Weekly Highlights of Internet Healthcare: Alibaba Health Launches New Pharmacy App with Pharmacist Integration
Events & Perspectives
Alibaba Health Unveils Major Move! New App May Feature Pharmacist Integration in Later Stages.
Last week,Alibaba HealthThe original O2O pharmaceutical team and the Tmall Pharmacy Pavilion team joined forces to establish a project group,Plan to Launch an App Focused on Pharmaceutical E-commerce, providing consumers with a one-stop B2C + O2O pharmaceutical purchasing service. In terms of functionality, in addition to the online search and ordering capabilities already available through the Mobile Taobao and Tmall apps, the App has added functional modules such as intelligent drug shopping assistance, logistics and delivery options, medication safety alerts, and drug barcode scanning.
Unlike Alibaba Health’s previous initiatives in intelligent medication guidance, this independently developed pharmaceutical e-commerce app may later onboard pharmacists. A representative from Alibaba Health stated in an interview with Jiankangdian that this move essentially mimics the actual offline medication-purchasing experience for patients.
Meanwhile, according to VCBeat,Alibaba Health will also introduce facial recognition verification and "DingTalk" online consultations.. Alibaba’s facial recognition system can lock onto multiple facial landmarks to quickly verify whether doctors and patients are logging in as themselves, and dynamically identify their identities during the consultation process to prevent potential “mid-session substitution.”
In contrast to Alibaba Health’s focus on identity verification, BlackBerry is dedicated to developing sterile phone cases.
Recently, the so-called “transformation expert”BlackberryCEO John Chen disclosed that theyCollaborating with Cisco and ThoughtWire to test a mobile device and its accompanying internal communication system, specifically designed for hospital use, at a hospital in Ontario, Canada.Specifically, Cisco and ThoughtWire are responsible for redesigning the notification, reminder, alert, and workflow systems of medical devices to push patients’ emergency status to physicians, while BlackBerry is responsible for providing mobile devices and software that can receive such information at any time.
Another one that has already been established is,Google Launches Health-Tracking Wristband。
This wristband can be used to track patient health data in clinical trials and drug testing, including pulse, heart rate, skin temperature, ambient light, and noise levels. The team stated that the wristband will not be sold as a consumer device but rather as a medical device to assist in treatment and research. It is understood that Google will next collaborate with researchers to test the accuracy of the wristband and begin seeking approval from regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe.
In addition to internal efforts, pharmaceutical companies such as Zhongsheng Pharmaceutical and Hybio Pharmaceutical are more inclined to integrate external resources.
Last week, Zhongsheng Pharmaceutical and Xingshulin signed a strategic cooperation agreement to collaborate in the field of mobile healthcare. The announcement stated that,Zhongsheng Pharmaceutical will collaborate with Xingshulin to jointly develop and promote the Xingshulin mobile healthcare platform, represented by the “Zhongsheng Ophthalmology Cloud Academy,” establishing an innovative model that aligns with China’s current requirements for prescription drug promotion and physician relationship management.Jointly committed to exploring third-party promotion models based on patient data, thereby enriching the “Xingshulin” platform with compliant commercialization models that align with the interests of physicians and patients and adhere to high ethical standards.
Hybio Pharmaceuticalalso partnered with Tencent last week,Signed the "Strategic Framework Agreement on Establishing a Mobile Internet-Based Diabetes Chronic Disease Health Management Platform and Achieving Comprehensive Cooperation in Business Resources and Technology Platforms" with Tencent.According to the announcement, the cooperation model between the two parties is as follows: Hybio Pharmaceutical will be responsible for the construction and operation of a chronic disease management platform for diabetes; the agency, sales, and subsequent product development of the GlucoPred non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring wristband; and the development, registration, and sales of pharmaceuticals for chronic diseases such as diabetes. Tencent will provide data interfaces for specific models of Hybio Pharmaceutical’s products on the Tencent QQ IoT Platform. Based on these interfaces, Hybio Pharmaceutical may develop products featuring Tencent QQ IoT functionalities, and smart devices connected to the platform will be assigned corresponding platform accounts. Users of Hybio Pharmaceutical’s smart products can leverage the platform to achieve IoT functions such as data connectivity, statistical analysis, and interactive features.
Three more “experts” have been added to the cross-industry initiatives.
1.Bangjie Shares, a garment manufacturer, plans to invest RMB 50 million in establishing a healthcare industry M&A fund.Last week, Bangjie Shares announced that the company plans to jointly invest RMB 50 million with Shangxin Capital Management Co., Ltd. to establish the Shangxin-Bangjie Medical and Health Industry Fund (contractual type), which will invest in the broader health sector, covering multiple sub-sectors including medical services, elderly care services, health products (including pharmaceuticals, diagnostic equipment, reagents, etc.), and “Internet + Healthcare.” The total size of the M&A fund is RMB 1 billion, with an initial fundraising target of RMB 200 million. Shangxin Capital will invest RMB 2 million and serve as the fund manager of the M&A fund, while the company will contribute RMB 50 million from its own funds. The remaining investment shares will be raised externally by Shangxin Capital.
2.Everfine Opto-Electronics Invests RMB 49.5 Million in OneGene to Enter Gene Sequencing SectorLast week, Everfine Opto-Electronics entered into an agreement with Hangzhou Heyi Gene Technology Co., Ltd., its original shareholder Wang Junyi, and Hangzhou Tianpu Venture Capital Partnership (Limited Partnership). Under the agreement, Everfine invested RMB 49.5 million to subscribe for additional equity in Heyi Gene, thereby acquiring a 15% stake. Notably, Everfine’s announcement also outlined plans for strategic collaboration between the two companies. According to the announcement, Everfine will leverage its advantages and expertise in testing instruments and equipment to provide Heyi Gene with comprehensive supporting services for complete sets of testing instrumentation. If this synergy is successfully realized, Everfine’s capability to enter the gene sequencing sector will be significantly enhanced. The company will not only gain access to the blue-ocean market for gene sequencing instruments and equipment but also substantially strengthen its ability to integrate resources within the gene sequencing industry.
In addition, following Everfine Opto-Electronics’ recent announcement that it has officially entered the gene sequencing services sector through investment in Yi Gene, two other gene sequencing companies—Biomarker Technologies and Dingjing—announced last week that they had secured financing.
3.China Minsheng Bank Launches Mobile Healthcare Services.Following Ping An Insurance’s launch of “Ping An Good Doctor” and Bank of Beijing’s partnership with WeChat to introduce the “Jing Yi Tong” project, China Minsheng Bank has also begun to exert efforts in the mobile healthcare services sector. Leveraging medical appointment registration as an entry point, the bank has launched mobile banking healthcare services covering more than 1,000 key hospitals across China. A representative from China Minsheng Bank further informed reporters that customers need only log in to the Minsheng mobile banking app and perform simple operations to successfully book an appointment, with the entire process taking just a few minutes.
Additionally, last week it was revealedChina Is Preparing a Precision Medicine Plan。
Last week, the inaugural Chengdu International Forum on Precision Medicine was held at West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Scientists, medical experts, and government officials from China, the United States, Australia, and other countries gathered to jointly chart the blueprint for establishing western China as a highland for “precision medicine.” At the forum, Qin Huaijin, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Education under the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), revealed that the NHFPC, together with the Ministry of Science and Technology, has led efforts in collaboration with domestic experts in relevant fields to study the development of “precision medicine” in China. Currently, China’s version of the “Precision Medicine Initiative” is in the stage of feasibility assessment. Qin Huaijin further stated,China’s “Precision Medicine Initiative” will be formulated based on the country’s national conditions.
International News:
As reported by BuzzFeed, U.S. wearable device company Fitbit recently successfully listed on the New York Stock Exchange, while another U.S. wearable device company, Jawbone, had previously filed a patent infringement lawsuit against it, alleging that Fitbit infringed upon its patents in the field of wearable technology.Fitbit is the world’s largest wearable device company. Jawbone’s patent infringement lawsuit has had a significant impact; if it prevails, Apple, Samsung, and any other wearable device companies that aim to assess health impacts by tracking activity levels could face trouble.
Last week,U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Key Provision (Health Insurance Subsidies) in President Obama’s Healthcare Reform LawThis ruling has saved health insurance for millions of Americans, allowing them to continue enjoying the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. Of the nine Supreme Court justices, six upheld the subsidy provisions of the Affordable Care Act, while the remaining three dissented. The Court stated that this means the policy of using tax credits to subsidize low-income individuals so they can afford health insurance can proceed.
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Data
Survey Reveals Mind Control as Humanity's Ultimate Aspiration:According to a survey of more than 3,000 technology enthusiasts worldwide conducted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest professional technical organization, people most hope to use “mind-control” technology to manage various electronic devices in their daily lives by 2025. Meanwhile, current mainstream device control methods, such as those using smartphones, are facing gradual decline, while “autonomous driving” has become the most desired future mode of transportation.
The global vaccine market will reach $34.7 billion in 2020, with the four major giants running neck and neck:According to a new report released by the well-known global pharmaceutical market research firm Evaluate Pharma, global vaccine sales totaled $26.381 billion in 2014 and are projected to reach $34.727 billion by 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% during the 2014–2020 forecast period. The report indicates that the four major players in the global vaccine market—Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, and Pfizer—will be closely matched in 2020, engaging in fierce competition. By 2020, each of these giants is expected to hold approximately 21% of the market share, with vaccine sales ranging between $7.2 billion and $7.5 billion.
In 2015, the average annual income of pharmaceutical sales representatives in the United States was $140,000:MedReps.com, a specialized U.S. website, released its 2015 Annual Report on the Earnings of Sales Representatives in the U.S. Healthcare Industry. The data show that although the pharmaceutical industry is currently experiencing turbulence, the income of sales representatives in this sector has not been significantly affected. In 2015, the average base salary was $80,681, and the average annual compensation was $141,464, remaining flat compared with 2014 figures ($81,290 and $141,218, respectively).
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Realistic-Touch Artificial Leg
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The Magical Band-Aid-Like Artificial Skin
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UK Research Team Creates Digital Brain Atlas of Healthy Elderly Using MRI
A research team at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom released a report on the 24th, stating that they have constructed a digital atlas of the brains of healthy older adults using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning technology. This advancement will aid in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Australian Scientists Develop Patch-Based Sensor
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Canadian Researchers Develop Novel Graphene Sensor Capable of Detecting Cancer and Cholera
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Japan Develops Nanocapsules Capable of Precisely Killing Cancer Cells
A research team led by Professor Kazunori Kataoka of the Graduate School of The University of Tokyo has developed a nanocapsule capable of precisely targeting cancer cells. These capsules can accurately locate cancer cells, accumulate around them, and subsequently “encircle and destroy” malignant tumors. It is reported that these capsules exhibit a propensity to aggregate around cancerous tissues, effectively killing cancer cells while causing minimal damage to healthy tissues; their efficacy has been confirmed in animal studies. Following clinical trials, this technology is expected to become practically applicable within as little as five years.
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