JD Health Partners with Global Pharma Giants at CIIE to Build an 'Internet + Healthcare' Ecosystem

2020 marked a boom year for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry in China and around the world. Recently, at the third China International Import Expo held in Shanghai, more than 300 well-known enterprises in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector made their appearances, including over 70 Fortune Global 500 companies. All of the top ten pharmaceutical companies and the top fourteen medical device manufacturers worldwide registered to participate. The unprecedented scale of exhibition demonstrated the vast development potential of China’s pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.

Pfizer China and JD Health Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony During the CIIE

As a pioneer in China’s “Internet + Healthcare” sector, JD Health signed strategic cooperation agreements or launched related collaborative projects with multiple global pharmaceutical and healthcare giants at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Sanofi, and Abbott.

Industry insiders believe that JD Health’s deepening collaboration with numerous international pharmaceutical giants reflects the global pharmaceutical industry’s strong recognition of the service capabilities of local innovative platforms represented by JD Health. It also underscores the industry-wide acknowledgment of the value of “Internet + Healthcare,” characterized by digitalization and intelligence. In the future, the “Internet + Healthcare” ecosystem will not only cover more scenarios and serve more users but also provide greater impetus for the transformation and upgrading of the entire pharmaceutical industry and the improvement of national health standards.

Latest data shows that JD Health has become China’s largest online healthcare platform and the largest online retail pharmacy. Notably, through its continuous omnichannel expansion, JD Health has achieved comprehensive upgrades in service capabilities for new and specialty drugs, cross-border health supplements, critical-care medical devices, injectables, cold-chain products, traceable premium tonics, and medications for rare diseases.

During the China International Import Expo, Pfizer Biopharmaceuticals Launched Its Innovative Drug for Atopic Dermatitis on JD Health

For instance, while continuously improving its pharmaceutical supply chain, JD Health has made comprehensive efforts in the field of new and specialized drugs for critical illnesses, pioneering the industry by launching the only online platform dedicated to such medications across the entire internet. Previously, multiple new and specialized drugs from various global multinational pharmaceutical companies had their online premieres at JD Pharmacy. During this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health partnered with Pfizer Biopharmaceuticals to launch Shutanming, an innovative drug for treating atopic dermatitis, as its online premiere. It is understood that this is the first dermatological topical medication included in the List of Overseas New Drugs Urgently Needed for Clinical Use, and it is also the first and only approved topical PDE4 inhibitor with this mechanism of action in China. It addresses the unmet treatment needs for atopic dermatitis in both children and adults in China, ushering in a new chapter in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

It is understood that, leveraging its advantageous resources such as pharmaceutical supply chains and internet hospitals, JD Health will further deepen its strategic cooperation with Pfizer. Together, they aim to provide patients with more convenient and efficient pharmaceutical and healthcare services throughout the entire process of pre-diagnosis, during diagnosis, and post-diagnosis.

In fact, JD Health has become one of the key platforms for numerous pharmaceutical brands, both domestic and international, to expand their online channels and achieve digital operations in recent years. Leveraging its advantages in supply chain, technology, big data, and resources, JD Health collaborates with partners to professionally, digitally, and intelligently integrate the pharmaceutical supply chain, creating new development opportunities for the transformation of pharmaceutical enterprises. Based on this, an increasing number of pharmaceutical companies have chosen JD Health as their preferred platform for new drug launches and consumer education.

If providing users with more convenient and safe pharmaceutical services constitutes the foundation of JD Health’s pharmaceutical supply chain, then establishing a comprehensive, robust “Internet + Chronic Disease Management” service model that covers users’ entire life cycles has bridged the communication barrier that previously existed between pharmaceutical manufacturers and patients, offering partners a new channel for long-term engagement with users.

Through chronic disease management, pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare service providers can promptly monitor medication usage and obtain direct feedback on drug utilization in real time, while also offering targeted guidance to patients with specific conditions to facilitate their rapid recovery.

Bristol Myers Squibb and JD Health Launch “Innovative Cloud Platform for Liver Disease”

At this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), partnering with JD Health to strengthen chronic disease management has become a “standard practice” for many international pharmaceutical companies. For instance, Bristol-Myers Squibb, which holds a leading position in the field of liver diseases, has jointly established the “Liver Disease Innovation Cloud Platform” with JD Health. It is understood that, building on its provision of higher-quality medications and more convenient professional medical services, the platform will leverage JD Health’s advantages in healthcare ecosystem integration to deliver patient education and disease progression management services to China’s nearly 300 million liver disease patients in the future.

Notably, at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and JD Health jointly announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on innovation in chronic disease management and to engage in extensive cooperation in areas such as vaccines. Under their collaborative roadmap, GSK will work with JD Health to provide longitudinal care management for patients with neurological disorders, offering comprehensive and timely treatment guidance to patients and their families to help ensure their quality of life.

In addition to Bristol Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline, international pharmaceutical and healthcare companies such as Pfizer and Abbott have also entered into strategic agreements with JD Health, outlining collaborative plans in the field of chronic disease management. Specifically, the partnership between Pfizer and JD Health in chronic disease management will cover vaccines, rheumatology and immunology, oncology, anti-infectives, smoking cessation, and dermatology, providing efficient, convenient, and professional online consultation and medication services to users in need, thereby strengthening long-term health management for these conditions. Following the signing, Pfizer will integrate its pharmaceutical and health management businesses into JD Health’s online service modules, including JD Internet Hospital, JD Pharmacy, and consumer healthcare, leveraging its extensive regional coverage network to serve a broader base of users in need.

Group Photo of the Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony between Abbott's Pharmaceutical Business and JD Health During the China International Import Expo

Abbott’s pharmaceutical business and JD Health have established a partnership encompassing internet healthcare, health management, and related areas. It is understood that JD Health and Abbott’s pharmaceutical division have long maintained close collaboration across multiple therapeutic areas, including gastroenterology, gynecology, and cardiovascular care. Following this agreement, both parties will further deepen their strategic cooperation in various domains, such as single-disease specialty centers, online chronic disease management, patient recruitment, academic promotion, and financial services. By leveraging their respective resource advantages, they aim to deliver higher-quality and more comprehensive pharmaceutical and healthcare services to a broader user base.

In the era of “Internet + Healthcare,” leveraging digital and intelligent technologies to drive innovation in the healthcare industry and create new growth opportunities for the entire sector represents a key industry trend. Facing a critical period of transformation in the healthcare industry, JD Health adheres to an open strategy. Through technological innovation, it opens up its supply chain-based technology and service capabilities to partners, jointly participating in industry transformation and co-building a new ecosystem for “Internet + Healthcare” services.

JD Health and GlaxoSmithKline Reach Project Cooperation in the Vaccine Sector During the CIIE

A typical example is the strategic partnership reached between JD Health and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the field of vaccines. In fact, under the current normalization of epidemic prevention and control, how to help the public access high-quality, safe vaccines and enjoy an efficient, convenient, and comfortable vaccination experience has become a hot social topic. At this China International Import Expo (CIIE), JD Health and GSK officially signed a memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation. The collaboration will focus on the vaccine sector, starting from consumers’ actual needs, leveraging their respective resource advantages, and effectively integrating innovative vaccines with emerging internet technologies to deliver innovative solutions for the vaccine industry and improve public access to high-quality health resources. Both parties have also identified shingles prevention as their first area of focus.

Regarding the collaboration between the two parties, Wang Yufang, General Manager of the Consumer Healthcare Division at JD Health, stated: “This strategic partnership with GSK leverages GSK’s professional capabilities in pharmaceutical and vaccine R&D and manufacturing, along with JD’s user base and technological advantages. It will effectively break down geographical barriers to healthcare services, enabling more users to access more professional and convenient disease prevention and treatment experiences, improving the accessibility of disease prevention and medications in grassroots areas, and contributing to the enhancement of public health nationwide.”

Sun Lei, Head of GSK China’s Vaccine Business, stated that JD Health boasts a robust user base and extensive industry chain resources. GSK looks forward to collaborating with JD Health to jointly build a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem and facilitate the digital transformation of the vaccine industry.

Inauguration Ceremony of the “Collaborative Mechanism for Innovative Payment in Rare Disease Coverage” During the CIIE

Another typical case is the joint establishment of the “Innovative Payment Collaboration Mechanism for Rare Disease Coverage” by international pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, in partnership with industry collaborators including LinkDoc Technology, JD Health, the Pain Challenge Foundation, and Shuidi Charity, at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE). This mechanism represents a proactive response to China’s previously issued “1+N” multi-party payment mechanism initiative and constitutes an important component in enhancing the level of national health services in China.

Supported by this innovative mechanism, Sanofi and its partners, including JD Health, will integrate the advantageous resources of various institutions and platforms. By combining initiatives such as charitable foundations, social crowdfunding, commercial insurance, and patient assistance programs, they aim to improve access to rare disease treatments and medications, alleviate the financial burden on patients, and collectively address the challenges of payment for rare disease care. This marks another step forward for China’s internet health enterprises in exploring the “1+N” innovative payment model for rare disease coverage, following previous models such as special funds and medical aid.

Jin Enlin, General Manager of the Pharmaceutical Division at JD Health and Head of Strategy and Investment, stated that 2020 was a breakout year for the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. China’s strong economic recovery momentum and comprehensive digital-intelligent infrastructure development have also created significant growth opportunities for the sector. Looking ahead, JD Health will continue to leverage its ecosystem and resource advantages to advance the integration of online and offline services. By collaborating with more partners, JD Health aims to deliver higher-quality medical and healthcare services to users, while providing greater support for the digital-intelligent transformation of China’s healthcare industry and the upgrading of its national health service system.