Gilead Sciences and KingMed Diagnostics Deepen Strategic Collaboration to Enhance Public Health

Shanghai, November 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 17, 2021, Gilead Sciences and KingMed Diagnostics officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement to further deepen collaboration in high-sensitivity HBV DNA testing for chronic hepatitis B, routine screening for hepatitis C, viral and renal function testing for people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), as well as physician education, public disease awareness campaigns, and patient education initiatives. Together, they aim to support the development of public health services and improve public health standards.

Group Photo of Strategic Cooperation Signing

The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed to "eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030." After years of efforts, the number of new chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C infections in China has continued to decrease. Currently, there are approximately 70 million people in China who are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus.^[1], approximately 10 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus.^[2]"To truly eliminate the threat of hepatitis, there is still a challenge that cannot be ignored: how to increase the diagnosis and treatment rates of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. In September 2021, the National Health Commission of China also released the 'Action Plan to Eliminate the Public Health Threat of Hepatitis C (2021-2030)', emphasizing the need to intensify efforts in detecting hepatitis patients and providing standardized medical treatment."

At the same time, HIV is also a prominent public health issue. As of the end of October 2020, China reported 1.045 million people living with HIV.^[3]Since HIV infection cannot be cured yet, it is of great significance to help infected individuals better return to normal life through standardized diagnosis and treatment management. Meanwhile, further reducing the transmission of the virus and minimizing the threat of HIV to public health can be achieved through innovative drug treatments and the use of HIV prevention medications.

In response to the demand for standardized diagnosis and treatment of tens of millions of patients with chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, and HIV in China, Gilead Sciences and KingMed Diagnostics will leverage their respective expertise in treatment and testing to collaborate on a national scale. They will carry out highly sensitive HBV DNA testing for chronic hepatitis B to support standardized patient care; enhance routine screening for hepatitis C to improve disease diagnosis and treatment rates; and provide kidney function and HIV RNA testing for people living with HIV, offering effective long-term treatment evaluation standards for both healthcare providers and patients.

In addition, the two parties will also work together to carry out various forms of doctor education, public disease awareness campaigns, and patient education programs. These efforts aim to enhance the scientific understanding of diseases across all sectors, reduce social discrimination, and help patients with chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV感染者 better manage their health and return to normal life.

"This collaboration is an upgrade of our previous partnership with Gilead, and the form of cooperation will be even closer," said Liang Yaoming, Chairman and CEO of KingMed Diagnostics. KingMed possesses a full range of testing technology platforms and a service network covering all of China. Through this collaboration, KingMed and Gilead will form a powerful synergy in clinical applications, grassroots diagnosis and treatment, social welfare, key screening projects in high-risk areas, and cutting-edge academic exchanges, helping to enhance the level of integrated diagnosis and treatment in relevant disease fields and safeguard the health of the people.

Speech by Liang Yaoming, Chairman and CEO of KingMed Diagnostics

Jin Fangqian, Global Vice President of Gilead Sciences and General Manager of China, stated, "With patients at the center, while rapidly introducing globally leading drugs and continuously improving drug accessibility and affordability, Gilead is also committed to working with like-minded partners to help doctors and patients address the 'pain points' in disease diagnosis and treatment. We look forward to closer cooperation with KingMed Diagnostics under the strategic cooperation framework to further promote disease screening, testing, and standardized treatment, support China’s efforts in the prevention and control of infectious diseases, and contribute to the improvement of public health standards."

Gilead Sciences Global Vice President and General Manager of China, Jin Fangqian, spoke.

[1] In 2014, data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention survey

[2] WHO 2017 Global Hepatitis Report

[3] In 2020, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Overview of the Epidemic Situation of Statutory Infectious Diseases in China