10 Top Pharmaceutical Companies in Malaysia

Following are world’s 10 top health and pharmaceutical companies with presence in Malaysia. While many of them have major facilities and manufacturing plants in Malaysia, a few have representatives who drive the sales and marketing functions of the companies.

These are notable companies with strong reputation and strong background which are targeted by many top performers in the pharmaceutical industry. And you are probably one of them. The list is not according to any latest year end revenues or other merits but these companies have been consistently been in the world’s top rank for the past decade or so on many fronts.

Yes, they are all multinationals.

1. Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD)

The official name is Merck & Co. Inc but the company is more popularly known as MSD or Merck, Sharp and Dohme outside of its country of origin, United States. While it was established in the US, the entity belongs to a German giant known as Merck KGaA. The company ranks among the top 7 most profitable companies in the world, and set up its first Malaysia office in 1997.

2. Pfizer

If sales and revenue are taken into account, Pfizer tops the list. The New York based company produced high selling medicines and drugs which include the famous Viagra pills. Pfizer’s Malaysia operation started more than 40 years ago as a branch of a Singapore registered company. Today, the company employs more than 400 staff nationwide, scattered around in its HQ Shah Alam as well as in Penang, Ipoh, Melaka, Kota Bharu, Kuantan, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

3. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

GSK is a British based company producing healthcare, pharmaceutical and biological products with strong reputation on research and development (R&D) of broad range of pharmaceutical products covering anti infection, respiratory, metabolic, oncology and vaccines. GSK has been operating in the country for more than 50 years and today employs close to 600 people in its main facilities based in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

4. Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly, which was named after its founder, the late Colonel Eli Lilly has its global headquarter is based in Indiana, United States and has been in existence for more than 130 years. Eli is a Fortune 500 corporation with revenues in excess of USD15 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide and market its medicines in over 140 countries. The company also has major research and development facilities in nine countries.

5. Johnson & Johnson

Another American corporation, Johnson & Johnson is a massive entity comprising some 250 subsidiaries with its products sold in over 70% of the world’s countries. Some of its very popular range of brands include Johnson’s baby products, Netrogena, Clean & Clear and Acuvue contact lenses. J&J Malaysia operation is backed by a family of 5 subsidiaries, all located in Selangor.

6. Procter & Gamble (P&G)

Another Fortune 500 company, Procter & Gamble not only manufactures pharmaceutical products but also a broad range of other FMCG products including food, household and beauty products. In Malaysia, P&G also works closely with the Education Ministry to leverage help to disabled children and earlier this year, the company started an employee volunteer program where the employees commit to spend an average of 2 hours for volunteer initiative per week.

7. Wyeth

Since its inception 60 years ago, Wyeth has grown from a small laboratory into a leading pharmaceutical company and is well-known for its manufacturing of over-the-counter (OTC) prescription drugs for women’s care, neuroscience, vaccines musculo-skeletal disorder, oncology and others. The company boasts its presence with more than 50,000 workforce employed worldwide in more than 140 countries, including Malaysia.

8. Bayer

Bayer AG is a German-based company, and is the world’s third largest pharmaceutical company in terms of revenue. Bayer Malaysia supplies a diverse range of products and services, namely pharmaceuticals, materials, over-the-counter drugs, nutritional supplements, environmental health products, agrochemicals and veterinary products, and employs about 200 people nationwide.

9. Novartis

Novartis was created not long ago in 1996 out of a merger between 2 Swiss companies, which goes down as one of the largest mergers in the corporate history. The company employs a massive 100,000 workforce, with the pharmaceutical division focused on major areas including cardiovascular and metabolism, oncology & hematology, respiratory and immunology.

10. Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories, which was established by a practicing medical officer in the 19th century, today operates in more than 130 countries worldwide, employing close to 70,000 staff. Abbott Malaysia is headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor and specializes in medical nutrition, diabetes care, pediatric nutrition and consumer pharmaceutical and products.

Other posts you may want to read:

1. Johnson & Johnson to Cut 8,000 Jobs
2. J&J is the World’s Most Admired Pharmaceutical Company 2008
3. Toyota Named the World’s Most Reputable Company
4. Pharmaceutical Industry Looking Good
5. B Braun Penang to Expand
6. Pharmaceutical Industry to Grow
7. Eli Lilly to Cut 5,000 Jobs
8. Pharmacist Job in Demand in Malaysia

Author's bio: Zul is the founder and principal contributor for the SKOR Career blog. He is the author of two books, The Malaysian Job Seeker's Dilemma and Buat Duit Tanpa Kerja Makan Gaji (How to Make Money Without a Job), available in major book stores nationwide. You can reach him at zulkiflimusa[at]gmail.com.