Boehringer Ingelheim and Yilian Announce Strategic Collaboration Focused on Chronic Disease Management

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that on November 7, Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading global multinational pharmaceutical company, signed strategic cooperation agreements with several domestic internet hospitals, including Medlinker, at the second China International Import Expo.

Under the agreement, the collaboration focuses on numerous chronic disease treatment areas, with cooperation spanning internet healthcare, pharmaceutical distribution, disease management, and doctor-patient education. This enables patients to fully enjoy one-stop medical convenience services brought by internet healthcare, including online consultations, prescription issuance, medication dispensing, and access to cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic information.

Li Yue, Senior Vice President of Medlinker, and Feng Naide, Head of Human Pharma Business, Greater China, Boehringer Ingelheim

Data show that with economic development and the accelerating pace of life, the number of people with chronic diseases in China has reached approximately 300 million. According to the latest data released by the State Council, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and other conditions account for more than 70% of the total disease burden caused by chronic diseases in China, while deaths attributable to chronic diseases constitute 88% of all deaths.

The recently issued Healthy China Action Plan (2019–2030) explicitly launches prevention and control initiatives targeting four major chronic diseases: cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, to address this severe public health challenge. The rise of internet hospitals has streamlined key processes such as online consultations, electronic prescriptions, and medication delivery. This not only provides greater convenience for patients with chronic conditions but also enhances the accessibility of medications and treatment regimens, thereby offering stronger support and assurance for China’s healthcare environment in chronic disease management.

“As a traditional German pharmaceutical company with a century-long heritage, we have introduced nearly all of our innovative products in the field of chronic diseases—including diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation—to China over the past 25 years since our market entry. Boehringer Ingelheim has been committed to enhancing the accessibility of these innovative medicines to benefit more patients. Now, leveraging the momentum of ‘Internet Plus Healthcare’ in China, we are engaging in comprehensive collaboration with our strategic local partners through digital innovation and empowerment. In addition to providing patients with innovative treatment solutions, we are also introducing new models of health management,” said Feng Naide, Head of Human Pharma Business, Greater China, at Boehringer Ingelheim.

“This collaboration is a proactive response to the National Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan and is also encouraged by various new national policies,” said Feng Naide. “The China International Import Expo (CIIE) serves as an excellent platform for multinational pharmaceutical companies to showcase their innovative products and healthcare service solutions to China and the world. We are delighted to have signed strategic agreements with seven well-known domestic internet hospitals here to promote digital healthcare innovation, jointly build an internet healthcare ecosystem, and benefit more doctors and patients.”

Medlinker, one of the seven partner companies, is a leading enterprise in China’s internet healthcare industry and among the first batch of companies in China to hold an internet hospital license.

Mr. Wang Shirui, Founder and CEO of Medlinker, stated, “Medlinker is deeply honored to enter into a strategic partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, a century-old industry leader. Since its inception, Medlinker has remained steadfast in its corporate vision: ‘To become a leading innovator in comprehensive health, empower the industry chain, make healthcare more professional, efficient, and accessible, and benefit society.’ After several years of accumulation and development, Medlinker has fully transitioned since 2018 to focus on internet hospital services specializing in chronic disease management. By leveraging artificial intelligence and internet technologies, we actively connect doctors and patients, starting with specialized chronic conditions. We structure complex information and simplify intricate processes to help physicians better manage patient care, including follow-up visits and monitoring. Simultaneously, we empower patients to manage their conditions more scientifically and healthily, accelerating recovery. Ultimately, this enables us to build an intelligent ecosystem for end-to-end chronic disease management, benefiting a broader population.”

“This collaboration between Medlinker and Boehringer Ingelheim holds profound significance for Medlinker. We hope that Medlinker will engage in further cooperation with Boehringer Ingelheim in its future development, jointly contributing to the Healthy China 2030 initiative and continuously improving and advancing the development of internet healthcare in China.”

The collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and domestic internet hospitals will fully integrate healthcare services with pharmaceuticals, ensuring the provision of high-quality treatment plans for patients while establishing a stable channel for drug supply. Furthermore, Boehringer Ingelheim and its partners will leverage their expertise in “online patient-physician education,” aiming to disseminate the most advanced international diagnostic and therapeutic concepts to more healthcare professionals, and to deliver accurate scientific information on disease prevention and management to chronic disease patients and their families.

Boehringer Ingelheim, an R&D-driven pharmaceutical company, is committed to improving human and animal health by focusing on disease areas that lack effective treatment options. The company is dedicated to developing innovative therapies to help patients extend their lives. In the field of animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim represents advanced preventive solutions.

Boehringer Ingelheim, founded in 1885, remains a family-owned company to this day. It is one of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Across its three business areas—human pharmaceuticals, animal health, and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing—approximately 50,000 employees globally strive daily to create value through innovation. In 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of approximately €17.5 billion, with R&D expenditures nearing €3.2 billion, equivalent to 18.1% of net sales.

As a family-owned enterprise, Boehringer Ingelheim aspires to achieve long-term success. The company aims to realize organic growth through its own resources while actively seeking partners and strategic alliances in the field of research and development. Furthermore, all of the company’s actions are conducted with responsibility toward humanity and the environment.

As a leading internet hospital platform in China, Medlinker was established in 2014 and is among the first enterprises in the country to obtain official licenses for internet hospitals. It aims to create a mobile studio for every doctor, enabling them to conduct consultations, issue prescriptions, and manage patient follow-ups anytime and anywhere, thereby making healthcare more focused, efficient, and convenient. Currently, the Medlinker platform has gathered over 700,000 real-name verified doctors from across China, including more than 35,000 contracted physicians.

Focusing on specialized chronic disease management has long been the hallmark of Medlinker Internet Hospital. Since 2018, starting with hepatology, Medlinker Internet Hospital has continuously expanded into other specialties, now covering multiple disease areas including liver diseases, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, orthopedics, and oncology. As one of China’s largest physician platforms and chronic disease medical service providers, it leverages its foundation of connecting and serving the country’s largest community of physicians to build an integrated online-offline healthcare ecosystem that spans “medical care, patients, pharmaceuticals, and insurance,” striving to set industry benchmarks and exemplars in the field of chronic disease management.