Roche Partners with Chinese Healthcare Stakeholders to Co-Create a Comprehensive Lung Cancer Ecosystem

In recent years, lung cancer has become the malignant tumor with the highest incidence and mortality rates in China and globally. Among all lung cancer cases, more than 70% of patients are initially diagnosed at an advanced stage. Improving early diagnosis of lung cancer can significantly enhance overall prognosis. Meanwhile, with the continuous discovery of driver genes in different types of lung cancer and deeper exploration into the mechanisms of immune checkpoint responses, it is crucial to establish personalized treatment strategies and comprehensive management pathways based on each patient’s individual condition to improve overall survival time for patients with advanced-stage lung cancer.

Recently, the 1st Roche International Innovation Forum on Lung Cancer, themed “Writing the Legend of Lung Cancer,” was grandly held in Shanghai. The discussion at the sub-venue of the Lung Cancer Industry Ecosystem Forum became the focus of attention in the industry. In this discussion concerning the future development trajectory of lung cancer in China, industry leaders and emerging innovators gathered to assess the current status of clinical treatment and diagnosis of lung cancer in China, and jointly explore sustainable pathways for the lung cancer diagnosis and treatment ecosystem. The initiative to improve the lung cancer ecosystem first received strong support from experts and scholars, including Professor Wu Yilong, Lifetime Director of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital and Chair of the Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group (CTONG), and Professor Zhu Bo, Director of the Institute of Oncology of the PLA at Army Medical University, as well as Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South UniversityMedicineProfessor Yang Nong from the Affiliated Cancer Hospital and other academic luminaries jointly participated in the sub-forum of the Lung Cancer Industry Ecosystem Forum, delivering insightful presentations at the event.

Patient-Centricity First: On the path to addressing the unmet needs of cancer patients in China, Roche recognizes that alongside innovative medicines, patients require innovative medical services. Diagnosis, R&D, treatment, patient education, and patient support form a closed-loop ecosystem. At the Lung Cancer Industry Ecosystem Forum’s breakout session, numerous innovative enterprises from China’s healthcare sector—represented by Tencent, Oncology Information, Dongdong Doctor, Spring Rain Doctor, Haodf, MediTrust Health, Tencent WeSure, and multiple NGS testing companies—gathered together. They engaged in multidimensional, cross-sector exchanges with academic leaders to discuss how to provide patients with diversified models of diagnosis and treatment, health education, and payment options, striving to create an integrated, end-to-end medical health management ecosystem for lung cancer patients.

In his opening remarks at the Lung Cancer Industry Ecosystem Forum, Mr. Chen Shaofeng, General Manager of Roche China’s Oncology Business Unit 2, stated: “While pharmaceutical companies and other organizations may have different interests, we are united by the shared goal of ‘ensuring patients receive standardized treatment and high-quality whole-course disease management.’ With the continuous development of new drugs and advances in precision medicine, tumor treatment strategies have undergone rapid and significant transformations. Today, Chinese patients have highly personalized needs; they require effective medications, skilled physicians, and precise diagnostics. Our focus is on jointly developing clinical decision support solutions to help healthcare professionals make decisions more efficiently and confidently, thereby providing personalized treatment and comprehensive solutions for a broad population of lung cancer patients.”

Opening Remarks by Chen Shaofeng, General Manager of Roche China’s Oncology Business Unit 2

Genetic Testing Empowers Precision Medicine: Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer Promotes Chronic Disease Management

In recent years, with the advancement of molecular biology and bioinformatics, tumor-related therapeutic targets have been continuously discovered. Precision therapy directed at these targets has been widely adopted and can significantly prolong the survival of patients with advanced lung cancer. The management of advanced lung cancer has evolved from a lack of effective strategies over a decade ago to the current model of "chronic disease management," driven by transformative changes in precision diagnosis and treatment facilitated by the development of genetic testing. According to the latest real-world study results, the overall survival (OS) of patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can now exceed 7 years!

Professor Wu Yilong stated, “Since the treatment of lung cancer entered the era of precision medicine, the industry ecosystem has undergone significant changes. Today, only through collaborative cooperation can we achieve rapid development, establish a genetic testing system truly tailored to Chinese patients, and improve the lung cancer ecosystem chain to form a virtuous cycle.” He further pointed out, “Previously, advanced-stage lung cancer was considered a terminal illness, with the median survival time for most patients being only about one year. Currently, approximately one-third of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have driver gene mutations, such as well-defined targets like EGFR and ALK. For these patients, lung cancer can now be managed as a chronic disease over the long term.”

Professor Yang Nong stated, “Simultaneous multi-gene testing is the preferred method for the precise diagnosis of lung cancer, and large-panel next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing represents the major trend in tumor genetic testing. PD-L1 and TMB are established biomarkers for immunotherapy; however, they are not perfect. The integration of multi-omics medical data is required to guide clinical decision-making for immunotherapy. The emergence of new technologies will facilitate better research into biomarkers for tumor immunotherapy. The ability to explore unknown variants and the advantages of high throughput have already enabled NGS testing to play an increasingly important role in clinical diagnosis and treatment.”

Opening Remarks by Conference Chair, Professor Wu Yilong

Professor Yang Nong's Brilliant Speech

During the session on precision diagnosis and treatment, Roche and its industry partners discussed topics such as NGS-based precision diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and the future development directions of NGS, jointly exploring new strategies to promote the establishment of standards for genetic testing of lung cancer in China.

In the face of the persistently high incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer, early diagnosis and early treatment can significantly improve the 5-year survival rate for patients. Studies show that the 5-year survival rate for patients with stage IA lung cancer can reach 66%, whereas it is only 23% for those with stage IIIA disease. How to achieve earlier prediction and more precise subtyping of lung cancer has become a critical pain point of greatest concern to both the healthcare industry and patients.

He Jing, Head of Roche’s Global Drug Development Shanghai Center, pointed out: “NGS technology is developing very rapidly in China. The country’s greatest advantage lies in its large patient population, which allows us to accumulate experience quickly. Therefore, I believe that Chinese NGS companies will soon take the lead on the international stage. However, single-gene testing methods are far from sufficient. Large-panel tumor gene testing enables physicians to gain a more comprehensive understanding of patients, obtain complete data before and after testing and treatment, and help patients achieve earlier prediction, more targeted therapy, and more precise whole-course management.”

He Jing, Head of Roche’s Global Drug Development Shanghai Center, and Yin Dongliang, Head of Roche FMI China Business

Shao Yang, Founder and CEO of Genetron Health; Yi Xin, Chairman and CTO of GenePlus; Du Bo, Founder and CEO of Zhenhe Technology; and Chuai Shaokun, COO of Burning Rock Biotech, jointly participated in the discussion session on “Precision Diagnosis and Treatment.” They engaged in in-depth and candid exchanges on issues such as precision medicine and the development of genetic testing technology in China. During this insightful discussion, several key opinion leaders in the field of precision testing in China reached a consensus: “In the future, genetic testing technology will be applied to whole-course disease management and early detection, providing patients with a series of clinical services and products, including precision oncology medication, efficacy monitoring, postoperative recurrence detection, and early screening. Precision medicine represents a new diagnostic and therapeutic model involving multiple stakeholders, including testing companies, pharmaceutical enterprises, clinical experts, and patients. The current priority is to establish more effective collaboration models and stricter standards. Through multi-party cooperation, we aim to create innovative diagnostic and therapeutic models tailored to Chinese patients, adhering to the highest standards.”

Shao Yang, Founder and CEO of Geneseeq

Yi Xin, Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Genetron Health

Du Bo, Founder and CEO of Zhenhe Technology

Mr. ShaoKun Chuai, Chief Operating Officer of Burning Rock Biotech

“Online + Offline” Integrated Patient Education Model Drives Gradual Improvement of the Industry Chain

As a leader in the development of anticancer drugs, Roche is committed to promoting the implementation of comprehensive genomic sequencing and analysis technology for tumors in China, so that Chinese patients can enjoy the best drugs and medical technical support just like patients abroad.

In the face of the "double high" status of lung cancer, reducing mortality and incidence rates by strengthening public and patient education is particularly important. Professor Zhu Bo pointed out: "The establishment of the CSCO Patient Education Expert Committee aims to better serve patients through professional science popularization and education, thereby enhancing public awareness of tumor prevention, cancer screening, and early diagnosis and treatment. As physicians, we must remain true to our original aspiration, ensuring that patients acquire scientific knowledge on disease prevention and control. By identifying optimal dissemination channels through multi-party collaboration, we can maximize our impact on patients and fundamentally control the onset and progression of lung cancer."

Opening Remarks by Conference Chair Professor Zhu Bo for the “Patient Voice” Session

Li Wei, Vice President of Roche China Medical Department, stated, “Currently, there is still much that pharmaceutical companies can do for patient education. First, we have relatively limited understanding of patients’ psychological status, yet their psychological and emotional needs during treatment are critically important. Second, we must identify patients’ precise needs in order to provide highly targeted diagnostic and therapeutic support tailored to their individual conditions within the framework spanning from diagnosis to treatment. Only in this way can patient education and patient support be more effectively targeted.”

Li Wei, Vice President of Roche China Medical Department

Li Wei added, “Driven by the continuous advancement of big data and bio-genetic engineering, ‘Internet+’ has long become a vital tool for patient education, signaling the arrival of the digital era in the healthcare industry. By leveraging integrated ‘online-to-offline’ patient education models, we consolidate high-quality domestic anti-cancer resources and assemble China’s leading experts in cancer prevention and treatment to provide patients with comprehensive whole-course management—from prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to rehabilitation. Meanwhile, we continuously strengthen communication and dialogue with patients via the Internet, better listening to their voices and even enabling greater patient participation in the research and development of new lung cancer drugs, ultimately transforming patients from passive beneficiaries into active participants.”

At the sub-forum, Tencent HealthcarePharmaceuticalsLiu Yunting, General Manager of the Industry Division; Chen Guang, Founder of Dongdong Cancer Patient Community; Wang Jue, Founder and General Manager of Liangyihui; Shi Hui, Vice President of Haodf Online; Wan Jingbo, Chief Marketing Officer of Chunyu Doctor; and other leaders from industry media further leveraged media-side insights and analysis to provide attendees with an in-depth interpretation of the most authentic needs of Chinese patients. Currently, cancer patients in China, particularly those with lung cancer, continue to face challenges such as "limited access to medical care and medications" and "significant delays in the availability of new drugs and technologies." If internet healthcare is viewed merely as simple online consultations, it will be difficult to meet the multi-layered needs of diverse patient groups. In reality, oncologists and patients alike urgently require rapid updates to their knowledge and concepts. This necessitates the utilization of robust professional internet resources to continuously carry out diagnosis and treatment activities as well as science popularization and education, thereby addressing the most practical needs of both doctors and patients and truly making the internet the most effective bridge for communication between them.

It is reported that in April this year, Dongdong Oncology formed a strategic partnership with Liangyihui, achieving closer integration between oncologists and cancer patients through data interoperability. The two parties will engage in multi-dimensional and in-depth cooperation in areas such as content collaboration and service integration, committed to building a more comprehensive, authoritative, and professional ecosystem serving cancer patients.

Zhang Meng, Vice President of Tencent Healthcare, stated, “Current medical science popularization efforts largely focus on debunking common myths and providing superficial information about prevalent diseases. There is still a significant scarcity of systematic educational content on critical and rare diseases, failing to meet the public’s demand for precise, scenario-based access to information. With the empowerment of ‘Internet Plus,’ Tencent aims to collaborate with healthcare professionals and industry partners to prioritize the individual life experiences of every patient. We strive to infuse medical science popularization with greater humanistic care, achieving deeper, personalized, and precision-oriented dissemination, thereby helping to break down barriers and overcome challenges as the field enters its ‘deep-water zone.’”

Zhang Meng, Vice President of Tencent Healthcare

Shi Hui, Vice President of Haodf.com; Liu Yunting, General Manager of Tencent’s Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Industry Division; Wan Jingbo, Chief Marketing Officer of Spring Rain Doctor; Wang Jue, Founder and General Manager of Medmeeting; and Chen Guang, Founder of Dongdong Cancer Community, participated in the “Voice of Lung Cancer Patients” discussion.

Multi-Dimensional Support to Reduce the Economic and Social Burden of Lung Cancer

As the "Healthy China" strategy continues to advance, reducing lung cancer mortality has become a critical task in China's public health sector. "Healthy China" explicitly sets a clear target of "reducing national cancer mortality by 15% by 2030," marking the first time that direction for cancer prevention and control has been defined at the national level. With the continuous emergence of new drugs and further extension of patient survival rates, enhancing the long-term affordability of medications is also crucial for lung cancer patients. Within the overall "prevention + treatment" ecological strategy for lung cancer, pharmaceutical companies and payers are required to jointly explore innovative payment models to alleviate the financial burden on patients, thereby connecting the entire lung cancer ecosystem and forming a closed loop in the lung cancer "prevention + treatment" chain.

At the forum, Zhang Xiaodong, Founder and CEO of MediTrust Health, and Xie Bangjie, General Manager and COO of Tencent WeSure, pointed out from different perspectives that greater coverage is needed to alleviate the financial burden of medication for cancer patients, marking a crucial step in enhancing China’s healthcare services. Addressing patients’ payment challenges for medications is a vast systemic endeavor. While basic medical insurance provides a universal payment mechanism, innovative forms of commercial insurance and internet-based insurance play an indispensable supplementary role. By offering multi-tiered benefit plans, these solutions not only cater to the diverse needs of patients but also significantly reduce their out-of-pocket expenses, ensuring that cancer patients no longer have to “look at drugs with despair due to unaffordability.”

Xie Bangjie, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Tencent WeSure

Zhang Xiaodong, Founder and CEO of MediTrust Health

Bian Xin, Vice President of Market Access at Roche China, stated, “To benefit more patients in China, our strategy to build a lung cancer ecosystem requires multi-party collaboration. We must work together to strengthen disease education, improve diagnosis and treatment standards, and help enhance patients’ ability to pay. Roche will honor its commitment by joining hands with industry leaders across all sectors to co-create a lung cancer ecosystem and further support its sustainable development.”

Bian Xin, Vice President of Market Access, Roche China

Amid continuous advancements in the internet, big data, and AI technologies, various dimensions of lung cancer care in China—including diagnosis, treatment, dissemination of disease knowledge, and patient education and support—are undergoing rapid development. Integrating traditional models with innovative approaches to provide more comprehensive patient support requires collaboration across all sectors of the industry and the breaking down of traditional boundaries. Building a lung cancer ecosystem is a long-term endeavor. Future development must adhere to a “patient-centric” philosophy, fostering multi-party cooperation to jointly explore optimal models and pathways tailored to Chinese lung cancer patients.