Hygeia Pharma: A Professional Clinical CRO Committed to Becoming a World-Class Pharmaceutical Technology Service Platform
As an early-stage CRO established in 2006, Haijinge Medicine has witnessed the entire trajectory of China’s CRO industry—from its inception and growth to maturity—evolving into a highly specialized, standardized, large-scale, and international clinical research CRO service platform. It provides Phase I to IV clinical studies and related technical services for pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and new drug research institutions.
But 14 years ago, how did the founder of Haijinge Medicine identify the potential in the CRO sector and enter this track early for innovation and entrepreneurship? VCBeat conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Qi Xuebing, the company’s founder, to recount the 14-year development journey of Haijinge Medicine from his perspective.
In 2006, the domestic new drug R&D sector had only recently begun to emerge, and companies engaged in pharmaceutical CRO services were exceedingly rare. Haijinge Medicine was Mr. Qi Xuebing’s first entrepreneurial venture. He candidly admitted that, at the outset, he did not conduct specific budgeting or analysis of the future CRO market size. Instead, recognizing that the rise of domestic new drug R&D presented certain development opportunities for the pharmaceutical CRO business, he embarked on this path, exploring and advancing through practice.
Mr. Qi Xuebing, Founder of Haijinge
Mr. Qi Xuebing pursued pharmaceutical research during both his undergraduate and graduate studies. He has nearly 20 years of practical management experience in pharmaceutical R&D and clinical research within the industry. He holds an EMBA in Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Devices Entrepreneurship from Peking University, as well as an EMBA from the Business School for Entrepreneurs (BSE) in the United States.
After establishing Haijinge Medicine, Mr. Qi Xuebing and his early founding team primarily undertook clinical research services for Class 3 chemical drugs, with the company securing its first order in the same year it was founded. As the business expanded step by step and the team grew steadily, Mr. Qi Xuebing shifted his focus to overseeing the strategic development and overall operations of Haijinge Medicine, while the scope of services the team could handle expanded from single clinical studies to comprehensive clinical research services.
Haijinge Medicine Team
As a CRO, the strength of its team is virtually the company’s lifeblood, determining whether it can deliver valuable services to clients and earn their recognition. Beijing Haijinge Medicine Technology Co.,Ltd.’sDr. Liying Sun, Chief Scientific OfficerDr. Sun Liying is a senior epidemiologist and statistician with extensive experience in medical data research and regulatory review. She previously led the development of an eCTD submission system for dual filings in China and the United States, as well as a tumor database research system. Prior to joining Beijing Haijinge Medicine Technology Co., Ltd., Dr. Sun served as Review Team Leader at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as an expert member of the Big Data Center under the National Health Commission of China and the Information Center of the National Medical Products Administration, as a Statistician and Program Director at the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI), and as Director of the Database and Tissue Bank at the Duke Prostate Center, Duke University.
CompanyMs. Wang Lulu, Vice PresidentWith over 15 years of practical experience in CRO clinical study project management and team leadership, he/she has worked alongside Beijing Haijinge Medicine Technology Co., Ltd. for 13 years, overseeing the monitoring and management of more than 30 clinical study projects, multiple of which have received approval from the NMPA. He/She currently heads the Clinical Department at the company; anotherMs. Lang Guona, currently serves as COO and VP of Haijinge Medicine, overseeing human capital, IT infrastructure development, and investment and financing management. He/She excels in corporate strategic planning and positioning, development, management system establishment, and process optimization and reengineering, with 7 years of comprehensive company management experience and over 15 years of human resources management experience.
In addition, the company boasts a wealth of talent; its Quality Director, Data Director, and other key personnel are seasoned experts with over a decade of industry experience and extensive hands-on involvement in multiple related projects.
During the interview, Mr. Qi Xuebing repeatedly mentioned “The Core of an Enterprise Lies in Its Talent and Management”, and emphasizes that corporate operations are the result of specialized personnel management, which is both critically important and a significant test of managerial capability. For CRO companies, where staff turnover is relatively high, Beijing Haijinge Medicine Technology Co., Ltd. advocates a culture-first incentive mechanism, practicing an “altruistic culture” and a “striving culture.” By prioritizing customer value and employee value, the company ensures that its teams remain centered on client projects and committed to those who strive, continuously optimizing organizational structure and enhancing vitality to achieve sustainable and rapid corporate growth.
In 2012, Haijinge Medicine was ranked by PI Magazine (“Pharmaceutical Industry”) as one of the “Top 100 Innovative Enterprises in China’s Pharmaceutical Industry in 2012” and as one of the “Top 10 CRO Companies with the Greatest Investment Value.” In 2016, Haijinge Medicine celebrated its 10th anniversary and formulated and implemented a development strategy for the next 5 to 10 years.
Over the past decade, Haijinge Medicine has emerged as a top-tier pharmaceutical CRO in China. Committed to becoming a world-class pharmaceutical technology service platform, the company provides one-stop professional technical services and solutions for clinical research, helping clients mitigate R&D risks, accelerate drug launches, and create value.
Currently, the one-stop comprehensive services provided by Haijinge Medicine are mainly divided into three business types: core business, enabling business, and auxiliary business.
Three Business Types of Haijinge Medicine
Core BusinessThe division primarily provides Phase I to IV clinical research services for innovative drugs, bioequivalence and consistency evaluation clinical research services for generic drugs, and specialized clinical research services for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and natural medicines. For post-marketing studies, Haijinge Medicine also offers post-marketing evaluation services, including retrospective studies, pharmacoeconomic evaluations, and real-world studies. Furthermore, medical devices, stem cell research, cellular immunotherapy, CAR-T therapy, and foods for special medical purposes (FSMP) constitute the core business segments of Haijinge Medicine.
Supporting ServicesIncluding SMO (CRC) and subject recruitment services, data management and statistical analysis, third-party auditing, pharmacovigilance and system support, medical writing and registration strategy/portfolio optimization, domestic and international registration and dual filing in China and the US, organizing CDE consultation meetings, HGRAC filing, and SSU services.Empowering BusinessHaijinge Medicine primarily focuses on information technology tools such as the e-CTD submission system, CTMS, and eTraining, as well as the Baihe Oncology Big Database System, hospital GCP training and assessment, investment and financing services, executive search services, and expert resource matchmaking.
Currently, most of Haijinge Medicine’s clients are well-known large pharmaceutical companies in China. As a leading CRO, how does it attract and retain customers? Founder Mr. Qi Xuebing emphasized in his response: “Professional service is the foundation of competition in the CRO industry. Although market competition among CROs is intense, clinical research demands are exceptionally high, requiring a professional team to deliver specialized services. This is what clients value most.”
It is reported that Haijinge Medicine listed on the New Third Board in 2015, completed a RMB 50 million Series A financing round in 2018, and closed its Series B financing round this June. The company is moving toward better development.