[E-Daily Reporter Kwon Oh Seok ] VIVOZON PHARMACEUTICAL(082800)is expanding its presence in the Greater China market by adding colonoscopy laxatives to its export lineup, following its non-narcotic pain reliever. The company’s strategy is to use the Hainan Medical Special Zone—where limited use of foreign pharmaceuticals is permitted even before formal product approval in mainland China—as a foothold to capture demand for “tablet-form bowel preparation,” an untapped market in the region.

On the 12th, VIVOZON PHARMACEUTICAL announced that it had signed an export contract with its local partner, Company G, based in Hainan Province, China, for the colonoscopy laxative “Larafang Tablets.” The estimated minimum supply volume during the contract period is over 1 billion won, with the first shipment scheduled for the first quarter of next year.
A key highlight of this agreement is the expansion of an existing partnership. Company G is the same firm that signed a supply contract with VIVOZON PHARMACEUTICAL last August to supply the non-narcotic analgesic “Anapra Tablets” to the Hainan Special Medical Zone. By going beyond the supply of a single product to integrate additional core pipeline products, the company is solidifying its position within the local distribution network.
The Boao-Lucheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan Province, the target market for these exports, is a medical and biotech special zone designated by the Chinese government. Even before receiving formal marketing authorization from the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), medications approved overseas can be prescribed by local medical institutions under certain conditions. Among domestic pharmaceutical companies, this area is utilized as a “test bed” that allows them to bypass lengthy approval processes and secure market feedback and prescription data in China first.
In particular, since tablet-form colonoscopy laxatives are currently not approved in China, existing liquid products dominate the market. It is assessed that Larapang Tablets—which are taken as a pill with water to reduce patient reluctance—have significant potential to meet the demand for convenience among local patients and medical professionals.
VIVOZON PHARMACEUTICAL has structured its contract terms so that, once it has established a foothold in the Hainan Special Economic Zone and certain conditions are met, it can expand its supply chain to include medical institutions in Hong Kong and parts of Guangdong Province in mainland China.
A representative from VIVOZON PHARMACEUTICAL stated, “We will proactively enter the market by targeting the gap in tablet-form laxatives in China,” adding, “Using Hainan as a springboard, we will expand our reach to Hong Kong and the mainland to enhance our competitiveness in overseas business.”