(Yicai Global) Dec. 13 -- Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Junshi Biosciences has opened its new plant in the Lingang New Area of Shanghai's free trade zone, greatly enhancing the drugmaker's capacity to manufacture innovative tumor treatments, the Shanghai Observer reported.

After two years under construction, the factory is Junshi's second manufacturing base in China. The first phase, which has just opened, has a capacity of 30,000 liters of injectable fluids, 10 times more than the original plant, the report said.

The new factory will trial production of a pair of self-developed innovative drugs. One is an injectable anti-PD-1 monoclonal-antibody medicine that is used to treat melanomas that cannot be removed or could spread. It kills tumors by activating the patients' own immune system. This is a brand-new concept developed by Junshi and is very different from conventional cures, the report said.

It was the first medicine of this sort to gain approval from the China Food and Drug Administration, which it obtained last December. The drug started to hit the shelves nationwide in February. As of the end of June, sales had already reached CNY308 million (USD44 million), reflecting huge demand.

The Shanghai-based company has a large portfolio of products, including 18 innovative drugs and two biological generic medicines, that are currently being developed, said Chief Quality Officer Wang Gang. The Lingang plant will start commercial production of more types of drugs in the future.

Lingang New Area was included in Shanghai's free trade zone in August. As such, it offers internationally recognized standards such as free import and export of commodities, facilitated capital flows and improved connectivity with overseas regions. US electric vehicle maker Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory has just opened in the area.