Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals
Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals is a trans-stellar conglomerate with origins on 21st century Earth. They are responsible for the invention of modern cloning techniques.
General
Official Title(s): Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, Zeng-Hu Medical Corporation, Zeng-Hu Corporate Conglomerate
Motto: Building a brighter future.
Headquarters: Oran, Isis, Epsilon Eridani
Official Languages: Tradeband, Tau Ceti Basic, Terran Mandarin
Influence
Epsilon Eridani: 6 pharmaceutical equipment manufacturing facilities on Isis; major DNA bank located on Isis; HQ located in capital city of Oran, Isis.
Tau Ceti: Granted jurisdiction by the Republic of Biesel over Fabrication Districts 17, 44, 82 and 83 on the planet of New Gibson; research and development facility located on Biesel; major DNA bank located on Biesel.
Sol: Research and development facility on Luna; major DNA bank located on Luna; research and development facility located on Titan, Saturn.
Sirius: Research and development station located in stable orbit; 3 manufacturing facilities located in stable orbit.
History
Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals was born from the merging of two companies on Earth in the year 2032: Mao Zeng Biotech, and Chi-Wan-Hu Incorporated. The company pioneered the way in the field of cryonics and cryogenics, manufacturing the first truly viable "cryopod" designed to safely house a human being during long-distance space travel. This proved instrumental during the colonization efforts of Mars and Luna. However, the success was relatively short-lived, as the economic hardships of the mid-22nd century hit the company hard. While never completely disappearing, the company was overshadowed by the rise of other corporations edging in on the field of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Zeng-Hu stayed in the background for years, though their continual innovations allowed them to stay somewhat competitive.
It wasn't until the year 2413, when the Skrell were first encountered, that the company was well and truly thrust back into the limelight. As with many other companies jockeying for positions from which they could benefit from the advanced technology of the Skrell, Zeng-Hu sent representatives to try and convince Skrellian scientists to establish joint cooperative research teams with their own scientists. However, unlike with the other corporations, whom most of the scientific community of the Skrell perceived as simply greedy, they were truly impressed by the vision and drive shown by the CEO Vanas Peng and his board of directors. After three years of cooperative research, the first viable example of cloning technology was created.
Zeng-Hu was quick to patent the techniques and equipment, and continued to advance in the newly created field of the cloning of sentient organisms. Techniques were developed that allowed clones to have direct copies of a subject's memories and personalities implanted in their psyche. While cloning technology was highly controversial when first introduced, it has since become an accepted and even promoted part of Human and Skrellian society.
Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals is now among the most powerful trans-stellar corporations present in the galaxy in the modern day. They have been able to increase their profits from cloning even further by owning the rights to all legitimate DNA banks in human space. Today, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals works closely with Nanotrasen Corporation through a series of mutually beneficial economic and research agreements. Zeng-Hu provides the newest advancements in cloning technology to Nanotrasen for use on their facilities, and Nanotrasen in turn loans their best researchers to assist Zeng-Hu with further advancement and development.
Subsidiaries
Bishop Cybernetics
Bishop Cybernetics is a relatively young subsidiary of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals on founded on Biesel in April of 2418. They specialize in innovations in biomechanical engineering with a focus on prosthetics and mechanical organs.
Without compromise
Influence
Epsilon Eridani: 4 major equipment manufacturing facilities on Isis.
Tau Ceti: Headquarters in Mendell City, Biesel and three research and development facilities on Biesel.
History
Bishop Cybernetics was founded on Biesel by Grant Bishop and Owen Harrison after both had dropped out of study at the Biesel Institute of Robotics to focus on business. Even though prosthetics wasn't a new field by any means, and it was mostly dominated by giants like Zeng-Hu and Hephaestus, Bishop felt there was room for innovation.
Bishop and Harrison both worked out of Bishop's personal pod bay for their first year, working to improve on the existing design for a mechanical prosthetic hand. They unveiled this new design at the annual Mendell City Innovation Conference and caught the attention of several investors with their flashy, sleek design with an integrated holo-watch, communications center and patented user interface with a haptic feedback enabled holodisplay called iTouch. Most notable about this first design was the fact its power draw was no greater than other designs already out there, despite running several different accessory modules.
After a wildly successful campaign spanning over ten years showcasing every iteration of their new prosthetics at every opportunity, Bishop Cybernetics opened their first major manufacturing facility on Isis in 2430. This drastically reduced the costs associated with production and allowed Bishop Cybernetics to become even more profitable.
The high-energy Grant Bishop still attends conferences and events, giving speeches and demonstrations, and often makes a point to show off his own prosthetic arms and eyes, which he has linked to his own home devices including his thermostat, doors, electrochromic windows and microwave. In 2456, Bishop suffered from heart failure, and underwent an operation to have a Bishop Cybernetics mechanical heart installed. He has since claimed to be "synthetic at heart," coming back from the operation to announce a new division of Bishop Cybernetics focusing on synthetic intelligence research.
Bishop Cybernetics' focus on power efficiency, luxury and innovation meant its niche market was composed mostly of technological enthusiasts and a number of transhumanist fanatics. This is, of course, not without controversy, especially among more traditionally-minded consumers skeptical of the radical ideas usually pushed by Bishop Cybernetics. The heavy regulation of prosthetic devices often means the most attention-grabbing products are meant for headlines only, kept behind red tape to never leave the showroom. Uncomfortable with Bishop's direction, Owen Harrison officially resigned from the company in December 2458.
The continued growth of Bishop Cybernetics has proven without a doubt that there is a small, but lucrative market for these big ideas and the controversy often stirred with Bishop's ideals has ensured they have a place in headlines on a yearly basis.
During the last conference held during a Ned Talk on Biesel in August 2459, Bishop shared the stage with a state-of-the-art IPC designated "Axiom." This IPC's frame was entirely Bishop, with a glass-encased hologram display for a face and a claimed internal battery life lasting for up to three weeks on standby. It isn't known when or even if this model will ever be approved for production.