Zhixun Health Secures Exclusive Rights to Iloprost Injection to Tap into China's Billion-Dollar Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Market

On June 24, Zhiyun Health announced a major commercial breakthrough, successfully securing the exclusive sublicense for Iloprost for Injection Solution. The company will assume full responsibility for the commercialization of this product in Greater China (including mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau). Leveraging its platform advantages derived from hospital and pharmacy SaaS systems, along with its professional digital promotion capabilities, Zhiyun Health is committed to enhancing drug accessibility and benefiting over one million patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension in China.

Pulmonary hypertension is a clinical and pathophysiological syndrome characterized by structural or functional changes in the pulmonary vasculature caused by various heterogeneous diseases and different pathogenic mechanisms, leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure. It is estimated that approximately 1% of the global population is affected by this disease. In China, there are more than 5 million patients with pulmonary hypertension, among whom 1.3 to 2.07 million are classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III–IV. This condition severely impacts patients' quality of life and life expectancy, creating an urgent need for effective therapeutic interventions to improve their clinical outcomes.

As a therapeutic area with a large patient population and significant unmet needs, the global market for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatments is projected to reach $11 billion by 2030, attracting numerous global pharmaceutical giants. For instance, Merck & Co. acquired Acceleron for $11.5 billion in 2021, gaining access to Winrevair™ (sotatercept), a PAH treatment that received FDA approval this March. In recent years, China has also witnessed rapid market growth in the PAH sector. Following the release of the 2021 guidelines for PAH diagnosis and treatment, awareness, diagnosis, and treatment rates have continued to rise, with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) expected to remain above 30% over the next three to five years.

Faced with such a vast patient population and immense market potential, Zhiyun Health has keenly identified unmet clinical needs by exclusively introducing iloprost injection, a treatment medication for intermediate- to high-risk pulmonary arterial hypertension. As the world’s only generic version of this drug, and with no injectable products of equivalent strength currently available on the Chinese market, this product will effectively fill a gap in the domestic market.

It is reported that the registration classification of Iloprost for Injection solution falls under Category 5.2. As a medication for rare diseases such as Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH), it is eligible for the “Priority Review and Approval Program,” which shortens the time to market and is expected to benefit patients as soon as possible. In addition to pulmonary hypertension, the indications for Iloprost for Injection solution are anticipated to expand further into areas such as Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO), Raynaud’s Phenomenon (RP), and Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD), thereby creating greater growth opportunities for the product’s portfolio in the field of cardiovascular disease treatment.

As a leading digital health management platform in China, Zhiyun Health has long been committed to providing patients with more convenient and efficient medical products and services through technological innovation and resource integration. The acquisition of the exclusive sublicense for Iloprost for Injection Solution marks a significant step in Zhiyun Health’s strategic entry into the pulmonary arterial hypertension market, which is valued at tens of billions of RMB. This milestone represents solid progress in implementing Zhiyun Health’s “Patient-to-Manufacturer” (P2M) strategy, expected to continuously enhance the company’s profitability and differentiated competitive advantages.

Looking ahead, Zhiyun Health will continue to strengthen its established core businesses while actively exploring innovative business models. Guided by patients’ clinical needs, the company will maintain forward-looking strategic initiatives dedicated to expanding access to high-quality products and services. Meanwhile, Zhiyun Health will collaborate with partners across the ecosystem to jointly advance the development of China’s healthcare sector and create greater health benefits for patients nationwide.