Embecta's Global VP Huang Xuemei on Leveraging a Century of Expertise to Drive Localization and Strategic Expansion in China

As the incidence and disease burden of chronic diseases continue to rise, chronic conditions—including diabetes, hypertension, and obesity—are becoming major public health challenges. Taking patients with diabetes as an example, the study “Trends in the Disease Burden of Neonatal Diabetes in China from the Perspective of GBD 2021” points out that “in 2021, there were approximately 536.6 million people with diabetes worldwide, and this number is projected to increase to 783.2 million by 2045.”

Amid the severe landscape of chronic disease prevention and control, there is an urgent need for the industry to propose more innovative and efficient solutions. As a leading enterprise in the field of chronic disease management, particularly in diabetes care, the Nasdaq-listed company embecta™ leverages its century-long heritage to precisely address pain points in chronic disease management, delivering highly valuable solutions for the Chinese and global markets.

Recently, VCBeat interviewedMs. Huang Xuemei, Global Vice President and General Manager of Greater China at Invida™She demonstrated how Inbetta™ views the current development of the chronic disease management market, and how Inbetta™ is based in China to serve the world.

The vast market driven by the enormous demand for chronic disease management has attracted a surge of enterprises. To establish a firm foothold in this sector, the continuous accumulation of patient management experience and the development and provision of innovative products are undoubtedly critical.

Insulet™, formerly the Diabetes Care division of BD Medical, was spun off from BD and independently listed on the NASDAQ in April 2022. Its legacy in diabetes management dates back to 1924, when the world’s first syringe for human insulin injection was launched, marking the beginning of a century-long journey in diabetes care.

Ms. Huang Xuemei emphasized, “As a leading enterprise in the field of chronic disease management, Inberda™ is committed to empowering end-user patients with diabetes. By enhancing patient awareness through education, we help patients achieve safe and correct insulin injection, ensure better blood glucose management, and ultimately improve the quality of life for individuals with diabetes.”

Over the past century,Continuous product innovation and solution delivery to consistently enhance patients’ treatment experience.To date, InnoMed™ boasts a highly diverse portfolio of injectable pharmaceutical products and offers comprehensive solutions encompassing diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and follow-up care.

Ms. Huang Xuemei stated, “In the nearly four years since our spin-off and independent listing in the United States in April 2022, we have gradually achieved the full implementation of our ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system and established our own supply chain system, andEnsure that end products are not affected by the brand transition from BD Medical to Invida™.“Currently, InnoBiota™ enjoys ample cash flow, creating favorable conditions for its future development.”

The chronic disease management market, with diabetes management as its core representative, is undergoing new changes.

One of the changes stems from the pharmaceutical treatment market. According to the report “Star Drugs for Glucose-Lowering and Weight Loss: Current Status and Future Development of the GLP-1 Industry” released by PharmaCube Consulting, the global market share of GLP-1s in the diabetes sector reached 39% in 2024, surpassing insulin to become the largest class of diabetes therapeutics worldwide. Currently, as patents for related drugs expire, a wave of GLP-1 generics is expected to enter the market.

Ms. Huang Xuemei stated,Yingbaida™ has capitalized on this trend by rapidly launching complementary products and partnering with GLP-1 manufacturers worldwide to accelerate the delivery of its GLP-1 injection-compatible solutions to end users.She also emphasized that insulin injections remain indispensable in the management of diabetes treatment, and Yingbaida™ will continue to launch innovative products tailored to patients’ needs.

The second change stems from the construction of a closed-loop ecosystem. Taking diabetes patient management as an example, leading manufacturers are accelerating the development of a closed-loop ecosystem that spans from disease monitoring to treatment. Inbetta™ has completed the integration of its solutions through collaborations with companies such as Kailian Medical. Ms. Huang Xuemei pointed out, “Inbetta™ is committed to establishing a patient-centric ecosystem. By incorporating insulin pumps from enterprises like Kailian Medical into the Inbetta™ ecosystem,By co-creating solutions through collaboration, we will better meet the needs of diabetes patients in China and beyond. This collaborative effort will begin in China, with the goal of bringing innovative solutions to the world.”

The Chinese market is regarded by Invida™ as a crucial component of its global strategic layout.

“Many years ago, we strategically positioned ourselves in China. In 2012, we made a significant investment to build a fully automated manufacturing plant in the Suzhou Industrial Park in China. Currently, it supplies hypodermic needles to more than 10 countries and regions, including mainland China. Furthermore, having entered the Chinese market over 30 years ago, we have established a robust commercialization system with comprehensive channel coverage.”

Ms. Huang Xuemei stated,For the Chinese market, Inbetta™ will consistently uphold the principles of “professionalism, openness, connectivity, and long-termism.”Tailored to the unique characteristics of the Chinese market, Invida™ is accelerating the development of a closed-loop ecosystem for comprehensive, lifecycle management of patients with diabetes. Taking diabetic foot, one of the complications of diabetes, as an example, Ms. Huang Xuemei pointed out that current clinical departments still operate in silos, lacking collaborative mechanisms to better serve patients with diabetic foot. The establishment of this closed-loop ecosystem aims to help hospitals enhance early screening, precise referral, and effective follow-up capabilities for diabetic foot through multidisciplinary collaboration, whole-process management, and the provision of innovative solutions, thereby improving patients’ treatment experience.

Currently, China is advancing the "Healthy China 2030" initiative, with a particular emphasis on diabetes and hypertension. Since its spin-off in 2022, Yibaida™ has been further expanding its diabetes management ecosystem to encompass the management of multiple chronic diseases, covering corresponding medical devices and consumables.

Ms. Huang Xuemei emphasized, “InnoVida™’s strategy differs significantly from that of many traditional U.S.-based enterprises. We are committed to establishing a deep presence in China and serving Chinese patients. In building an ecosystem for chronic disease management,”We aim to collaborate with companies specializing in chronic disease patient management to co-build an ecosystem, while facilitating the global expansion of high-quality Chinese enterprises and products to meet the needs of patients in overseas markets.”

Benefiting from the profound expertise accumulated over more than a century of global development, Yingbaida™ has established strategic layouts in numerous countries and regions overseas. With a deep understanding of compliance requirements for market entry abroad, it significantly reduces the challenges Chinese innovative enterprises face when expanding globally.

“In China for Global is our requirement and expectation for Inbeda™. We are highly confident in bringing Chinese-made products to the global market. We aim to establish long-term, stable partnerships with Chinese enterprises, ultimately helping patients achieve win-win outcomes,” emphasized Ms. Huang Xuemei.

As a distinctive U.S.-invested enterprise, Invida™ is anchored in the “Healthy China 2030” strategy. With a global perspective, we empower local capabilities, bolster Chinese manufacturing with international standards, and connect to the world stage at China speed. Committed to long-term collaboration with Chinese partners, we strive to make more Chinese medical innovations accessible to patients worldwide, jointly building a healthier future.