MeiRui was organized as a joint venture in March 1996. The three joint venture partners were, Cal-Nan Horizon Quest, Inc. (a U.S. entity), Pharmacia Allergon AB (a Swedish pharmaceutical company) and the Nanjing Medical Co., Ltd (the largest pharmaceutical company in Jiangsu province in China).

The Company was founded to market products derived from unique pollen extracts produced by Allergon, then a division of Pharmacia AB. These pollen-extract products have been used for decades in natural remedies primarily for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH a medical term for an enlarged prostate) and prostatitis (an inflammation of the prostate). These products were more than naturopathic remedies, they were natural products that were successful the treatment of BPH and prostatitis in a number of clinical studies.

The BPH product was sold by Allergon under the name of Poltit, mostly in Europe. In the U.S., the product was sold as Prostat by Horizon Quest (HQ). It was the relationship between Allergon, HQ and Cal-Nan Groups and business contacts of Cal-Nan and HQ in China that lead to the formation of Nanjing MeiRui Pharma Co. Ltd.. Cal-Nan HQ believed that a naturopathic remedy that had undergone well-documented and successful clinical trials would be well received in China by the State Food and Drug Association the regulatory body for pharmaceuticals in China, and they were correct.

Dr. Edward Ma (Ma Huamin) was a partner of Cal-Nan Groups. Dr. Ma had business contacts with Nanjing Medical, the largest pharmaceutical company in Jiangsu province in China. The three parties (Cal-Nan HQ, Allergon and Nanjing Medical) were brought together by Dr. Ma and concluded the deal that lead to the formation of MeiRui and the successful marketing of the pollen-based products for the treatment of BPH and prostatitis.