This month marks Hauppauge-based A&Z Pharmaceutical’s 30th anniversary. And though it has grown steadily over the years, the company’s mission has stayed the same: working diligently to create life-changing therapies.
“We all know how vital health is for our individual well-being and for our society,” says A&Z Pharmaceutical CEO Emma Li Xu. “Having witnessed the impact of these therapies on countless lives, I feel a deep sense of responsibility and find my own sense of purpose and fulfillment in this work. It is what has driven me for the past 30 years.”
Growing up in a healthcare family — her father was a pharmacist; her mother, a medical doctor — Li Xu was naturally inclined towards the healthcare field. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Montclair State University and a master’s degree in finance from Long Island University. While continuing to run her business, she studied and obtained an Executive MBA at NYU Stern School of Business.
“Both of my parents spent their careers in medicine and healthcare, and their knowledge and passion have been passed down to me,” says Li Xu, who is carrying that legacy forward, shaping the future of the company with her son, Erwin Li, by her side. “My work is not just a job; it’s a calling that has shaped my life.”
A BOON TO THE LI ECONOMY
When it opened in 1995 in Hauppauge, A&Z Pharmaceutical became the first mainland Chinese manufacturing company of any kind in New York State. A leading manufacturer in the global pharmaceutical and growing supplement market, A&Z has built its success on manufacturing premium quality products in the U.S. and selling them to China.
“We are proud to have created nearly 200 jobs on Long Island and to have made a positive impact on the economy,” says Li Xu. “We are grateful for the support from Empire State Development and the Hauppauge Industrial Association, which provided excellent services and incentive programs to support us, and we look forward to continuing our growth and engagement with local initiatives and partnerships.”
As A&Z Pharmaceutical begins to expand into manufacturing prescription drugs, Li Xu plans to hire yet more staff to handle the additional work.
Another aspect of A&Z’s business is offering clients access to their 175,000-square-foot Hauppauge facility to develop a single product or an entire high volume product line, as well as providing end to end services — handling the entire lifecycle of a product from the initial design to delivery — to customers for manufacturing high quality custom products, from research and development to manufacturing, packaging and distribution.
Throughout its history, A&Z Pharmaceutical has been a cGMP-certified business, referring to the Current Good Manufacturing Practices regulations enforced by the FDA, which ensures the identity, strength, quality and purity of drug products.
FROM SUPPLEMENTS TO RX DRUGS
A&Z’s flagship product, the award-winning D-Cal calcium supplement, is the only calcium supplement recommended by the China Healthy Birth Science Association. D-Cal is also recognized as No. 1 in the China Customer Satisfaction Index for pharmaceuticals and health supplements. In addition to China, the product is available in the United States and throughout Asia.
Over its three decades in business, A&Z Pharmaceutical has maintained its core values of understanding both the Chinese and American markets to meet its customers’ needs.
“We have a good understanding of the resources that benefit our business,” Li Xu says. “We take pride in our ability to adapt and grow while maintaining a strong commitment to our values.”
Beginning with the manufacture of over-the-counter products which were sold to China, A&Z Pharmaceutical has expanded to the U.S. market.
“With a solid technical and financial foundation, our business is now progressing to making prescription drugs,” Li Xu says.
THE FUTURE: GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION
As the first manufacturer created with Chinese investment in New York State, A&Z Pharmaceutical has grown significantly and, at the same, remained local, employing local people, paying taxes, and exporting U.S. manufactured products to China.
In the future, the company will continue to expand its product lines and develop new sales channels, with a particular focus on the U.S. market.
“We have been very successful in selling our products to Asia and Europe,” says Li Xu. “Now I see the U.S. market as the area of growth for my business and I am confident that we will sell our products nationally as successfully as we sell overseas.”
Despite its estimable success and continual growth and expansion, A&Z Pharmaceutical remains true to its founding business model.
“We take pride in our ability to adapt and grow while maintaining a strong commitment to our values,” says Li Xu, adding, “Our business has been thriving, and we believe the best years are yet to come.”
A&Z Pharmaceutical, Inc., is located at 350 Wireless Blvd., Hauppauge; 631-952-3802. For more information, go to azpharmaceutical.com
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