WeDoctor and Zai Lab Announce Strategic Collaboration to Build an Integrated Online-Offline Digital Healthcare Platform for Oncology Patients

On September 27, 2021, WeDoctor Group, a digital healthcare platform, and Zai Lab (NASDAQ: ZLAB; HKEX: 09688) jointly signed a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at integrating their respective advantageous resources to collaboratively explore new models of partnership in the field of oncology and to establish an integrated online-to-offline healthcare service platform for cancer patients.

WeDoctor Group and Zai Lab Sign Strategic Cooperation Agreement

Under the strategic agreement, WeDoctor and Zai Lab will establish a patient-centric, integrated online-to-offline (O2O) healthcare service platform. Leveraging their respective strengths, the two parties will prioritize the oncology sector to jointly explore and develop advanced disease-specific vertical management models. They have agreed to co-create an integrated online diagnosis and treatment platform for cancer patients, combining online and offline resources to build a comprehensive physician-patient education system that extends from urban centers to rural areas, thereby ensuring broad coverage in lower-tier markets. Additionally, they will provide digital healthcare services such as online consultations and disease management. Meanwhile, both parties will conduct real-world study projects through an innovative “Internet+” model that integrates online and offline efforts, supporting patient-centric, transformative clinical research initiatives in the post-pandemic era.

WeDoctor Group and Zai Lab Enter into Strategic Partnership

In recent years, with the release of key policy documents such as the “Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Medical Security System” and the “Opinions on Promoting the Development of ‘Internet + Healthcare’,” innovative business models in internet healthcare have emerged in rapid succession. In March this year, the “Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Cultivation of New Types of Consumption,” formulated by 28 departments including the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Health Commission, the National Medical Products Administration, and the National Healthcare Security Administration, proposed to “actively develop internet-based health and medical services, and vigorously promote services such as time-slot appointment scheduling for diagnosis and treatment, internet-based diagnosis and treatment, electronic prescription circulation, and online drug sales.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for online medical services continued to grow, further accelerating the development of internet healthcare. With the vigorous emergence of new technologies, new business models, and new platforms, the period of the 14th Five-Year Plan will become a critical phase for “Internet+” health innovations to lead the high-quality development of healthcare.

Address by Liang Yi, Chief Commercial Officer and President of Greater China at Zai Lab

Liang Yi, Chief Commercial Officer and President of Greater China at Zai Lab, stated, “Zai Lab currently has a pipeline of more than 25 products and candidate drugs, with over 10 products expected to be commercialized in China in the near to medium term. Zai Lab has always adhered to a patient-centric, science-driven approach, collaborating with partners across industries to build an innovative ecosystem for precise diagnosis and treatment, while enhancing patient accessibility through diversified payment models, including national medical insurance and commercial insurance. WeDoctor is an internationally leading intelligent digital health platform. We look forward to collaborating with WeDoctor to explore a ‘decentralized’ clinical research model guided by patient needs. At the same time, we aim to establish a patient-centric digital healthcare service platform for oncology, enabling cancer patients to benefit from more convenient and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic services, as well as integrated online-offline care, thereby standardizing treatment processes and improving prognoses.”

Currently, WeDoctor operates 31 internet hospitals. Its platform connects more than 7,800 hospitals and over 280,000 physicians, delivering professional and convenient healthcare services to more than 240 million users. It is understood that WeDoctor’s core business spans medical care, pharmaceuticals, medical testing, and health insurance, making it the only digital health platform in the industry to cover the entire “Internet + Healthcare” value chain.

Address by Liao Jieyuan, Founder, Chairman and CEO of WeDoctor

Liao Jieyuan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of WeDoctor, stated in his address: “WeDoctor is delighted to collaborate with innovative pharmaceutical companies such as Zai Lab. We aim to fully leverage the professional strengths of WeDoctor’s digital platform and our in-depth understanding of the online diagnosis and treatment ecosystem covering the entire disease course across specialized therapeutic areas. Together with our industry partners, we are committed to building an integrated online-offline whole-course disease management service model, bringing tangible health benefits to patients.”