Kazakhstan has sharply expanded its pharmaceutical industry, with production volumes rising 37% over the past three years to reach 191 billion tenge, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of the Government. Growth continues in 2026: in the first half of the year, medicines and medical products worth 126.6 billion tenge were manufactured, which is almost 30% more than a year before.
The Prime Minister’s office reports that 209 companies are now engaged in pharmaceutical and medical production nationwide, including 43 drug‑manufacturing enterprises. As of August 2026, domestic products account for 40.3% of output in physical terms. Domestic companies have registered 2,994 types of medicines and medical devices, ranging from antibiotics and cardiovascular drugs to painkillers, anti‑inflammatories, and treatments for central nervous system disorders.
A long‑term procurement mechanism is also being developed. At the start of 2026, 83 contracts were in force with 31 domestic producers covering 2,022 product names, giving companies more predictable demand and enabling capacity planning, expansion, and new product launches.
All medicines comply with GMP standards. International pharmaceutical giants, such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Roche are participating in projects to localize production and transfer technology to Kazakhstan. Investment in the sector surged by 56% in 2025 to $142.8 million, with another $7.1 million attracted in the first quarter of 2026.
Eight major projects are underway on presidential instruction to build and expand pharmaceutical facilities. Their launch will enable the domestic production of more than 494 medicines, including treatments for cancer, cardiovascular, autoimmune, rare, infectious diseases, and diabetes.
Earlier, it was reported that cancer screening coverage has been expanded in Kazakhstan to 41.7%.