Jiuzhitang is a time-honored, century-old enterprise proudly known as the "Pearl of Southern Medicine." The current leader of Jiuzhitang, a company with over 300 years of history, is none other than Li Zhenguo, a private-sector entrepreneur who hails from Longjiang and serves as Chairman of Mudanjiang Youbo Pharmaceutical. His entrepreneurial journey stands as a timeless case study—perfectly illustrating both unwavering commitment to innovation and masterful management of capital.

Ten years of refinement yield the "golden breed"—a perfect match for venture capital.

"Innovation" is prominently etched throughout the development history of Youbo.

Before the restructuring with Jiuzhitang in the early 1980s, despite severe funding shortages and extremely challenging research conditions, Li Zhenguo spent a grueling decade dedicated to scientific research. During this time, he successfully invented and developed Youbo Pharmaceutical’s flagship product—Shuxuetong Injection—which filled a critical gap in the national market, becoming the company’s exclusive offering in China. The innovation also earned him more than 20 domestic and international invention patents. Thanks to these groundbreaking technological advancements, Youbo Pharmaceutical has since gained the confidence and momentum needed for sustained growth and development.

Looking back on these "arduous yet lonely" ten years, Li Zhenguo reflects deeply, saying that, in fact, fate offers each of us equal opportunities. Starting as a veterinarian and dedicating the past decade to developing Shuxuetong—a testament to his unwavering commitment—is a pivotal chapter in his personal career journey. During this challenging decade, he received little encouragement from others: days were spent working tirelessly in the lab, while evenings back at his accommodation were often consumed by worrying about funding. Even when traveling to Beijing to file patent applications, he had to borrow money just to cover lodging and meals. Yet, it was through countless hardships and moments of solitude that he managed to persevere—and ultimately succeed.

How "amazing" is Li Zhenguo's decade-long "golden product," Shuxuetong? According to reports, at the time, the annual sales revenue of the company's Shuxuetong injection ranked among the top single-product sellers nationwide for pharmaceutical companies.

"Sometimes, the sudden difficulties and unexpected changes we encounter can actually become opportunities for a company's growth—they test the decision-making skills of business leaders. And that’s precisely why being able to adapt to changing circumstances becomes crucial," said Li Zhenguo. He added that the meeting between the company and capital was sparked by just such an unforeseen event. At the beginning of this century, the government introduced a policy mandating that all water-soluble injection manufacturers complete pharmaceutical GMP certification by the end of 2002. Achieving this certification required an investment of 35 million yuan—a significant hurdle for Youbo at the time. Yet, it was precisely this challenge that ultimately paved the way for Youbo to partner with venture capital investors."

In 2002, Youbo Pharmaceutical leveraged its nationally exclusive, high-quality, innovative product to collaborate with three companies under Heilongjiang ChenNeng Venture Capital Group, sparking a major transformation in its operational structure and mechanisms. As a result, the company successfully built a pharmaceutical factory that meets the latest GMP standards. This successful integration and seamless fusion with venture capital fundamentally reshaped Youbo’s corporate DNA, propelling it from a traditional pharmaceutical enterprise into a modern, forward-thinking organization equipped with robust financial acumen and the ability to harness capital effectively. Thanks to the powerful synergy of innovation and capital, Youbo has since entered a rapid growth trajectory—laying a solid foundation for even more remarkable achievements ahead.

Writing a Legend Through Backdoor Listing

Comprehensive integration drives a new leap forward

“When a company reaches a certain level of development, it must cultivate the ability to boldly and skillfully embrace innovation. Only then can it seize fleeting opportunities and drive transformative growth.” In 2015, Youbo Pharmaceutical acquired Jiuzhitang Co., Ltd., a listed company with over 300 years of brand heritage, through an asset restructuring. This strategic move positioned Youbo as the new custodian of the century-old Jiuzhitang brand, forging a powerful alliance between the two industry leaders. As a result, Youbo Pharmaceutical became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jiuzhitang, and its flagship product, Shuxuetong Injection, quickly rose to become one of Jiuzhitang’s core products in the company’s premier lineup—continuously boosting profits for Jiuzhitang and vividly demonstrating the immense value that innovation can bring.

Li Zhenguo said that the merger between Jiuzhitang and Youbo is like giving a century-old elder a young, healthy heart. Jiuzhitang’s 300-year-old cultural heritage, deeply rooted in tradition, seamlessly blends with Youbo Pharmaceutical’s relentless drive for innovation and its unwavering commitment to life sciences. This comprehensive integration—spanning product portfolios, distribution channels, and management philosophies—will serve as the powerful engine propelling Jiuzhitang toward a new era of growth and success.

The organic fusion of tradition and innovation is emerging as New Jiuzhitang’s strategic advantage and the foundation for its future growth. Li Zhenguo believes that health will be the dominant topic of the future. At its core, the true value of the century-old Jiuzhitang lies in its commitment to advancing human health. To achieve this, Jiuzhitang aims to build a robust platform within the greater health industry, enabling it to meet the needs of both partners and customers. On one hand, the company seeks to create value for its partners, helping them realize their personal and professional aspirations. On the other hand, Jiuzhitang is dedicated to delivering precise, timely, and high-quality health products and services that empower customers to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Li Zhenguo believes that the era of the Internet, IoT, big data, artificial intelligence, and 5G has already arrived—it’s an unstoppable wave of change! At Jiuzhitang, we not only aim to carry forward and enhance the brand’s longstanding value and strengths in Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbal remedies, but also strive to deliver health products and services of maximum value to humanity. This will be achieved by seamlessly integrating traditional medicine with precision medicine, while leveraging cutting-edge technological advancements to meet people’s increasingly sophisticated health needs. Guided by this strategic vision, Jiuzhitang has already begun mapping out an ambitious blueprint for expanding into broader, more innovative areas within the booming healthcare industry.

Capital + Innovation

Continuing the magnificent future of a 300-year-old enterprise

From founding Youbo to leading Jiuzhitang, Li Zhenguo has never wavered in his belief in innovation—and he’s never stopped pushing the boundaries of creativity.

In 2017, Jiuzhitang partnered with Beijing Kexin Med Biopharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. through a capital increase. The REMD-477 molecule currently under development represents the world's first-in-class, fully humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the glucagon receptor to enter clinical trials. If successfully developed, this groundbreaking antibody therapy will become the first globally to lower endogenous blood glucose levels (by inhibiting gluconeogenesis) by blocking the glucagon receptor pathway, offering a potential treatment for diabetes that could be administered as infrequently as once weekly or monthly—significantly improving the quality of life for diabetic patients. Over the past century, aside from insulin, virtually no new drugs have emerged to treat Type 1 diabetes, making this innovative product widely hailed within the industry as a "unicorn" in the field of diabetes therapeutics.

In 2018, Jiuzhitang turned its attention to the cutting-edge international field of bio-cell technology by establishing Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., Ltd. As the sole Chinese partner for stem cell technologies developed by the U.S.-based company Stemedica, the company began pursuing business opportunities related to stem cell research. Meanwhile, Jiuzhitang signed a "Joint Construction Agreement for a Stem Cell Clinical Research Base" with Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, jointly creating the "Jiuzhitang Maker Stem Cell Clinical Research Base at Beijing Tiantan Hospital," which has now been completed.

Additionally, the therapy using Stemedica stem cells for treating acute myocardial infarction has been approved by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health for commercialization, and the Jiuzhitang–ALTACO International Medical Center has been jointly established at the China-Kazakhstan Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center.

Currently, Jiuzhitang is dedicated to establishing industry standards in the domestic stem-cell drug sector and has already begun positioning itself as an industry leader.

"Companies have achieved a powerful alliance, and I’ve consistently urged the management team to play our strong hand effectively—leveraging the undeniable strengths of Jiuzhitang, a renowned Chinese medicine enterprise with over 300 years of history, to restore its vitality and once again position it at the forefront of the industry. At the heart of this innovative approach lies the seamless integration of traditional medicine with precision medicine." This development philosophy has once again placed Jiuzhitang at the cutting edge of the TCM-based health care industry.

Li Zhenguo said that the company is currently accelerating the rollout of its Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbal Medicine Centers, continuously exploring ways to seamlessly integrate traditional medicine with precision medicine. This effort aims to create comprehensive health solutions that span the entire lifecycle—from preventive care and wellness practices during the "pre-illness" stage, to treatment and rehabilitation in the "disease" phase—and cater to people across all age groups and diverse demographics. Ultimately, the goal is to deliver more effective, convenient, and trustworthy health products and services to the Chinese population, while also paving a pioneering path for innovative development within China's traditional Chinese medicine enterprises.

From the founder of Youbo Pharmaceutical to the leader of the newly established Jiuzhitang, innovation has long become a defining spirit deeply embedded in Li Zhenguo’s very being. Facing the complex and ever-changing landscape of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the increasingly stringent regulatory environment, Li Zhenguo firmly told reporters: "With the unwavering confidence of a guiding anchor and the unique vision to cut through the clouds, we will embrace the courage and boldness to ‘not fear fleeting clouds that obscure our view.’ Rooted in both cultural and strategic self-assurance, we’ll stay focused on doing what’s right—continuously strengthening our management practices while steadfastly executing our strategic initiatives. This approach will enable us to drive Jiuzhitang toward new heights of high-quality growth in this new era, ultimately propelling the company to achieve groundbreaking success through relentless innovation."