Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group, or SPGC, knows that Big Pharma is big business. One of China's largest pharmaceutical companies, SPGC makes over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, prescription drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), biopharmaceuticals, and traditional Chinese medicine. The vertically-integrated company distributes its wares and owns more than 1,000 retail locations. SPGC sells drugs in 30 countries from five foreign offices. Its R&D facility, Central Research Institute, operates 10 centers across China. In 1996 many small producers, including Sine, Dragon & Tiger, and Pioneer, merged to form SPGC.