JD Health Deepens Collaboration with Multinational Pharma at CIIE to Advance Digital Transformation in Healthcare

Recently, the Fifth China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as the CIIE) was held in Shanghai. As one of the six major exhibition areas of this year’s CIIE, the Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare Zone witnessed the first-ever gathering of the world’s top 15 pharmaceutical giants and the collective debut of the top 10 global medical device companies, drawing widespread attention from the industry.

During this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health advanced multiple in-depth collaborations with numerous multinational pharmaceutical companies in areas such as refining its omni-channel pharmaceutical supply chain system, upgrading digital and intelligent chronic disease management services, and promoting the co-construction of a rare disease ecosystem. As a new-type healthcare service enterprise, JD Health leverages its strengths and resources in pharmaceutical and health supply chains as well as medical and health services. By joining forces with upstream and downstream ecosystem partners across the industry, including many multinational pharmaceutical firms, JD Health is working hand in hand to drive the digital transformation and upgrading of the real economy in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector.

Since the normalization of epidemic prevention and control measures, everyone from the national public health system at the macro level to individual residents has been put to the test. Meanwhile, there has been a significant increase in residents’ demand for accessibility to high-quality medical services and digital healthcare solutions. In this context, JD Health continues to leverage the efficiency of its intelligent digital pharmaceutical supply chain, engage in deeper innovative explorations with renowned domestic and international pharmaceutical companies, constantly improve the one-stop “pharmaceuticals + services” experience, and collaborate with ecosystem partners to build an intelligent digital pharmaceutical and healthcare service system.

During this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health and AstraZeneca, a global leading multinational pharmaceutical company, jointly announced an upgrade to their strategic partnership by signing an omnichannel distribution agreement for Bricanyl tablets. This collaboration further integrates advantageous resources across the pharmaceutical omnichannel supply chain, combining AstraZeneca’s deep expertise in respiratory care with JD Health’s strengths in pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chains as well as medical health services. The initiative aims to enhance patient access to and convenience of Bricanyl tablets, enabling more patients to derive sustained benefits.

Lin Xiao, Vice President of AstraZeneca China and Head of the Respiratory and Autoimmunity Business Unit, stated that this strategic partnership with JD Health holds significant importance in promoting the sharing of medical resources, reducing distribution intermediaries, expanding channels, and improving drug accessibility. It also marks AstraZeneca’s continued acceleration in exploring digital pharmaceutical and healthcare services, further reinforcing its patient-centric philosophy.

JD Health is also a key partner of multinational pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada) in the pharmaceutical retail sector. Over the past two years, collaboration between JD Health and MSD China has continued to deepen. This September, the “MSD Authorized JD Self-Operated Flagship Store” officially launched on JD Health, serving as another example of MSD China’s exploration of innovative business models.

During this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), at the MSD Roundtable Discussion on “Omni-channel Closed-loop Management for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes,” Wang Yiting, General Manager of the Pharmaceutical Business Unit at JD Health, stated that, leveraging standardized online service protocols and a comprehensive diabetes management service system, JD Health is collaborating with more physicians to jointly advance the digital management of diabetes. Looking ahead, JD Health will join forces with various stakeholders to build an industry ecosystem for whole-course intervention services in diabetes care, develop scientific and comprehensive glycemic control plans for patients, and drive innovative experiences in single-disease health services.

Since the normalization of epidemic prevention and control measures, patients with chronic diseases and their families have become one of the groups with the most significant increase in demand for pharmaceutical and healthcare services. JD Health is not only committed to enhancing its pharmaceutical supply chain capabilities to provide users with more convenient and safer medication services, but also dedicated to exploring new models of digital pharmaceutical and healthcare services. By leveraging the world’s most advanced health solutions, JD Health aims to offer users a more professional and efficient “digital channel.”

At last year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health and Sanofi jointly launched the “Center of Excellence for Online Diagnosis and Treatment Service Management in Diabetes” to promote standardized diagnosis and treatment protocols for diabetes and help patients achieve online self-management of the disease. By developing and applying online consultation tools, the Center has facilitated the implementation of standardized online diagnostic and treatment practices. Over the past year, the number of physicians using online consultation tools under the Center increased by 58%, with usage frequency rising more than fivefold, cumulatively serving over 60,000 patient visits.

During this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health and Sanofi further upgraded their collaboration in the field of internet healthcare. The two parties have expanded their existing partnership from diabetes to atopic dermatitis (AD). By establishing China’s first one-stop online platform for comprehensive AD disease management, they aim to break through spatial and temporal constraints. Through services such as online consultations, medication guidance, and health education, the platform achieves a breakthrough in providing full-course online management and medical consultation access for AD patients, thereby meeting the diverse health needs of individuals with atopic dermatitis in the digital era.

Xie Lijuan, General Manager of Sanofi China, stated: “As a pioneer in digital healthcare, Sanofi has always worked hand in hand with industry partners to continuously explore innovations in internet-based healthcare through practical application. The upgraded strategic partnership with JD Health once again reaffirms Sanofi’s commitment to leveraging an innovative medical ecosystem to help a broader patient population revitalize their lives. We aim to accelerate digital innovation and collaboration to continuously enhance the quality of online diagnosis and treatment services for chronic diseases—including diabetes and atopic dermatitis—as well as disease education and online care management, thereby contributing to the realization of ‘Healthy China 2030.’”

Meanwhile, over the past year, Johnson & Johnson China Consumer Health has engaged in in-depth collaboration with JD Health. Leveraging JD Health’s robust digital platform and extensive supply chain network, the partnership aims to deliver high-quality personal health management solutions more rapidly and effectively to patients in primary care settings and broader markets. By capitalizing on JD Health’s ecosystem data platform, both parties disseminate disease-related knowledge to patients and the general public, helping them enhance their scientific understanding of common diseases and make evidence-based decisions when managing health conditions. Looking ahead, the two organizations will continue their close collaboration, providing multidimensional and multi-scenario academic support to physicians through efficient and precise online models. This initiative will empower doctors to convey accurate disease information and rational medication concepts, thereby benefiting a larger number of patients across China.

Declan Rooney, President of Johnson & Johnson China Consumer Health, stated, “The speed and quality of digital transformation in China’s healthcare sector have consistently impressed me. The robust growth of emerging healthcare service providers such as JD Health has revealed significant value and opportunities, enabling us to deliver personal health management solutions to more people in need more quickly and effectively. Looking ahead, I believe that our deepened collaboration with JD Health will not only enhance healthcare accessibility but also further accelerate product and service innovation. This partnership will support us in fully leveraging digital opportunities, deepening business transformation, and helping more patients and the general public embrace healthy, vibrant lives.”

To address the “last mile” challenge faced by patients with rare diseases, JD Health launched the “Rare Disease Care Initiative” in 2021, established the “JD Pharmacy Rare Disease Care Center,” and partnered with public welfare organizations to create the “JD Health Rare Disease Care Fund,” thereby mobilizing resources from across society to build an integrated solution encompassing medical care, pharmaceuticals, insurance, and charitable support.

Since 2022, JD Health has continuously deepened its “medical care + pharmaceuticals + services + payment” ecosystem service system, building on the practices and experience accumulated in the field of rare diseases over the previous year. In terms of patient services, it has established “single-disease patient care support groups” and continues to enhance and improve medical service capabilities related to rare diseases, with the goal of accelerating diagnosis. Meanwhile, as the “primary launch platform in China for approved rare disease medications,” JD Health integrates its multifaceted capabilities in supply chain, digital marketing, and information connectivity within the specialized and novel pharmaceutical sector, providing pharmaceutical companies with one-stop services for the market launch of rare disease drugs approved in China.

In May this year, to further help address medication accessibility issues for more patients with rare diseases, JD Health partnered with the Boao Lecheng Rare Diseases Clinical Medical Center. Leveraging the “pilot and trial” policies implemented in Boao Lecheng, Hainan, and building upon JD Health’s Rare Disease Care Center’s comprehensive ecosystem service model of “medical care + pharmaceuticals + services + payment,” the two parties launched a “Special Zone for Approved Rare Disease Drugs and Medical Devices.” This initiative enables patients with rare diseases to access overseas-approved drugs, medical devices, and medical technologies that are not yet approved in China, without having to leave the country. Additionally, both parties are focusing on resolving challenges such as difficulties in diagnosis and treatment-seeking, as well as barriers to drug reimbursement, thereby optimizing the one-stop service experience.

At this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health announced a partnership with Takeda Pharmaceutical to launch a screening initiative for potential patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE), which has now been officially initiated. In fact, during last November’s CIIE, Firazyr (icatibant acetate injection), introduced by Takeda China for the acute treatment of HAE attacks, made its online debut on JD Pharmacy. Currently, JD Pharmacy covers nearly 70% of marketed rare-disease drugs in China, making it the most comprehensive online retail channel for rare-disease medications.

Wang Yiting stated that, to achieve the goal of “ensuring patients have access to their medications,” JD Health has collaborated with numerous domestic and international pharmaceutical companies specializing in rare diseases to accelerate the market approval and launch of rare disease treatments in China. In the future, JD Health will continue to partner with more ecosystem stakeholders, focusing on improving accessibility to rare disease medications, affordability, and supportive services, thereby providing more comprehensive and robust assistance to the rare disease community.

As seen through the “window” of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), digital intelligence is becoming the key to breaking through bottlenecks in the transformation of the pharmaceutical and health industry. Statistics show that JD Health has partnered with more than 92% of the global top 50 multinational pharmaceutical companies and 97% of China’s top 100 pharmaceutical companies, jointly providing consumers with globally synchronized health solutions. Currently, JD Health has become one of the most important partners for domestic and international pharmaceutical and health brands in expanding omnichannel operations and achieving digital marketing.

It is foreseeable that, during the critical period of digital transformation in the industry, JD Health will deepen cooperation with global pharmaceutical and healthcare brand partners. By focusing on cost, efficiency, and user experience, and leveraging digital and intelligent innovative services, JD Health will continuously improve its omni-channel supply chain system integrating online and offline operations. This will accelerate the high-quality development of the real economy in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry through the principle of “leveraging physical assets to empower the real economy.”