Bayer Partners with Jianke to Revolutionize Chronic Disease Management Through Digital Health Collaboration

According to the latest statistical data from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China currently has nearly 300 million patients with chronic diseases, with an annual increase of 10 million. China has entered a period of high prevalence of chronic diseases and is home to the largest population of chronic disease patients globally.

“As China’s social structure trends toward an aging population, the national focus is essentially on chronic diseases,” said Zhang Jingchuan, National Retail Management Director of Bayer China’s Prescription Drug Division, when discussing health management for patients with chronic conditions. “The core of chronic disease management lies in addressing its greatest barrier: determining what interventions can be used to engage patients, and even encourage them to proactively and actively participate in a range of chronic disease management behaviors. This is the essence of chronic disease management and a key element in the nation’s strategic shift from treatment to prevention and other related initiatives.”

Recently, Bayer and Guangdong Jianke Medicine Co., Ltd. reached a cooperation intention. Both parties will fully leverage their respective advantages in the pharmaceutical health and internet healthcare sectors, with a focus on advancing online chronic disease management services. In addition, the two parties will collaborate in areas such as drug traceability, smart healthcare, chronic disease management, patient education, physician education, grassroots benefit projects, and medical big data, to explore integrated pharmaceutical and healthcare services encompassing medication safety and doctor-patient education.

Focusing on Chronic Diseases, Disrupting the Traditional Prescription Drug Retail Landscape

“In addition to the aging trend in China’s social structure, the consumption of national medical resources and health insurance funds on chronic diseases also constitutes a major proportion. Meanwhile, focusing on chronic diseases aligns with Bayer’s overall product portfolio strategy.” This is how Zhang Jingchuan, National Retail Management Director of Bayer China’s Prescription Drug Division, explained why this collaboration focuses on chronic disease management.

Bayer is a global innovation enterprise with a history spanning more than 150 years, boasting strong competitiveness in the areas of health and nutrition within the life sciences sector. As one of Bayer’s three major divisions, the Bayer Pharmaceuticals Division focuses on therapeutic areas including cardiology, oncology, gynecology, hematology, and ophthalmology. In the field of chronic diseases, Bayer offers a wide range of products such as Bayaspirin, Adalat, and Glucobay, which have played a significant role in the prevention and treatment of major chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Zhang Jingchuan stated that these products have made substantial contributions to the growth of Bayer Pharmaceuticals’ business in China.

However, the current retail sector for prescription drugs is fraught with challenges. Zhang Jingchuan has stated that the core of retail lies in “getting customers to come” and “keeping them coming back,” which corresponds to customer acquisition and repurchase rates. Specifically, “getting customers to come” can be further broken down into “who comes” and “how they come.” Meanwhile, “keeping them coming back” involves several key issues: How can operators effectively manage the entire patient lifecycle? At which specific touchpoints can targeted programs, activities, and interventions be implemented to encourage patients to adhere to their medication regimens and actively participate in their treatment?

Zhang Jingchuan pointed out that there are three major issues in the current retail of prescription drugs: cognitive issues, willingness issues, and professional competence issues. Regarding cognitive issues, the traditional prescription drug retail sector overly relies on sales experience from OTC (over-the-counter) medications and health supplements, adopting traffic-driving strategies such as discount promotions, which are not entirely applicable to prescription drug retail. For instance, if 100 people see a promotional discount for Motilium, each person may purchase several boxes for future needs. However, for prescription drugs, only five out of 100 individuals may suffer from hypertension; thus, retailers can sell antihypertensive medications to at most these five patients and cannot sell to the other 95, as they lack prescriptions and are unaware of the patients' treatment plans. Concerning willingness issues, operators have not made adequate preparations for transitioning into prescription drug retailing, and there may be challenges in their willingness to embrace this transformation. As for professional competence issues, unlike OTC medications and health supplements, enterprises engaged in prescription drug retail must first define what constitutes professionalism, then determine how to build professional capabilities, and establish how to deliver professional services.

The characteristics of internet technology, namely “interconnectivity” and “personalization for each individual,” are highly likely to disrupt the traditional prescription drug retail industry. First, internet technology is inherently disruptive; it is not constrained by legacy models. Through collaborations with internet companies, Bayer can foster innovation in its business models. Furthermore, due to the multi-scenario applicability and high reach efficiency of internet technology, it can integrate traditionally fragmented medical service segments and scenarios. Second, internet technology helps enhance existing scenarios. For instance, while health check-ups previously relied on simple equipment, the adoption of newer technologies now enables achievements that were previously unattainable in this context. Finally, internet technologies, including data support and remote services, help healthcare professionals strengthen their service capabilities.

“This is also why Bayer has chosen to partner with internet healthcare companies such as Jianke. On one hand, such collaboration helps strengthen Bayer’s existing channels and business models; on the other hand, it enables Bayer to explore new business models with companies like Jianke, thereby achieving sustainable business development,” stated Zhang Jingchuan.

Chronic Disease Management: The Evolution from “Neglected Care” to “24/7 Online Management”

“The collaboration with Bayer represents a historic opportunity. The Chinese government has successively issued the ‘Healthy China 2030’ Planning Outline and the Medium- and Long-Term Plan for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases in China (2017–2025), rapidly elevating the prevention, control, and management of chronic diseases to a position of high priority. Leveraging over a century of development, Bayer has established a relatively comprehensive product portfolio. Meanwhile, the State Council has released the ‘Internet Plus Healthcare’ strategy, aiming to address the difficulties faced by the general public in accessing medical care, consultations, and medication purchases in offline settings. Against this backdrop, Jianke entered the market through pharmaceutical e-commerce by developing its online pharmacy app. Today, Jianke has transitioned from a single-engine drive based solely on pharmaceutical e-commerce to a dual-engine model integrating pharmaceutical e-commerce with internet healthcare,” stated Xie Fangmin, CEO of Jianke.

In current chronic disease management, patients are often left unmanaged once they leave the hospital setting. However, the core of chronic disease management lies not with physicians or pharmacies, but with the patients themselves. The primary barrier to effective management is also the patient, as, barring genetic factors, most chronic diseases stem from problematic lifestyle habits or inadequate self-management. The emergence of new technologies, such as the internet, enables more effective patient engagement, retention, and intervention, ensuring that patients with chronic conditions receive 24/7 management.

It is understood that the two parties will initiate their collaboration by focusing on the chronic disease management of diabetes. By leveraging Bayer’s accumulated experience in the treatment of this condition, and relying on the multiple services provided by Guangdong Jianke Medicine Co., Ltd.—including its internet hospital, chronic disease management platform, online prescription circulation, and home delivery of medications—the partnership will combine these capabilities with Bayer’s pharmaceutical resources. This integration aims to provide patients with chronic diseases a healthcare experience characterized by “online follow-up consultations at home and waiting for medication delivery at home.”

Xie Fangmin further emphasized that the distinctive feature of internet healthcare lies in the non-standardized nature of each case, with treatment plans tailored to individual patients. Jianke’s independently developed AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment system also enables physicians to provide more rapid, timely, and comprehensive care to patients. Leveraging artificial intelligence technology, both parties can accurately analyze user profiles of patient groups across different medical departments and update electronic health records for chronic disease management in real time. This enhances the efficiency of online follow-up consultations conducted by virtual family doctors. Furthermore, Jianke’s big data resources can be shared with partner pharmaceutical companies, facilitating feedback on the efficacy of new drugs.

In the field of chronic disease management, collaborations between pharmaceutical companies and internet healthcare enterprises are not uncommon. Particularly in recent years, as new technologies continue to empower various segments of the healthcare industry chain, pharmaceutical companies also need to leverage these technologies to innovate their existing businesses. Will this model usher in a new era of growth for chronic disease management? The market will ultimately provide a clear answer.