Cinkate Corporation, a pharmaceutical enterprise in Zhangjiang, is identified as being able to develop and industrialize new medicines and put it on the market, according to a news report published on Pudong's website on Jan 10.

Cinkate is the world's first enterprice to develop leflunomide tablets, which effectively cures rheumatoid arthritis. The company was quick in putting the newly developed medicine on the market surpassing that of America and European Union.

In 1983, Xiao Fei founded the company with his mentor Dr. Williams who is an expert in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery. In 1999, the leflunomide tablet he developed was authorized to be used to cure rheumatoid arthritis, signifying China’s first medicine for alleviating the disease.  

In 2000, Xiao Fei collaborated with Changzheng pharmaceutical factory in building the Changzheng- Cinkate pharmaceutical company and put the medicine into mass production.

Through the many years' development, the company has formed an integral industry chain, including research and development, and production and marketing.

In the era of big data, the company has set a new developmental goal, which is to use Internet technology to provide online services for patients so that patients do not have to cover extra miles to the hospital. For example, the company has created an APP, with which the patients can evaluate the condition of the illness and monitor their body condition by themselves from time to time; meanwhile the doctor can also track the state of the illness.

A patient from Sichuan said that with the help of the APP, he could receive timely medical treatment by contacting the doctor online. One of the benefits is that he was spared the trouble of travelling to Beijing. Now the APP has attracted more than 60 thousand patients and over 1,500 rheumatology doctors are online offering treatments.

Xiao Fei asserted that he is now researching on how to use artificial intelligence to improve the quality of the treatment.

According to data published by Pudong Scientific and Economic Committee, the production value of the company has increased by 10 percent. In 2016, the turnover reached 212 million yuan ($ 33 million), owing to the customers' growing need of leflunomide tablets.

The medicine was initially sold in Shanghai and in 2008 the sales had exceeded 100 million yuan, while it continued to increase by 40 percent annually henceforth.

The medicine has also been highly recommended by American College of Rheumatology, European League of Rheumatism and Chinese Rheumatology Association.

Besides its achievement in rheumatology, the company has also brought forth good results in other medical fields, such as rheumatology and immunology, nephrology and hematology, satisfying the high demands of Chinese patients.

Cinkate is the world's first enterprice to develop leflunomide tablets, which effectively cures rheumatoid arthritis.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]