GSK Joins Forces with Multiple Stakeholders to Build a New Ecosystem for Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment

Source: Global Times

On November 6, GSK successfully held the thematic series event "For a Future Without Hepatitis B" at the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE). Xu Xiegu, Vice Chairman of the China Health Promotion Foundation, Liang Xiaofeng, Vice President of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Professor Jia Jidong from Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yu Huiming, Vice President of GSK and General Manager of GSK China, Zhao Lun, Vice President of GSK and Head of Communications and Government Affairs for GSK China, along with representatives from clinical fields, industry associations, and innovative enterprises, gathered at the GSK CIIE booth. They engaged in dialogue on the theme "For a Future Without Hepatitis B – Uniting Against Hepatitis B, Collaborating to Eliminate It," discussing integrated development, strengthening the collaborative advancement of hepatitis B elimination goals, and focusing efforts on building an innovative ecosystem that integrates medical prevention and treatment for hepatitis. This collective effort aims to gather broader and stronger support for achieving "a future without hepatitis B."

At the event, the China Health Promotion Foundation awarded GSK China the honorary title of "Caring Enterprise" in recognition of its continuous investment and innovative contributions to the field of hepatitis B prevention and treatment in China over the past thirty years. Yingwei Zhang, Vice President of GSK and Head of Corporate Affairs for the International Region, along with Huiyang Zhang, Director of the Public Welfare Project Management Department of the China Health Promotion Foundation, attended and witnessed the occasion.

Award Ceremony for Benevolent Enterprises

Yu Huiming, Vice President of GSK and General Manager of China, said: "At this CIIE, GSK will present our product portfolio and health solutions that integrate prevention and treatment throughout the entire life cycle. The comprehensive management of liver diseases is a vivid example of this concept. We also look forward to leveraging the 'spillover' effect of the CIIE to closely collaborate with relevant institutions, clinical experts, and industry partners, deeply participating in and promoting the development of hepatitis B prevention and treatment in China."

Chronic Hepatitis B: A Major Challenge in Global Public Health and a Key Battlefield in China's Infectious Disease Prevention and Control

Vice Chairman Xu Xiegu interpreted the "Comprehensive Hepatitis B Prevention and Control Research Report" on-site. He stated that although China has made significant achievements in the comprehensive prevention and control of hepatitis B, there are still many challenges on the path to achieving elimination goals. On one hand, the task of treating existing patients is arduous. According to statistics, China has approximately 75 million people currently infected with the hepatitis B virus, of which about 17 million require antiviral treatment, but only around 3 million are actually receiving treatment. "In the face of these challenges, it is necessary to mobilize the efforts of the entire society, taking action in all aspects such as policy guidance, funding investment, team building, scientific research innovation, and social security to achieve a breakthrough. We are very pleased to see companies like GSK, which have been committed to long-term efforts ranging from innovative drugs to supporting doctors and patients for over thirty years. This is crucial for supporting the development of China’s public health undertakings," said Vice Chairman Xu Xiegu.

In this process, policy support has been continuously strengthened. The "China Action Plan for the Prevention and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (2025-2030)" jointly formulated by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and eight other departments provides clear policy guidance for advancing clinical treatment development. Vice President Liang Xiaofeng stated that this policy outlines a clear implementation path for hepatitis B prevention and treatment. "Under the guidance of the action plan, by uniting the efforts of the whole society, we will achieve coordinated development and governance in medical services, health insurance, and pharmaceuticals, and build a new mechanism for integrating medical prevention, which will solidify the foundation for 'social co-governance to eliminate hepatitis.'"

Eliminating hepatitis B is a systematic project that requires continuous investment from the whole society and cannot be achieved without in-depth collaboration and complementary advantages among the government, medical institutions, research institutes, and enterprises. As a global pioneer in hepatitis B prevention and control with long-term commitment in China, as well as a witness to the thirty-year leapfrog development of China’s hepatitis treatment, GSK is dedicated to building a full-cycle management system from prevention to treatment, promoting the transformation from "disease-centered" to "health-centered."

On one hand, GSK has always focused on the prevention and treatment needs throughout the entire life cycle of hepatitis B patients, promoting innovative research and development. From the hepatitis B vaccine for prevention in 1994 to nucleoside analogs for hepatitis B treatment, and further to exploring innovative therapies that could achieve a "functional cure" for chronic hepatitis B, GSK has consistently responded to public health needs in China through innovation. At the event, Vice President Liang Xiaofeng interpreted the *Action Plan for the Prevention and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis in China (2025–2030)*, pointing out that the alignment and synergy of two key policies—"intensifying the development of innovative drugs" and "actively researching innovative solutions for a functional cure for hepatitis B"—will jointly form the institutional cornerstone for driving the transformation of hepatitis B treatment paradigms. Vice President Liang emphasized: “The state strongly encourages innovation in hepatitis prevention and treatment with clear policy guidance. We look forward to the early implementation of functional cure solutions, which will effectively reduce the burden on both the public health system and patients.”

On the other hand, GSK has long been committed to enhancing the awareness and capacity building for hepatitis B prevention and treatment through public welfare projects. By collaborating with multiple parties, GSK has carried out medical training, free clinics, vaccination, health education, and other public welfare initiatives, promoting the implementation of prevention concepts at the grassroots level. GSK also continuously empowers grassroots doctors and improves the standardization of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Among these efforts, the "Gan Yuan Wei Ni" Hepatitis Health Promotion and Prevention Project in Western China, supported by GSK and conducted by the China Health Promotion Foundation, stands as one of the significant achievements.