Huayue Hengsheng Files IPO Prospectus: Pioneering Upgraded PRP Therapy and Delivering Pro Bono Treatments to Nearly 10,000 Knee Osteoarthritis Patients
A medical technology company established five to six years ago has forgone revenue to persist in its public welfare endeavors, providing over 3,000 pro bono treatments to patients with knee joint diseases in 2019 alone. This unusual company is Huayue Hengsheng. Building upon traditional PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) technology, the company independently developed separation and preparation equipment and processes. Its proprietary autologous blood-activated growth factor therapy has secured core patents and achieved breakthroughs in clinical efficacy, benefiting impoverished grassroots populations through the “New Knee Hope” public welfare project of the Hua’an Public Welfare Foundation.
“At first, when we saw the efficacy of autologous blood-derived growth factors in treating osteoarthritis, we aimed to provide this therapy free of charge to patients with knee osteoarthritis, sparing millions of parents from knee pain. This became the original intention and mission behind the founding of Huayue Hengsheng. However, we did not anticipate the subsequent need for clinical trials and the establishment of a medical device manufacturing facility. The entire development process took five years. Engaging in philanthropy within the healthcare sector is by no means a simple endeavor,” said Li Yi, founder of Huayue Hengsheng, with a smile during an interview.
Li Yi, Founder of Huayue Hengsheng
Li Yi was born into a family with deep roots in education and healthcare, yet his career has been firmly anchored in the IT, telecommunications, and Safe City sectors. After graduating from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, he naturally progressed into core management roles at major publicly listed technology companies, before deciding to resign and launch his own venture in 2013.
The cross-industry foray into the healthcare sector is rooted in the “Jishan Poverty Alleviation and Health Campaign” initiated by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (hereinafter referred to as the CDPF). He Shutang, founding partner of Beijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd., maintains close ties with the CDPF. He learned that the CDPF organizes various public welfare initiatives each year, including providing free treatment for patients with knee osteoarthritis at the grassroots level. However, the number of patients who can undergo surgical treatment is limited, and the associated costs are substantial.
In China, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis is approximately 8.1%, with around 120 million people nationwide suffering from pain associated with this condition. It has become one of the diseases with the highest disability rates. According to statistics from the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), 10% of patients with osteoarthritis will become disabled if they do not receive effective treatment. "Disability due to illness and poverty caused by disability" are core issues hindering the implementation of CDPF-led projects.
PRP therapy, or platelet-rich plasma therapy, is a non-surgical treatment currently used for knee osteoarthritis. This procedure involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s own blood, which is then centrifuged to isolate a plasma mixture with a high concentration of platelets. This platelet-rich plasma is subsequently injected into the patient’s knee joint cavity to achieve anti-inflammatory effects, promote cartilage regeneration, and repair damaged joint tissues. In the United States, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, this technique has been widely applied in clinical practice for over 20 years. Sports celebrities such as Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods have undergone this treatment for waist and leg injuries. Many medical institutions in China, including PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital), West China Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongzhimen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, have also implemented this therapy with satisfactory outcomes, as evidenced by the frequent publication of related research papers.
Huayue Hengsheng’s innovative autologous blood-activated growth factor therapy features multiple innovations and upgrades based on PRP:
FirstSince 2010, Professor Yuezhong Zhai of DT Medical Group, drawing on practical experience in medical aesthetics, has pioneered an innovative approach to the isolation of autologous platelet-rich plasma. By innovating equipment and processes, his method ensures that no exogenous substances, including anticoagulants, are added throughout the preparation process, thereby avoiding the potential impact of anticoagulants on enzymes and wound healing signals. Almost simultaneously with Dr. Joseph Choukroun of France, who invented the PRF preparation technique internationally, Professor Zhai proposed a technology for preparing autologous blood-derived growth factors through additive-free, self-activated autologous blood. During this period, Associate Director Hongchen He from the Rehabilitation Medicine Center of West China Hospital provided substantial R&D suggestions and valuable experience based on early clinical treatments, laying the foundation and prototype for the equipment.
SecondlyBeijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd. has transitioned from its first-generation anticoagulant-free separation and preparation products to a second-generation intelligent information system powered by artificial intelligence. Leveraging its core development team with extensive expertise in the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI, the company collaborated with partner Li Ruobin at the Zhongguancun Overseas Scholars Pioneer Park to jointly develop this second-generation smart healthcare system. The system enables precise, personalized treatment tailored to individual patients and their specific indications, achieving customized separation and preparation procedures, as well as the intelligent automation of clinical workflows and medical data management.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Dong Feng lived in the mountains and did not engage in farming. He treated patients daily without charging fees. Instead, he asked those cured of serious illnesses to plant five apricot trees, and those with minor ailments to plant one. Over several years, more than 100,000 trees were planted, forming a lush grove. This gave rise to the celebrated idiom “Warmth in the Apricot Grove,” symbolizing medical benevolence.When discussing the founding of Beijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd., its founder, Li Yi, explained that the company’s original mission was to provide compassionate healthcare. In 2016, the company co-established the Beijing Hua’an Public Welfare Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”). The Foundation was created to address social issues in education and healthcare, with charitable treatment for knee osteoarthritis being one of its core public welfare projects.
Entrance to the Beijing Hua’an Public Welfare Foundation (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Beijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd. has helped a large number of patients treat knee osteoarthritis through autologous blood-activated growth factor therapy in the field of regenerative medicine, effectively alleviating symptoms and achieving good therapeutic effects. Through the Hua'an Public Welfare Foundation, Beijing Huayue Hengsheng has provided charitable treatment to thousands of patients with knee osteoarthritis in Beijing, Sichuan, Shanxi, Fujian, Hubei, and other regions, with a treatment effectiveness rate exceeding 90%, earning widespread acclaim from local communities. In 2020, the company plans to complete its goal of providing charitable treatment to 10,000 individuals, allowing the "New Knee Hope" project to benefit more patients.
In terms of practical efficacy and comparative analysis, Huayue Hengsheng’s innovative autologous blood-activated growth factor therapy outperforms conventional PRP therapy. The preparation process is completed within just 5 minutes, whereas traditional PRP preparation takes approximately 30 minutes. Treatment of a single knee joint requires only 10 mL of the patient’s blood, compared to 50 mL for traditional PRP. Furthermore, as a purely natural, contamination-free, and additive-free approach, it significantly reduces the risk of adverse reactions compared to conventional PRP therapies that utilize separation gels and anticoagulants.
In 2017, Huayue Hengsheng established Huailai Huayue Hengsheng Medical Device Co., Ltd., filed for core patent technologies, developed separation and preparation equipment, and obtained Class I medical device production filing (for low-temperature refrigerated centrifuges, liquid dressings, and spray dressings) as well as Class II and Class III medical device distribution licenses. Subsequently, the company established Beijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd., integrating regenerative medicine technologies with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and participated in related work under the “Professional Committee on TCM Development of the China Society for Socio-Economic Systems Analysis” and the “Collaborative Innovation Institute for TCM and Regenerative Medicine.”
Li Yi introduced that the company willIn terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in conjunction with the detection of autologous blood-activated growth factors in regenerative medicine and their related indications, proactively intervene in patients' blood parameters through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) regulatory approaches to develop health management protocols for degenerative diseases and tissue anti-aging, and deliver precise intervention and targeted treatment for specific conditions via therapeutic methods such as acupoint injection;
AtIn the Field of Regenerative Medicine: Liquid dressings combined with stem cell exosomes, which are currently under development, have been applied in clinical projects for COVID-19. In the future, they can lead to a wide range of derivative products and applications in the beauty, healthcare, and anti-aging markets.
Beijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd. is dedicated to the research and development of core technologies and innovative products. By empowering physical clinics, it connects experts, technology, and patients into a mutually trusted ecosystem. Building on this foundation, the company not only facilitates scientific research and the implementation of expert training but also substantially enhances the operational capabilities and profitability of primary care clinics, while enabling patients to access high-quality medical services that offer superior cost-effectiveness and therapeutic outcomes.
Currently, Beijing Huayue Hengsheng Health Management Co., Ltd. and the National SME Development Fund have led an investment round in Darwin Cell Biology Group, a core enterprise in regenerative medicine, reaching an investment agreement to jointly establish a GMP-standard laboratory at Yuquan Hospital of Tsinghua University. Furthermore, strategic collaborations have been formed with scientist teams and medical institutions such as the Beijing Zhenxigu Medical Research Center and the Canaan Outpatient Department of Peking University Cancer Hospital, aiming to translate the latest scientific achievements in regenerative medicine into clinical applications.
Regarding the future, founder Li Yi stated that Huayue Hengsheng’s core mission and original aspirations will remain unchanged. The company will continue to invest in product research and development and engage in public welfare initiatives to serve more patients. It aims to establish a chain of over 3,000 affiliated clinics across China within three years, helping more patients through higher-quality services and proven therapeutic efficacy.