The pharmaceutical sector is famous for its strict standards; for the past 20 years, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation has helped Jean-Marie Pharmacal to meet them
Celine Cheng is the president of The Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, the chief compliance and technology officer at Jacobson Pharma, parent company of Jean-Marie Pharmacal, and a registered authorised person with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong—an impressive list of career milestones that she has spent 25-plus years working towards.
Jean-Marie Pharmacal is located at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation's (HKSTP) InnoPark in Tai Po and celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. The company has the distinction of being the only producer in Hong Kong of sterile eye solutions and medical-use injection products.
Space to grow
The pharmaceutical industry is a highly regulated one, and to set up a manufacturing site that complies with the strict standards governing the production of medical products requires a significant investment. Being able to operate in a location like HKSTP’s InnoPark means the company can dedicate more resources to R&D and focus on improving its operations—growing the business and minimising errors.
“Jean-Marie set up its home in Tai Po around 2000 to 2001 and we have been there ever since,” says Cheng. “Being able to secure a manufacturing site that adequately meets our needs is one of our most valuable assets.
“Pharmaceutical products are there to help a patient in need, so there is no room for error. All manufacturing facilities have to maintain the strictest standards so we can produce safe, quality and effective products for health professionals to use.”
Most of the manufacturing operations on Jean-Marie’s factory floor are automated—and the Tai Po InnoPark space is large enough to accommodate it all. For a pharmaceutical company, automation doesn’t just speed up processes; it helps to minimise errors and keep up with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)—quality assurance standards that it must maintain. Cheng helped to introduce GMP to Hong Kong’s pharmaceutical sector, elevating the industry to global standards.
The pharmaceutical industry can also benefit from the influence of artificial intelligence, one of the areas on which Jean-Marie is keen to work with HKSTP.
Born and bred in Hong Kong
Being a homegrown brand is something that Jean-Marie Pharmacal and Cheng take great pride in. The company is working towards developing the first single-use eye drops to be manufactured in Hong Kong. “We appreciate any support we get from HKSTP for R&D and training,” she says. “We also want to attract more university graduates to work with us as interns, so we can nurture the next generation of talent.”
Cheng is very optimistic about the growth of Hong Kong’s pharmaceutical industry. “Hongkongers are known for our strong work ethic, and we have the infrastructure and business systems to create successful, homegrown brands that can compete on the world stage.”