In the vast sea of stars in the biopharmaceutical industry, Novartis is like a giant ship sailing through the wind and waves, with technological innovation as the sail and strategic determination as the anchor, opening up a unique route. Recently, a reporter from Shanghai Securities News walked into the headquarters and R&D center of Nuotai Biotechnology, and through a conversation with the company's chairman Tong Ziquan, explored the growth logic of this science and technology innovation board enterprise.

In recent years, Novartis has made significant achievements in the fields of peptides, oligonucleotides, and small molecule pharmaceuticals. The company has overcome the challenge of large-scale production of long-chain peptides, and with the increasing volume of products such as semaglutide, its demand for peptide raw material procurement will significantly increase in 2024. At the same time, the company has been forward-looking in the field of oligonucleotides since 2022 and has rapidly formed technological advantages. The ton level commercial production workshop of its Lianyungang factory is expected to be completed in October this year, which will become its second growth curve after peptides.

From a leading peptide active pharmaceutical ingredient to a cutting-edge oligonucleotide, from local cultivation to global layout, from a start-up enterprise to a star on the Science and Technology Innovation Board... Nuotai Biotechnology interprets the ambition and wisdom of a Chinese pharmaceutical company with the philosophy of "Dao, Fa, and Shu" - taking "a century long vision" as the Dao, "keeping pace with the trend" as the Fa, and "technological barriers and talent ecology" as the Shu, in the golden age of the development of the biopharmaceutical industry, it has written a legendary chapter belonging to Chinese enterprises.

According to disclosure, from 2021 to 2023, Novartis' performance continued to grow, achieving operating revenues of 644 million yuan, 651 million yuan, and 1.034 billion yuan respectively; Realize net profits attributable to the parent company of 115 million yuan, 129 million yuan, and 163 million yuan. Recently, the company released its 2024 performance report, expecting to achieve a total operating revenue of 1.625 billion yuan for the year, a year-on-year increase of 57.19%; The net profit attributable to the parent company was 401 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 145.94%.

Shortly before the interview with reporters, Novartis received an on-site inspection report (EIR) issued by the US FDA. In September 2024, Nuotai Biotechnology underwent and passed the on-site inspection of cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) by the US FDA. With increasingly strict requirements for drug GMP quality supervision, the company was able to successfully pass the inspection, further proving its production capacity advantage, "said Tong Ziquan.

Dao: Build a new benchmark for biomedicine with a century old aspiration

In the corporate introduction section of the official website of Nuotai Biotechnology, "Focusing on segmented fields and building a century old enterprise" first caught the attention of reporters.

The four words' century old enterprise 'not only carry the thickness of time, but also contain the courage to transcend cycles. In Tong Ziquan's view, the mission of Nuotai Biotechnology is not only to focus on current performance growth, but also to "make the enterprise thrive and cross the four major cycles", that is, to cross the cycle of the enterprise itself, the rise and fall of the industry, the fluctuations of the national economy, and the "tide" of the global economy.

The foundation of this vision lies in the company and its executive team's profound understanding of social responsibility: Novotech Biotech not only serves society and gives back to shareholders, but also enables employees to find a sense of belonging and honor in this soil.

Tong Ziquan compares enterprises to towering trees. The root system is rooted in social values, the branches are the extension of technological innovation, and what nourishes its growth is a people-oriented cultural soil. "He admitted that employees are not only executors, but also creators. When they achieve their ideals and solve problems here, the enterprise can truly have vitality.

It is precisely the emphasis on human beings that has maintained a high degree of cohesion in the rapid expansion of Nuotai Biotechnology. The company has grown from a few hundred people to a team size of over 2000 people, always insisting on turning the trust of each family into the driving force for the enterprise to move forward.

Tong Ziquan stated that the ultimate significance of a century old corporate vision is to become a companion of the country and the times. He said, "We don't do fleeting business, but use the power of technology to make enterprises a part of promoting social and technological progress. In the field of biomedicine, which is related to human health, Novartis adheres to the principle of serious medical care and regards the research and development of each product as a commitment to life

Method: Seize the opportunity and plant the seeds of technology for the future

Accompany yourself with the trend and take advantage of it. Tong Ziquan uses the eight character strategic motto to interpret the direction that Nuotai Biotechnology is anchoring in the industry's changing situation.

Currently, small molecule drugs dominate the market, but the growth rate of large molecule drugs has surged like a torrent. The peptide field is in an explosive period, and oligonucleotide technology is the focus of the industry's future development. "Tong Ziquan is well versed in the" potential law "of the biopharmaceutical industry.

Based on a keen insight into trends, Nuotai Biotechnology has developed a unique "three pronged" strategy: Business Development (BD) and parallel promotion of research and development and production. The "three carriage" tactic helps Nortai Biotech establish a leading advantage and maintain high-speed development.

On the BD end, the company covers the global serious medical market with a "platform strategy+matrix tactics" and establishes deep cooperation with leading enterprises; On the R&D side, several major technology platforms such as small molecules, peptides, oligonucleotides, etc. are independently cultivated and cross empowered, with each sector promoting each other. The company dynamically applies emerging technologies accumulated in the platform to segmented sectors, promoting research and development to achieve a "dimensionality reduction strike" on similar pipelines; On the production side, the company strengthens the construction of high-quality production capacity to ensure the continuous supply of products to the market and meet customer needs.

Tong Ziquan compared the above tactical layout to the cycle of sowing and harvesting: "Today's layout is for tomorrow's harvest. We need to seize the golden window of the peptide industry and plant the seeds of technology for the future

Looking towards the future, Nuotai Biotechnology is considering integrating domestic and foreign resources through mergers and acquisitions to accelerate its transition from a local enterprise to an international platform. In Tong Ziquan's view, mergers and acquisitions are not a capital game, but a wisdom of exchanging time for space. "When technological barriers are difficult to break through in a short period of time, mergers and acquisitions are a shortcut to extending the track. He said.

Technique: Building a dual engine of technological barriers and talent ecology

If 'Dao' is the original intention and 'Fa' is the path, then 'Shu' is the weapon used by the Nortai creatures to conquer cities and territories. And technological barriers and talent ecology are the dual engines used by Nuotai Biotechnology as "technology".

The essence of time leadership and technological leadership is to overturn old rules with a new perspective, "said Tong Ziquan frankly. Nuotai Biotechnology has built a competitive barrier that is difficult to replicate with two leading wheels.

In the field of peptides, Nuotai Biotechnology has taken the lead in breaking the shackles of traditional chemical synthesis methods with its peptide large-scale production technology platform based on solid-phase liquid phase fusion. In the field of oligonucleotides, the company started its layout in 2022 and quickly formed a technological advantage in just one year. The company's Lianyungang factory plans to complete the construction of a ton level commercial production workshop for oligonucleotides by October 2025, forming high-quality production capacity. In the field of small molecule pharmaceuticals, the company relies on years of accumulated research and development experience and a complete technical system to efficiently complete the production process research of various complex and difficult compounds, and quickly achieve technological breakthroughs and achievement transformation.

Technological breakthroughs cannot be achieved without the support of talent. Faced with the problem of "scarcity of all rounded talents" in interdisciplinary fields, Novotech Biotech has chosen a path of "combining introduction and education": on the one hand, it has introduced academic leaders with cutting-edge perspectives from around the world; On the other hand, through internal training methods, talent teams can transfer research methods to new fields.

Talents are 'seeds', and we provide them with soil and nutrients to bloom and bear fruit in different fields, "Tong Ziquan metaphorically said. The creation of such a talent ecosystem has enabled Nuotai Biotechnology to maintain its innovative ability from 0 to 1 in emerging fields such as oligonucleotides and synthetic biology.

Nuotai Biotechnology also incorporates "self elimination" into its genes. After profit growth, it is necessary to feed back research and development. Only by actively disrupting oneself can we avoid being disrupted by the times, "said Tong Ziquan. And this attitude of being prepared for danger in times of peace has led Nuotai Biotechnology to always stand at the forefront of technological iteration.

From the hundred year old aspiration of "Dao", to the strategic planning of "Fa", and then to the precise breakthrough of "Shu", Nuotai Biotechnology interprets a path of "fighting monsters and upgrading" for biopharmaceutical enterprises with a complete philosophical system.

The vitality of a company lies in its ability to resonate with the times, "said Tong Ziquan. Nowadays, Novartis is sailing at full speed in the vast ocean of biopharmaceuticals, using GLP-1 peptide drugs as its spear and global layout as its shield. When the light of technology illuminates the road ahead, when the spark of talent gathers into a torch, the century old vision of a company may no longer be far away.