Core Viewpoint - The National Market Supervision Administration of China has imposed administrative penalties on four pharmaceutical companies for engaging in a monopoly agreement, resulting in a total fine exceeding 362 million yuan [1][2]. Group 1: Companies Involved - The companies involved in the monopoly agreement are Tianjin Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd. (津药药业), Zhejiang Xianju Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (仙琚制药), Jiangsu Lianhuan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (联环药业), and Xi'an Guokang Ruijin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (国康瑞金制药) [1]. - Among these, Lianhuan Pharmaceutical, Tianjin Pharmaceutical, and Xianju Pharmaceutical hold the approval for the injection of dexamethasone phosphate sodium and have undergone consistency evaluation [2]. Group 2: Penalties and Financial Impact - The total fines imposed include 500,000 yuan on the individual responsible, confiscation of illegal gains, and an 8% fine on the previous year's sales for the four companies, amounting to approximately 355 million yuan [2]. - For Lianhuan Pharmaceutical, the penalty represents 2.83% of the company's audited revenue and 72.53% of the net profit attributable to shareholders for the most recent fiscal year [2]. - The penalty will reduce the net profit attributable to shareholders for Lianhuan Pharmaceutical by approximately 61.0382 million yuan for the fiscal year 2025 [2]. Group 3: Market Impact - The companies coordinated to raise the price of dexamethasone phosphate sodium from 8,000 yuan per kilogram to 13,000 yuan between February 2022 and March 2024, significantly restricting market competition and increasing healthcare costs for consumers [1].

Group 1 - The company involved is Tianjin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., which is engaged in the production of pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, cosmetics, and food additives [1][2] - The company and its representatives are accused of violating the Anti-Monopoly Law by engaging in monopolistic behavior with competitors [2][3] - The investigation was initiated based on a tip-off from the State Administration for Market Regulation, leading to a formal inquiry into the company's practices [2][3] Group 2 - The primary product involved is Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate, a key raw material for producing Dexamethasone injection, which is used for treating various inflammatory diseases and has been included in COVID-19 treatment protocols [4][6] - The company, along with three other competitors, was found to have a direct competitive relationship in the production and sale of this raw material [6][7] Group 3 - Evidence indicates that the company participated in a price-fixing agreement for Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate, which included a meeting on November 20, 2021, to discuss price increases and the cessation of price competition [7][8] - The company raised the price of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate from 9,000 yuan per kilogram to 13,800 yuan per kilogram in February 2022, following the agreement [7][9] Group 4 - The company reported illegal earnings of 42,764,400 yuan from the price-fixing activities [9] - Following the investigation, the company applied for leniency and began to lower prices in June 2024, indicating a willingness to rectify its actions [10][13] Group 5 - The administrative penalties imposed include the confiscation of illegal earnings and a fine based on the company's sales revenue, with a total penalty amounting to 69,192,350.36 yuan [13][14] - The company's general manager, Liu Xin, was also fined 600,000 yuan for personal responsibility in the monopolistic practices [15]

每经记者｜甄素静 每经编辑｜文多 2021年末至2024年3月，四家公司因联合以垄断协议形式变更、固定地塞米松磷酸钠原料药价格，整个过程中，致使上述原料药售价从每公斤数千元提升至 每公斤上万元。近日，四家公司相继被处罚或收到行政处罚告知书，企业被罚及拟被罚金额合计超3.5亿元。 为何津药药业、联环药业可以减免部分罚款？记者了解到，主要是因为仙琚制药、西安国康瑞金在天津市市场监管委开展调查后，未提交宽大申请，不存在 宽大情节（西安国康瑞金在陈述申辩环节提出申辩意见，但未被采纳）。而津药药业在天津市市场监管委开展调查后，第一个提交宽大申请，公司报告了达 成垄断协议的有关情况并提供重要证据。 图片来源：视觉中国-VCG211188000714 郭某组织四家企业达成并实施垄断协议 据天津市市场监管委调查，在当事人郭某的组织下，具有竞争关系的津药药业、仙琚制药、联环药业和西安国康瑞金共同实施了违反"反垄断法"的违法行 为。 据悉，地塞米松磷酸钠原料药是生产地塞米松磷酸钠注射液的主要原材料。地塞米松磷酸钠注射液是一种肾上腺皮质激素类药，主要用于过敏性与自身免疫 性炎症性疾病，同时被证明对新冠肺炎重症病人具有疗效，该药因此 ...

Core Viewpoint - Xianju Pharmaceutical is facing an administrative penalty of approximately 200 million yuan for allegedly engaging in a monopoly agreement related to the pricing of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate raw materials, as disclosed in its annual report [1][6]. Group 1: Administrative Penalty Details - The Tianjin Municipal Market Supervision Administration has issued a notice indicating that Xianju Pharmaceutical is suspected of reaching and implementing a monopoly agreement by fixing and changing the price of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate raw materials [1][6]. - The proposed administrative penalty includes the confiscation of illegal gains amounting to 23.75 million yuan and a fine of 172 million yuan, which is 8% of the company's sales in 2023, totaling approximately 195 million yuan [6]. - Xianju Pharmaceutical has acknowledged the expected liabilities and related losses in its financial statements for 2024, in accordance with the administrative penalty notice [6]. Group 2: Market Context and Impact - Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate is widely used in clinical treatments for allergic and autoimmune inflammatory diseases, with sales in Chinese public medical institutions reaching nearly 1.2 billion yuan in 2023, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 59.27% [6]. - The sales figure for Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate was less than 400 million yuan in 2021, indicating significant growth in demand [6]. - Xianju Pharmaceutical's total revenue for 2024 is reported at 4 billion yuan, a decrease of 2.98% year-on-year, with net profit declining by 29.46% to 397 million yuan, attributed partly to the impact of national centralized drug procurement on its products, including Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate [8]. Group 3: Regulatory Environment - The case is currently in the administrative penalty notification stage, and the Tianjin Municipal Market Supervision Administration has stated that the details will be publicly disclosed after the case is processed [10]. - Previous cases of pharmaceutical companies facing penalties for monopolistic practices highlight a growing regulatory scrutiny in the industry, with significant fines imposed on companies for similar violations [9].