Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals (China) Ltd in Shanghai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

We are in an era of collaboration, where large pharmaceutical \r\ncompanies and small start-ups are more prone to work together to find \r\nnew solutions and bring them to the market, giving full play to \r\nrespective advantages. In this spirit, we have been driving innovation \r\nthrough expanding partnerships on every front.

In July 2020, Boehringer Ingelheim launched the External Innovation \r\nHub China in Shanghai as part of efforts to better leverage partnerships\r\n to gear up research and development programs. The hub is designed to \r\nintegrate the company's innovative capabilities including Research \r\nBeyond Borders, Business Development & Licensing and Venture Fund \r\nunder one roof.

The external innovation hub works as a one-stop "innovation space \r\nstation", which identifies new technologies, propels them into R&D \r\npipeline, and leverages venture funds to accelerate transforming these \r\nresults into products that truly benefit patients. Today, the hub has \r\nformed strategic partnerships with Tsinghua University and Peking \r\nUniversity in full-range cooperation and early-stage research.

In Animal Health, the company acquired an equity stake in New Ruipeng\r\n Group in 2020 to fully tap the strategic partnership to expand health \r\nsolutions, quality advice and professional care to the growing number of\r\n pets and pet owners in China.

The company has also been accelerating digitization, and shore up its\r\n capabilities in digital healthcare solutions by working with internet \r\nhospitals and e-commerce platforms, setting up BI X digital lab, \r\nproviding digital stroke rehabilitation services and integrating smart \r\ntechnologies, hardware, software and intelligent analytics into the \r\nlivestock business that form the core principle of "integrated health \r\nmanagement".

Looking forward, Boehringer Ingelheim has full confidence in China's \r\neconomic prospect, especially in healthcare. In the next five years, we \r\nwill continue to increase investment in China to further upgrade our \r\ninnovative capabilities, working together with internal and external \r\ninnovation partners to accelerate medical breakthroughs, improve \r\npatients' lives, and enhance human and animal health.

The author is Boehringer Ingelheim Greater China CEO.