CINPHARM SA
CINPHARM SA is a Cameroonian pharmaceutical manufacturer producing generic essential medicines (tablets, capsules, syrups, beta-lactam antibiotics, and large-volume IV solutions) for African public health programs, governments, and licensed-manufacturing partners from a WHO GMP-compliant facility in Douala.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersDouala, Cameroon
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CINPHARM SA does
CINPHARM SA (Compagnie Industrielle Pharmaceutique) is a privately held pharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Douala, Cameroon, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CADYST-Invest industrial group since 2007. The company operates a single integrated manufacturing complex organized into three segregated production units compliant with WHO Good Manufacturing Practices: a general formulation unit producing tablets, capsules, dry syrups, and liquid syrups; a dedicated beta-lactam antibiotics facility with isolated personnel, water, air handling, and quality control; and a large-volume parenteral solutions unit running BFS (Blow-Fill-Seal) technology. Annual installed capacities total roughly 1.2 billion tablets, 56 million capsules, 3 million dry syrups, 10 million liquid syrups, 280 million beta-lactam tablets, and 10 million IV flasks at 250ml and 500ml formats, supporting a portfolio of approximately 60 molecules focused on malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other essential medicines for African public health.
The technical backbone includes 59 HEPA-filtered air handling units, multi-technology pharmaceutical water purification with 44 sampling points, and two quality control laboratories built to 21 CFR Part 11 standards. Two hundred meters of environmental protection infrastructure — including a 30m boiler chimney, 59 air filtration centers, and a dedicated pharmaceutical wastewater treatment unit — support regulatory compliance. The facility was inaugurated on April 8, 2010 by the Minister of Health on behalf of the Prime Minister, marking Cameroon's first pharmaceutical laboratory fully compliant with international standards. Technology transfer and training have been delivered by India's Cipla, with capacity-building support from UNIDO and financial backing from Germany's DEG.
CINPHARM generates revenue through two streams: direct manufacturing and sale of generic essential medicines (médicaments essentiels génériques) at a stated target of less than $1 per patient per day, and a licensed manufacturing partnership platform open to international laboratories seeking African-market production under technology transfer. Primary customers are African healthcare systems, government health programs (notably the Cameroon Ministry of Health, for which CINPHARM serves as a public health policy implementation tool), and international pharmaceutical laboratories. The company is led by President and Director General Célestin Tawamba and operates as the reference pharmaceutical laboratory in Sub-Saharan Africa by its own positioning.
CINPHARM SA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CINPHARM SA
- Legal name
- Compagnie Industrielle Pharmaceutique (CINPHARM)
- Website
- https://cinpharm.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- CINPHARM SA is a Cameroonian pharmaceutical manufacturer producing generic essential medicines (tablets, capsules, syrups, beta-lactam antibiotics, and large-volume IV solutions) for African public health programs, governments, and licensed-manufacturing partners from a WHO GMP-compliant facility in Douala.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CINPHARM SA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Generic Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contract Development & Manufacturing for Generics (CDMO/CMO) (HLAIABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- GMP Quality, Validation & Regulatory Support (GMP/CSV/Qualification) (HLAGAGAL), Government & Public-Sector Pharmaceutical Supply (Tender/Prime Vendor) (HLAIAJAF), GMP Scale-Up, Tech Transfer & Process Validation (PPQ) (HLAGAHAL)
Keywords
Where CINPHARM SA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Douala
- HQ country
- Cameroon
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
CINPHARM SA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Generic Pharmaceutical Products: Manufacturing and sale of generic essential medicines (médicaments essentiels génériques - MEG) targeting malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis treatment. Production covers approximately 60 molecules across various dosage forms including tablets, capsules, syrups, and large volume solutions.
- Licensed Manufacturing Partnerships: Open platform for partnerships with international laboratories desiring to manufacture medications under license, offering technology transfer and manufacturing capabilities
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
CINPHARM SA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CINPHARM manufactures generic essential medicines (médicaments essentiels génériques — MEG) targeting malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis through three distinct WHO GMP-compliant production units: Formulation Générale (tablets, capsules, syrups), Antibiotiques Bétalactamines (dedicated beta-lactam facility), and Solutés massifs (large volume IV solutions via BFS technology). Beyond manufacturing its own ~60-molecule portfolio, the company operates as an open platform offering technology transfer and licensed contract manufacturing for international pharmaceutical laboratories.
Product overview
CINPHARM SA operates a pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Douala, Cameroon with three distinct production units: Formulation Générale (tablets, capsules, syrups), Antibiotiques Bétalactamines (dedicated beta-lactam antibiotics facility), and Solutés massifs (large volume IV solutions using BFS technology). The company produces generic essential medicines (MEG) and offers itself as an open platform for licensing partnerships with other pharmaceutical laboratories. The site includes two quality control laboratories (21 CFR/2 compliant) and an environmental protection unit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Formulation Générale (General Formulation Unit) General formulation production unit equipped to produce solid oral dosage forms including tablets (1,200 million units/year), dry syrups (3 million units/year), and liquid syrups (10 million units/year). Features 2 granulation rooms (one with explosion-proof system) and 2 compression rooms with high-capacity rotary tablet presses. Designed for WHO GMP compliance and serves as the primary unit for general therapeutic generic medicines.
- Antibiotiques Bétalactamines (Beta-lactam Antibiotics Unit) Dedicated beta-lactam antibiotic production unit with fully segregated facilities, equipment, personnel, water treatment, air handling, and a dedicated quality control laboratory. Production capacity of 280 million tablets and 56 million capsules per year. Includes dedicated changing rooms with air shower exit system and special air treatment with water purification to prevent cross-contamination.
- Solutés massifs (Large Volume Parenteral Solutions Unit) Large volume parenteral solutions (IV fluids) production unit with installed capacity of 10 million 250ml and 500ml flasks per year using BFS (Blow-Fill-Seal) technology with pharmaceutical grade B and A zone filling. Features stainless steel 316L tanks, 2-micron and 0.22-micron filtration, nitrogen pressure transfer, and autoclave sterilization for injectable-grade solutions.
- Médicaments Génériques (Generic Medicines Portfolio) Portfolio of approximately 60 pharmaceutical molecules producing a varied range of generic essential medicines (MEG) adapted to African public health challenges and emerging pandemics. Therapeutic focus areas include malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis treatments, with products manufactured across all three CINPHARM production units in various dosage forms.
- Licensed Manufacturing Partnerships (Technology Transfer Platform) Open partnership platform offering international pharmaceutical laboratories technology transfer and licensed manufacturing services using CINPHARM's GMP-compliant facilities and expertise. Designed to enable international partners to manufacture medications under license for African markets, leveraging CINPHARM's WHO GMP certification and quality infrastructure.
Companies that use CINPHARM SA
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CINPHARM SA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
CINPHARM SA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- CADYST-InvestcoreCADYST-Invest is the parent industrial group that acquired CINPHARM as a subsidiary in 2007. The group provided the vision and investment strength for establishing the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Cameroon.
- UNIDO (Onudi)coreThe United Nations Industrial Development Organization contributed to the training of CINPHARM's collaborators, supporting capacity building for pharmaceutical manufacturing expertise.
- Republic of CamerooncoreThe Cameroon government supported and facilitated CINPHARM's investment program. CINPHARM serves as an implementation tool for the government's public health policy.
- CiplacoreIndian pharmaceutical company Cipla provides technology transfer and training to CINPHARM, enabling the development of pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.
- Fondation ChiracsupportingThe scientific committee is sponsored by Pr Gentilini of the Fondation Chirac. Pr Gentilini served as President of the French Red Cross and General Delegate for access to quality medicines at Fondation Chirac.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CINPHARM SA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sanofi: Global pharmaceutical major with significant African generics and vaccines presence via its Sanofi Global Health unit. Important adjacent incumbent shaping African essential medicines tenders and partnership opportunities relevant to CINPHARM's licensing model.
- Emcure Pharmaceuticals: Indian global generic pharmaceutical manufacturer with significant emerging markets and Africa exposure across antimalarials, ARVs, and essential medicines. Comparable high-volume low-cost generic business model targeting African and other emerging market tenders.
- Aspen Pharmacare: Largest African pharmaceutical manufacturer, headquartered in South Africa, with broad generic essential medicines, ARVs, and sterile manufacturing capacity. Aspirational reference peer for CINPHARM's ambition to be the reference pharma lab in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Strides Pharma Science Limited: Indian global generic pharmaceutical company with strong Africa-focused ARV and essential medicines franchise and WHO prequalifications. Closely mirrors CINPHARM's product focus and partnership-style business model.
- Cipla: Indian global generic pharmaceutical major and CINPHARM's explicit technology transfer partner. Cipla is the most directly comparable peer as a high-volume, low-cost generic manufacturer with deep Africa exposure — the very model CINPHARM emulates at smaller scale.
Regional players
- Fidson Healthcare Plc: Nigeria-listed pharmaceutical manufacturer producing generic essential medicines across therapeutic categories with multiple production lines. Comparable as a West/Central African local generic manufacturer competing for similar public-sector and regional tenders.
- May & Baker Nigeria Plc: Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer with diversified generic essential medicines portfolio across tablets, capsules, syrups, and injectables. Regional West African peer with similar scale, multi-unit production, and public-sector tender focus.
- Universal Corporation Ltd: Kenyan pharmaceutical manufacturer producing generic essential medicines, antimalarials, and ARVs for East African markets. Regional African generic manufacturer with similar scale, product breadth, and WHO-aligned positioning as CINPHARM.
- Addis Pharmaceutical Factory: Ethiopian state-affiliated generic pharmaceutical manufacturer producing essential medicines for domestic and export markets. Comparable as an African local generic manufacturer serving a domestic public health mandate with multiple production units.
Direct peers
- Quality Chemical Industries Limited: Uganda-based WHO-prequalified generic pharmaceutical manufacturer, also established with Cipla technology transfer and donor-aligned product portfolio (including antimalarials and ARVs). CINPHARM's closest structural peer in East/Central Africa in terms of origin story, partnership model, and product focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CINPHARM SA social profiles
Digital presenceCINPHARM SA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
CINPHARM SA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CINPHARM SA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CINPHARM SA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CINPHARM SA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CINPHARM SA
What does CINPHARM SA do?
CINPHARM manufactures generic essential medicines (médicaments essentiels génériques — MEG) targeting malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis through three distinct WHO GMP-compliant production units: Formulation Générale (tablets, capsules, syrups), Antibiotiques Bétalactamines (dedicated beta-lactam facility), and Solutés massifs (large volume IV solutions via BFS technology). Beyond manufacturing its own ~60-molecule portfolio, the company operates as an open platform offering technology transfer and licensed contract manufacturing for international pharmaceutical laboratories.
Is CINPHARM SA a public or private company?
CINPHARM SA is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CINPHARM SA founded?
CINPHARM SA was founded in 2006. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is CINPHARM SA based?
CINPHARM SA is headquartered in Douala, Cameroon, in the Africa region.
How does CINPHARM SA make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Generic Pharmaceutical Products are the primary driver. The others are licensed Manufacturing Partnerships.
Who are CINPHARM SA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sanofi, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Aspen Pharmacare, Strides Pharma Science Limited and Cipla. Regional players are Fidson Healthcare Plc, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Universal Corporation Ltd and Addis Pharmaceutical Factory. Quality Chemical Industries Limited is listed as a direct peer.
Does CINPHARM SA have an API?
No public API is recorded for CINPHARM SA.
What industry is CINPHARM SA in?
CINPHARM SA's product category is Generic Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIABAI, Contract Development & Manufacturing for Generics (CDMO/CMO), with a secondary code of HLAGAGAL, GMP Quality, Validation & Regulatory Support (GMP/CSV/Qualification). Its NAICS code is 325412 and its SIC code is 2834.