Dunen Medicine: Building a Drug Lifecycle Ecosystem for Precision Medication Guidance

There is a common saying in the medical field: “There are no safe drugs, only safe physicians.” For clinicians, it is critically important to make rational drug selections, adjust dosages appropriately, conduct clinical monitoring, and manage adverse reactions effectively.

The traditional "hit-or-miss" approach to drug administration may require multiple adjustments to determine the optimal dosing regimen for each patient, potentially causing patients to miss the window for optimal treatment and even experience adverse reactions during the trial-and-error process. Implementing a "tailored" and "individualized" medication strategy can effectively prevent such occurrences.

In fact, many genes in the human body are associated with interindividual variability in drug response. Taking the drug metabolism process as an example, genetic variations can directly affect drug concentrations in the bloodstream, thereby influencing both efficacy and toxicity.

The implementation and research progress of the Human Genome Project have promoted the development of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, significantly reducing the cost of genetic testing for drugs and providing the technical conditions necessary for the implementation of personalized medication.

Personalized pharmacogenetic testing provides robust support for clinical pharmacotherapy. By comprehensively evaluating individual differences—such as drug metabolism-related genes, living environment, and lifestyle—personalized medication regimens can be formulated to enhance therapeutic efficacy, reduce adverse drug reactions, largely avoid overlapping treatment plans, save patients’ valuable time, and significantly lower healthcare costs.

If precision medicine represents the future of disease treatment, then precision medication is the first step toward that future.

DunEn Medicine, established in 2017, is a leading high-tech enterprise in China providing clinical precision medication guidance services. It serves as the host institution for the “Precision Medication Research Center” under the Hangzhou Branch of the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University. The company focuses on the high-potential market of precision pharmaceutical care, committed to delivering superior and reliable precision medication solutions to medical experts and patients worldwide, thereby contributing tirelessly to the advancement of global health.

As the national aging trend becomes increasingly pronounced and modern life stress continues to rise, the demand for precision medication—particularly in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and psychiatric disorders—is steadily increasing against the backdrop of healthcare cost containment and rational drug use.

According to data from the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, China spends approximately RMB 150 billion annually on the prevention and treatment of severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cerebral infarction, with an average treatment cost of RMB 18,000 per person.

Although there is a wide variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular drugs available in clinical practice, the overall efficacy rate of pharmacological therapy remains below 60%. For instance, 30%–70% of patients show no response to statin-based lipid-lowering agents; 10%–30% of patients are non-responsive to antihypertensive medications; the long-term efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs is generally around 50%; and while aspirin can prevent cardiovascular diseases, only about half of every 100 users derive significant benefit, with others experiencing minimal or no benefit, and some even suffering adverse events such as gastrointestinal bleeding and cerebral hemorrhage.

In the field of mental disorders, pharmacotherapy remains the primary intervention. The treatment of depression and other psychiatric conditions is characterized by a wide variety of available medications, a trial-and-error approach involving an average of 2–3 drugs, prolonged trial periods (1–2 months per drug), low remission rates, and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, patients experience varying degrees of adverse drug reactions during treatment, including nausea, dizziness, vomiting, constipation, hypotension, and somnolence. These factors contribute to poor patient adherence, high rates of unauthorized discontinuation of medication, and inadequate disease course control.

Epidemiological data show that there are approximately 47 million patients with depression in China alone, with a treatment rate of only 9.5%. One-third of treated patients fail to achieve remission, the majority discontinue medication within six months, and 20%–80% are prone to relapse, resulting in annual direct economic losses exceeding RMB 50 billion.

The traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach to pharmacotherapy urgently needs transformation. Personalized medication, tailored to individual patients, can enhance therapeutic efficacy, reduce overall treatment costs, and benefit a broad patient population, potentially becoming the mainstream trend in drug therapy.

Since its inception,Dun'en Medical has consistently focused on the high-potential market of precision pharmaceutical services., committed to providing global medical experts and patients with higher-quality, more reliable precision medication solutions.

The release of the “Guidelines for Genetic Diagnosis of Monogenic Hereditary Cardiovascular Diseases” in 2019 ushered in the era of precision medicine for cardiovascular diseases.

In June of the same year, Dunen Medical Laboratory officially commenced operations. In September, the company secured letters of intent for collaborative partnerships with 43 hospitals in Zhejiang Province. In October, the “Center for Precision Medication Research, Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University” was established, and the company received angel investment from Zhejiang Yangtze Delta Biopharmaceuticals.

On October 13, 2021, the National Administration of Medical Administration and Medical Care issued the “Notice on Issuing Five Specifications, Including the Specification for Pharmaceutical Outpatient Services in Medical Institutions,” explicitly stating that pharmaceutical care is an integral part of diagnosis and treatment activities in medical institutions, and plays a significant role in promoting rational drug use, improving healthcare quality, and ensuring medication safety for patients.

This year, Dunen Medical also ushered in a new round of rapid development, obtaining 15 national invention patents and 3 software copyrights, and passing the preliminary review for National High-Tech Enterprise certification. Additionally, the company secured tens of millions of RMB in Pre-A series financing from CICC Capital and Zongquan Capital.

Recently, Dunen Medicine announced the completion of its latest round of financing, raising nearly RMB 100 million. The round was led by CICC Capital, with participation from other well-known domestic funds.

Dun'en Medicine Completes Latest Funding Round of Nearly 100 Million Yuan

Currently, Dunen MedicalCentered on pharmacogenomic and metabolomic testing technologies, a series of personalized medication guidance products have been developed and are widely applied in the fields of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, psychiatric disorders, and oncology.By developing rational and effective individualized medication regimens tailored to patients’ unique characteristics, this approach helps avoid or minimize issues of therapeutic inefficacy or medication intolerance, thereby enhancing medication adherence and treatment confidence, while reducing drug costs and long-term disease management expenses.

Dun En Medicine isAffiliated Unit of the “Precision Medication Research Center” under the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, Zhejiang, with a solid foundation for translating industry-academia-research collaboration into practical applications. The company boasts a high-caliber team of clinicians and laboratory professionals. Its core technical team members hail from prestigious universities such as Tsinghua University, Fudan University, and Zhejiang University, possessing robust expertise in molecular diagnostics R&D. Meanwhile, the marketing team brings extensive experience in market management from large multinational corporations and leading domestic genetic diagnostic companies, demonstrating proficiency in precision medicine product management and market promotion.

Chen Zhijun, Founder and Chairman of Dun En MedicineCurrently pursuing an EMBA at Zhejiang University, he has previously served as Head of Sales and Vice General Manager at multinational corporations. He possesses extensive experience in investment and financing management, project operations, and corporate management, offers unique insights into the niche field of precision medication, and has conducted in-depth research in the emerging area of pharmaceutical care services.

Leveraging its unique insights into the field of precision medication and years of accumulated research experience, Dunen Medicine has established a comprehensive platform and full-industry-chain layout, creating an ecosystem centered around the entire lifecycle of pharmaceuticals.

1. Prioritize the development of molecular platforms and mass spectrometry platforms, specializing in personalized pharmacogenetic testing and therapeutic drug monitoring.A variety of precision pharmacogenetic testing products have been successfully developed on the Seq-Studio Genetic Analyzer, including genetic tests for cardiovascular medication, pharmacogenetic guidance for immunosuppressant therapy, pharmacogenetic guidance for psychiatric disorder treatment, precision pain management medication, and pediatric safe-use medication panels. Some of these products have already begun the application process for Class III medical device registration certificates.

Therapeutic drug monitoring products for immunosuppressants, antidepressants, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, antifungals, and antineoplastics, as well as assays for vitamins and trace elements, have been successfully developed on chromatography and mass spectrometry platforms.

Second, regarding full-cycle disease management and medication guidance,Analysis of Large-Scale Clinical Data and Various Test Results in Clinical Practice: A SummaryEstablish a Precision Medication Database Tailored to the Local Population, and further refined in the practice of local databases serving clinical care, to form a truly new guideline for precision medication in pharmacy.

Third, in the area of clinical services for new drugs,Leveraging multiple in-house and co-established pharmaceutical laboratories, as well as a comprehensive precision medicine database encompassing pharmacogenomic testing and therapeutic drug monitoring, we serve innovative drug R&D enterprises both domestically and internationally,Provide CRO services based on big data from pharmaceutical laboratories.

Patient-centric, anchored by a precision medication data center and driven by technology, this platform empowers clinical practice across disciplines on one end—creating value for pharmacoeconomics and optimizing healthcare resource allocation—while empowering pharmaceutical companies in new drug development and clinical research on the other, thereby building an ecosystem covering the entire drug lifecycle.

DunEn Medicine’s vision is “Scientifically Guided Precision Medication, Enabling Patients to Benefit from Precision Treatment.” To realize this vision, the company will continue toComprehensively Advance the Industrial Ecosystem Layout Centered on Pharmaceutical Care Services, including the construction and operation of a clinical precision medication platform, the development of products related to pharmacogenetic testing and therapeutic drug monitoring, the establishment of a precision medication database, the development of big data-supported medication guidance software and AI pharmacists, as well as clinical services for innovative drug research and development.

At the signing ceremony for Dunen Medicine’s latest round of financing, Mr. Chen Zhijun stated, “After arduous efforts in the early stages, Dunen Medicine has now become a vibrant and innovative pharmaceutical service enterprise with tremendous growth potential. This financing will propel Dunen Medicine’s rapid development. Seizing this opportunity, we will remain grounded, pragmatic, and truth-seeking, striving to expand and strengthen our company to establish ourselves as the leading enterprise in pharmaceutical services.”

Dun’en Medicine, established in 2017, is a leading high-tech enterprise in China specializing in clinical precision medication guidance services. As the operational entity for the “Precision Medication Research Center” under the Hangzhou Branch of the Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, the company focuses primarily on the high-potential market of precision medication services. Dun’en Medicine boasts a robust R&D team, with more than one-third of its members holding master’s degrees or higher. The company remains committed to providing global medical experts and patients with superior and reliable precision medication solutions, striving tirelessly to advance the cause of human health.

CICC Capital is a wholly-owned private equity investment management subsidiary of China International Capital Corporation Limited (“CICC”). As CICC’s platform for private equity fund business, it centrally manages CICC’s onshore and offshore private equity fund activities. The funds under its management encompass RMB corporate equity investment funds, funds of funds, real estate funds, infrastructure funds, and USD corporate equity investment funds, among others. As of the end of 2021, CICC Capital had cumulative assets under management exceeding RMB 400 billion, supported by a professional investment management team of over 400 members, establishing it as a leading comprehensive alternative asset investment management platform in China with international influence.

The Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University in Zhejiang is a pioneer and leader in implementing Zhejiang Province’s strategy of “introducing prestigious universities and research institutes to jointly build innovation platforms.” Since its establishment in 2003, the Institute has been based in Zhejiang and oriented toward the Yangtze River Delta region. By adopting a self-financing, market-oriented operational model, it has explored an effective mode of provincial-university cooperation. It has introduced and cultivated more than 1,000 high-level overseas talents for Zhejiang, making it one of the earliest launched and largest platforms for overseas talent recruitment and intelligence introduction in China. In 2019, the Institute was included as the sole innovation platform in the national strategic plan, the Outline of the Integrated Development Plan for the Yangtze River Delta Region. In 2020, it was recognized as one of the “Top Ten Industry-Academia-Research Integration Organizations” at the national level, being the only new-type R&D institution from Zhejiang Province to receive this honor.