New Environment, New Opportunities: Trends and Product Insights in China's Cardiovascular Medical Industry

According to Yiou Health on April 27, the "China Cardiovascular Innovation Industry Summit," jointly hosted by Beiqinghui (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Med-Zenith Medical Scientific Corporation Limited, was held in Beijing yesterday. The conference focused onCardiovascular Medical CareDevelopment Opportunities in the Industry, with a Focus onCardiovascular DiseaseAn in-depth exchange was held on the current status and trends of surgical technology development, strategies for building an industrial chain for surgical technologies, and investment trends in the cardiovascular health industry. The forum was primarily attended by hospital presidents and attending physicians from top-tier hospitals, chairmen of medical technology companies, healthcare investors, and professionals specializing in the field of cardiovascular diseases.

Current Status and Trends in the Technological Development of Cardiovascular Surgery in China

According to the "Report on Cardiovascular Diseases in China 2017" released by the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in China is in a continuous rising stage. It is estimated that there are currently 290 million patients with cardiovascular diseases in China, with a mortality rate of 2.9842 per 1,000, surpassing tumors and other diseases to rank first. Moreover, with the aging population, the mortality rate has been on an upward trend.

“Domestic ventricular assist devices are currently in the research and development and early-stage trial phases,” said Zheng Zhe, Vice President of Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Currently, the annual growth rate of vascular surgery volume is 20%, while issues such as high rates of arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation, and heart failure are becoming increasingly severe. In contrast, although domestic technological development is robust, its application remains insufficient, particularly with regard to the lack of clinical implementation of these technologies.

Domestic technologies are no inferior to those abroad; the challenge lies in how to integrate and apply them. On one hand, insufficient protection of intellectual property rights and patents in China hinders the transformation of technologies into commercial resources. On the other hand, due to a lack of communication between physicians and medical device manufacturers, clinical challenges encountered by physicians and their technological needs are difficult to address through manufacturers, resulting in a lack of practical effectiveness during the technology translation process.

Regarding the development trends in surgical technology, Zheng Zhe stated, “Medical device innovation must be guided by national policies and centered on market demand.” China has a large population of patients with cardiovascular diseases; meanwhile, there is a mismatch between technological R&D and market demand. Only by relying on market demand can new technologies be expanded, and their value be fully realized.

Exploration of the Cardiovascular Surgery Industry Chain

“The direction of development in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases is ‘internal medicine becoming more surgical’ and ‘surgery becoming minimally invasive,’” stated Meng Jian, Chairman of Med-Zenith. This requires hospitals and enterprises to achieve “integration.” For hospitals, it is essential to shift their mindset, avoid rigid adherence to traditional practices and siloed operations, and strengthen communication. Surgeons should not limit themselves to surgical disciplines but must also acquire knowledge of internal medicine; likewise, internists should expand their expertise into surgical domains. Only through such cross-disciplinary integration can comprehensive patient care be delivered. For enterprises, integration is needed across talent, technology, products, and even entire industry sectors.

From a policy perspective, the more complex the policy environment, the more favorable it is for domestic enterprises. Meng Jian stated, “The current policy environment is quite complex, with political factors—particularly the China-US trade war—exerting a significant impact on the healthcare industry. On one hand, ongoing healthcare reforms in China have provided relatively favorable policy protections, such as subsidies. On the other hand, the trade war is compelling enterprises to innovate. In this regard, the cardiovascular surgery industry is entering a period of opportunity. Coupled with the growing number of patients with cardiovascular diseases and an expanding market size, the surgical technology sector holds considerable promise.”

Shi Yonghui, head of the Meilidun China Healthcare Fund, pointed out in his sharing: “Currently, the cardiovascular disease market is vast, and more companies will enter this industry. From an investment perspective, this is a highly attractive opportunity.” However, the current issue is that many companies fail to meet technical standards. He stated, “For investors, technology is a must-see criterion, whether for pharmaceuticals or medical devices; technology serves as a threshold. Only when the technology meets the required standards will investors be willing to invest.”

“The current investment trend is globalization,” Shi Yonghui candidly stated. Investment is no longer confined by national borders; many domestic enterprises are expanding overseas through acquisitions, and substantial capital is being directed abroad. As long as there are markets, technologies, and profits, cross-border investment no longer poses a barrier. Regarding investment directions, he noted, “Current investments primarily focus on new technologies, including drug development and medical device manufacturing, with the latter trending toward intelligent and miniaturized solutions.”

With the release of the “Healthy China 2030” Planning Outline and the deepening reform of healthcare policies, China’s medical service industry is entering a new phase of upgrading, characterized by a transformation from “scale” to “value.” As the healthcare industry increasingly integrates with new technologies, medical projects relying solely on volume are no longer the preferred investment choice, and numerous “pseudo-demands” will be eliminated as consumers “vote with their feet.” How can one turn crisis into opportunity, leverage existing forces, and ultimately stand out in 2019 after the capital winter?

July 25–27, 2019, Yiou Health will host"GIIS 2019 The 4th China Health Industry Upgrade Summit"Themed “Yanqi Health Talk: Healthcare Transformation from [Scale] to [Value],” the summit focused on discussions around market conditions, investment hotspots, and industrial transformation in four key sectors: healthcare big data, pharmaceutical innovation, non-public healthcare, and health technology. Meanwhile, EO Health will hold a series of events from March to April:Pharmaceutical Innovation Industry Salon (March 22)、Medical Big Data Industry Salon (March 29)、Non-Public Healthcare Industry Salon (April 26)、MedTech Industry Salon (April 19)Welcome to follow us!

Event Registration Link:https://www.iyiou.com/post/ad/id/785

Editor: Wu Dandan

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