Kazakhstan Seeks to Reduce Dependence on Imported Medicines with New Pharmaceutical Plants

Kazakhstan plans to begin producing almost 500 types of medicine domestically by 2034 under eight investment projects worth approximately $862 million, the Health Ministry said on November 3. The projects are expected to create more than 1,200 jobs and reduce the country's dependence on imported medicines. Production will begin in stages, with the first 300 medicines scheduled for 2027–2030 and another 194 to follow by 2034. The projects cover medicines for cancer, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, infections, rare conditions, and diabetes. Investment agreements have been signed with eight companies, including Chimpharm, Nobel, Rompharm, Abdi Ibrahim Global Pharm, and Steppe Pharmaceuticals. According to the Ministry of Health, Kazakhstan's pharmaceutical market reached $2.84 billion in 2025. Domestically manufactured pharmaceuticals and medical devices accounted for just 15% of the market by value that year, virtually unchanged from 15.1% in 2024. By contrast, Kazakhstani manufacturers now account for 42% of medicine packages sold, according to the ministry. This suggests that local manufacturers have a stronger presence by volume than by value. At a government meeting on November 3, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov called for a shift from basic filling and packaging to full-cycle pharmaceutical manufacturing, including the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. This will require investment in specialized equipment, technical expertise, and quality-control systems. Kazakhstan currently has 43 companies producing medicines, while another 166 manufacture medical devices. One of the planned facilities will be built by Steppe Pharmaceuticals in the Alatau Special Economic Zone near Almaty. The approximately $67 million project is designed to produce 20 medicines, including treatments for cancer and rare diseases. Operations are scheduled to begin in 2031, with full capacity expected in 2032 and full-cycle production across key product lines planned for 2034. Nonetheless, domestic pharmaceutical output has already been increasing. Between January and August 2026, production reached $346 million, up 30% from the same period in 2025. Over the past two years, investment in the industry has increased 3.3-fold, while exports have risen 1.9-fold. Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and Moldova are the main buyers of Kazakhstani pharmaceutical products. Kazakhstan also plans to speed up the registration of imported medicines. A 15-working-day procedure has been introduced for products from countries with established pharmaceutical regulatory systems. So far, 16 medicines and medical devices from the United States, Germany, France, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and South Korea have been registered through this process. Registration has also begun for more than 112 previously unregistered medicines procured by the state-run centralized distributor. These include treatments for patients with serious and rare diseases.

Kyrgyzstan Plans $1 Billion Pharmaceutical Industrial Park

A $1 billion pharmaceutical industrial park is planned in Kyrgyzstan as the country seeks to expand domestic drug production in a market still dominated by imports. The National Investment Agency signed a memorandum on the project with 21st Century Biomedicine on September 29. The full-cycle complex is planned for a 20-hectare site and would be developed in three stages over six years. The park is expected to include a research center, drug-production facilities, a medical devices center, and a business incubator. Less is known about 21st Century Biomedicine itself. The company has little visible public profile, and no clear record of previous pharmaceutical projects appears in publicly available sources. Kyrgyz reports say Bishkek-based MedPharm Consulting will provide organizational, technical, and legal support for the development. The proposal comes amid growing Chinese interest in Kyrgyzstan’s pharmaceutical sector. In December 2024, the government approved an investment agreement for a Kyrgyz-Chinese pharmaceutical project led by Standard Pharm Group, with planned investment of more than $41 million. Chinese investors have since discussed further projects, including a pharmaceutical plant using locally grown medicinal herbs. Drug production at the proposed industrial park is planned to comply with the Eurasian Economic Union’s Good Manufacturing Practice standards, which set common requirements for pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality control across Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Meeting those standards would be one requirement for exporting medicines within the EAEU. According to the National Investment Agency, domestic production currently covers around 4% of Kyrgyzstan’s pharmaceutical needs. If the park is completed, the project is expected to raise the country’s pharmaceutical self-sufficiency to 25–30%. The proposed development is also expected to create 2,500–3,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs. Kyrgyzstan remains heavily dependent on foreign medicines. In November 2025, a Health Ministry official said that imports accounted for around 97% of medicines sold in the country, with domestic producers supplying about 3%. The authorities are seeking to develop domestic production while also expanding infrastructure for storing and distributing medicines. In September, construction began in Bishkek on a state pharmaceutical warehouse and logistics complex for Kyrgyzpharmatsiya, the state enterprise responsible for centralized procurement of medicines and medical supplies for public healthcare institutions. The new facility, worth around $7.4 million, is intended to improve the storage and nationwide distribution of pharmaceuticals. For now, however, the proposed $1 billion pharmaceutical park remains at the memorandum stage.