunities presented by globalization. Our trip to Brazil marks the first stop on our journey of overseas exploration. In the future, we will leverage more cross-border project opportunities to help Chinese healthcare companies keep pace with the times and navigate toward broader horizons.”