Many pharmaceutical companies in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region are now operating at their full capacity to produce Xinjiang featured medicines to help support Wuhan, the center of the novel coronavirus epidemic in the fight against the disease.

"The outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus affects the hearts of the people from all over the country, and pharmaceutical manufacturers should spare no effort to help prevent and control the outbreak of the deadly disease," said Duan Jiangtao, a senior executive of Xinjiang Yinduolan Uighur Medicine Co Ltd.

Duan's company has donated more than 3 million yuan ($428,455) worth of locally-produced medicine called Compound Yizhihao Granulesto hospitals in Central China's Hubei province on Jan 27.

"The medicines have been sent to hospitals in Wuhan and used by front-line medical staff to fight against the novel coronavirus," he said.

Duan's company is not alone in Xinjiang in competing to donate medicines.

Hu Tian, chairman of Alixan Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, said companies should join hands to fight against the novel coronavirus.

Chen Weicheng, deputy director of the marketing department at Xinjiang Xinqikang Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, said the first batch of more than 20 cases of medicines his company donated has been delivered to and used by Wuhan Union Hospital.

"The second batch of medicines that my company and another pharmaceutical company Huashidan jointly donated has also been sent to major hospitals in Wuhan and Shanghai on Feb 2," Chen said.

The second batch of medicines is valued at more than 1 million yuan ($142,865), he added.

"The company is now producing relevant medicines to meet the demands to help fight against the novel coronavirus," said Liang Banghua, chairman of Xinjiang Huashidan Pharmaceutical Co Ltd.

The company has donated more than 1 million yuan($142,865) worth of medicines to major hospitals in Wuhan.

According to local medical experts, the Xinjiang-featured medicines, including Compound Yizhihao Granules, garlic soft capsule, zukam granules, cold asthma zupa granules and xipa gingival fluid, have a special effect in curing pneumonia, flu, fever, and relieving coughs and asthma, and are broad-spectrum antibacterial.