HKPC Appointed as Technical Consultant for JMP’s “NIAS” Project Empowering Enterprise for Smart Manufacturing and Enhancing New Productive Forces

(Hong Kong, 10 September 2025) The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is pleased to be officially appointed as the technical consultant for the “New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme” (NIAS) project of Jean-Marie Pharmacal Co., Ltd. (“JMP”, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited (stock code: 2633)), providing comprehensive technical assessment and recommendations on smart manufacturing to complement JMP’s new facility development. The signing ceremony took place at Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited, marking the establishment of a strategic partnership between HKPC and JMP. This collaboration aims to jointly promote the development of Hong Kong's life and health technology industry, representing a significant milestone in the city’s journey toward new industrialisation.

Under this collaboration, HKPC will provide tailored evaluation and recommendations to JMP on facility and production line layout, smart system design and specifications, and assist in system delivery, commissioning, and validation. Drawing on its expertise in AI and robotics, HKPC will work alongside JMP to customise seven smart production lines for oral solid dosage packaging, leveraging advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies to enhance production efficiency and quality control standards. To enable autonomous adaptation to complex pharmaceutical packaging, the new smart production lines will innovatively incorporate embodied AI, utilising environmental perception algorithms and flexible robotic arm control to support flexible manufacturing. HKPC will also advise on the development of a mobile robotics solution to assist JMP in automating warehouse and material distribution processes, supporting the company’s transformation and upgrade.

The project is set to commence within this year, with the production lines expected to undergo trial production and operation by the end of 2028. The total budget for this project is approximately HK$600 million, with an estimated funding amount of approximately HK$200 million from the NIAS.

Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC, said, “As a market-driven international research and development (R&D) organisation, HKPC has been actively supporting the HKSAR Government’s strategic initiatives to develop the life and health technology industry through the NIAS. By establishing smart production lines in Hong Kong, we aim to promote synergies across the upstream and downstream industrial chains with ‘Hong Kong R&D’ and ‘Made in Hong Kong’ products, thereby facilitating Hong Kong’s new industrialisation. JMP is one of Hong Kong's leading pharmaceutical companies. HKPC is delighted to embark on this strategic partnership with our complementary strengths, which is the prime example of ‘Hong Kong Got Industries’. Leveraging world-leading innovative technologies and our rich experience in fully supporting enterprises to realise new productive forces, HKPC will empower JMP to achieve a landmark breakthrough in smart manufacturing. Together, we will accelerate the development of Hong Kong’s life and health industry ecosystem and bolster Hong Kong to be an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre.”

Mr Derek SUM, Chairman and CEO of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited, said, “Our new manufacturing facility in Tai Po InnoPark becoming the first project supported by the ‘New Industrialisation Vetting Committee’ under ‘NIAS’ not only represents a major step made by JMP in business development, but also marks a milestone in advancement of Hong Kong’s healthcare innovation sector. We are so pleased to have HKPC as a strategic partner, whose proven expertise in smart manufacturing, particularly in embodied intelligence, AI, and robotics, will strengthen our transformation and upgrade. We firmly believe this project will serve as an example of intelligent development for the life and health technology industry in Hong Kong, helping strengthen the city’s competitiveness in the innovative technology realm. At Jacobson, we will remain committed to our mission of ‘Improving People’s Health’ by providing high-quality and cost-effective medicines to meet the needs of patients and serve the community.”

JMP has unique and extensive expertise in eye drop production. It is one of the pioneer pharmaceutical companies in Hong Kong certified by PIC/S GMP for manufacturing sterile eye drops and injectable medicines.. With a strong track record of translating R&D into commercial applications, JMP has advanced the development of diversified, complex, and specialty drugs. JMP is one of the major suppliers of essential and specialty medicines to both the public and private healthcare sectors, and is dedicated to fulfilling the unmet needs of the healthcare professionals and patients.

Since 2022, HKPC has been providing technical R&D support to various pharmaceutical companies under Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited, offering consultation and advisory services for the customisation of multiple smart production lines in Hong Kong. HKPC is a key partner of the HKSAR Government in promoting new productive forces and new industrialisation. Leveraging HKPC’s scientific research and technological strengths and with the support of the I&T Fund (including the “NIAS” and “NIFS”), HKPC will provide comprehensive support for the industry to set up smart production lines in Hong Kong. HKPC will also offer technologies, FutureSkills training, and other resources to the SMEs in Hong Kong, to enhance their competitiveness and create added value, jointly demonstrating “Hong Kong Got Industries” and rebranding “Made in Hong Kong”.

For more information on “New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme”, please click here to visit the HKPC website, dial (852) 2788 5678, or email nifs@hkpc.org.

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Witnessed by Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC (left in the back row) and Mr Derek SUM, Chairman and CEO of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited (right in the back row), the strategic partnership agreement was signed by Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC (left in the front row) and Mr Raymond YIM, Executive Director of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited (right in the front row), at Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited in Hong Kong.

(All Executives) From left to right: Mr Chuck FUNG, General Manager of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Division of HKPC, Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC, Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC, Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC, Mr Derek SUM, Chairman and CEO of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited, Mr Raymond YIM, Executive Director of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited, Dr Celine CHENG, Chief Compliance and Technology Officer of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited, and Mr Ivan SUEN, Vice President - Engineering Service of Jacobson Pharma Corporation Limited