Google Life Sciences Partners with Sanofi on Diabetes Research Amid Stricter Healthcare Advertising Regulations
1, Google Partners with Pharmaceutical Giant Sanofi for Diabetes Research
On August 31 (U.S. time), Google announced that its life sciences division would collaborate with French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and the Joslin Diabetes Center to research new approaches for monitoring, managing, and treating diabetes.
In a public statement, Google’s Life Sciences team announced that it would collaborate with Sanofi to accelerate the clinical application of laboratory technologies, seeking ways to help patients and physicians better collect, analyze, and understand the various sources of information affecting diabetes management. This initiative will bring together life sciences companies, medical device manufacturers, academic research institutions, and patient advocacy groups—organizations capable of providing new intervention strategies for diabetes management by patients and clinicians. For example, they could offer novel approaches to provide patients with real-time information and specific guidance on dietary choices and insulin dosing.
Two weeks ago, the Life Sciences division spun off from Google’s most secretive unit, Google X. It will soon become an independent subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. under a new name, with diabetes as its inaugural research project.
2. The New Advertising Law Officially Takes EffectStrictly Regulate Medical and Health Supplement Advertising
Nothing has garnered more attention in the past two days than the newly revised Advertising Law, which marks the first amendment since its implementation 20 years ago and will officially take effect on September 1.
The new Advertising Law stipulates that no individual may serve as an endorser for drug advertisements, and such advertisements must prominently display contraindications and adverse reactions. Meanwhile, radio stations, television stations, newspaper and audio-visual publishing entities, and internet information service providers are prohibited from disguising advertisements for drugs, medical devices, medical services, or health foods as content introducing health or wellness knowledge.
In response to the chaotic practices in the health and wellness sector, the new Advertising Law explicitly stipulates that advertisements for health supplements must not involve claims of disease prevention or therapeutic functions, must not assert or imply that the advertised product is essential for maintaining health, and must prominently display the statement: “This product cannot replace medication.”
This means that endorsements will no longer be permitted for advertisements of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical services, and health foods. As these products and services are directly linked to the public’s life, health, and safety, and given the uniqueness of human physiology, efficacy in one individual does not guarantee efficacy in others. Therefore, recommendations or testimonials provided by advertising endorsers lack scientific validity.
3Yunkai Yamei Announces RMB 100 Million Financing for Its Online Pharmacy
On September 1, Zhejiang Yun Kai Ya Mei Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., announced a capital increase and share expansion through the introduction of strategic investors. The plan involves issuing 24.07407 million new shares to raise RMB 100 million, representing a 32.5% equity stake at a price of RMB 4.15 per share.
Yunkai Yamei is oriented toward the sale of medications for chronic and special diseases, providing consumers with professional after-sales services for these conditions and vigorously promoting its online pharmacy platform. Yunkai Yamei has registered multiple international top-level domains, including “ykyao.com,” “yizhiyao.com,” and “manyouclub.com.”
In addition to online sales through its official website, Yunkai Pharmacy (ykyao.com), the company has also established online stores on major third-party e-commerce platforms such as Tmall, JD.com, and 800 Fang. Currently, YunKai AsiaMed Co., Ltd. offers more than 2,500 pharmaceutical products, with a focus on chronic and specialty disease lines, including those for bone diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, hepatobiliary diseases, and rheumatic and immune diseases. The company maintains collaborative partnerships with Hisun Pharmaceutical, Wyeth, Chia Tai Tianqing, and Life Science.
4- Author Feng Tang Appointed as General Manager of CITIC CapitalHead of Healthcare Investment
According to The Paper on September 1, the private equity (PE) division of CITIC Capital Holdings Limited announced in Hong Kong the appointment of veteran investor Zhang Haipeng as Senior Managing Director, overseeing healthcare investments.
Zhang Haipeng stepped down as CEO of China Resources Medical Group in July 2014; his current move to join CITIC Investment to oversee healthcare investments marks a return to his core expertise.
Zhang Haipeng (pen name: Feng Tang), a renowned writer, is best known for his representative works *Everything Grows*, *Give Me a Girl at Eighteen*, and *Beijing, Beijing*.
5, Israeli Smart Glucometer DarioObtained 250$10,000 Financing
Dario, the smart, smartphone-connected blood glucose meter from Israeli company LabStyle Innovations, recently secured $2.5 million in financing from Canadian investment firm Shumel Farhi and other investors.
Dario is a compact blood glucose meter that syncs with a mobile app. The app is compatible with smartphones and tablets on both iOS and Android platforms. It features nutritional guidance, activity tracking, and monitoring systems. Users can view all their data in chronological lists or graphical formats, and perform comparative analyses across different time periods. The app indicates whether monitored metrics are low or high, and shows whether the user’s blood glucose levels are within the normal range before or after meals.
LabStyle stated that it has obtained CE certification in Europe and expects to receive FDA approval in the United States next month.