Bayer and OrigiMed Collaborate to Advance NTRK Pan-Tumor Precision Diagnosis and Treatment in China
On November 7, 2023, during the 6th China International Import Expo, Bayer Healthcare Company Limited and OrigiMed INC signed an innovative pan-tumor NTRK cooperation agreement. Both parties will leverage their respective advantages and resources to jointly expand innovative models of patient care for pan-tumor NTRK patients, provide patient care services for NTRK fusion-positive patients in China, and further alleviate the financial burden of medication on patients. Meanwhile, the two parties will also join hands to explore precision diagnosis and treatment of pan-tumor NTRK, contributing to the high-quality development of precision medicine.
On-Site Signing Ceremony Group Photo
In recent years, precision medicine has advanced rapidly, and targeted therapies directed at genomic alterations have demonstrated significant clinical benefits. As a rare genomic alteration, NTRK gene fusions can act as oncogenic drivers, promoting tumor proliferation and metastasis. NTRK fusion-positive tumors are not restricted to specific tissue types and may arise in various anatomical sites across the body. The prevalence of NTRK fusion-positive tumors varies among different solid tumors in both adults and children. Given the large population of cancer patients in China, the absolute number of patients harboring NTRK gene fusions is substantial and should not be underestimated.
Vitrakvi®, the world’s first “tumor-agnostic” oral NTRK inhibitor, is a precision targeted therapy specifically designed for adult and pediatric patients with NTRK gene fusion tumors. Its capsule and oral solution formulations were approved for marketing in China in 2022 and made a successful appearance at the 5th China International Import Expo, ushering in a new era of pan-cancer precision targeted therapy in China. Meanwhile, the NTRK pan-cancer companion diagnostic (CDx) kit, co-developed by Bayer and OrigiMed, was granted approval through the Special Examination Procedure for Innovative Medical Devices by the Center for Technical Evaluation of Medical Devices under the National Medical Products Administration. This marks the first NGS-based companion diagnostic (CDx) kit applicable to Vitrakvi® in China, bringing new hope to more patients with NTRK gene fusions.
The transition from traditional treatment models to precision medicine represents an effective pathway for driving high-quality development in oncology. Guided by the principles of “putting life and people first” and being “patient-centered,” Bayer and OrigiMed have jointly launched the “NTRK Patient Care Innovation Collaboration Project.” This initiative aims to further explore and deepen cooperation in areas such as patient care and alleviating medication costs, thereby helping more financially disadvantaged Chinese patients with NTRK fusion-positive tumors—who have already benefited from precision diagnosis and treatment—to reduce their economic burden. In enhancing patient affordability, Bayer has supported the “Wei Ai Xin Sheng” (Love Rebirth) Patient Assistance Program, initiated by the China Primary Health Care Foundation since 2023. The program is designed to lessen patients’ treatment burdens, enabling more patients to receive continuous and standardized therapy for improved therapeutic outcomes.
Following the approval of NTRK inhibitors in China, OrigiMed’s precision medicine internet hospital launched the country’s first NTRK clinic in April 2022. Over the past year, the NTRK clinic has successfully consulted more than 1,500 patients. Leveraging a powerful AI-driven model built upon a professional knowledge base, it provides comprehensive oncology information services to numerous patients, including interpretations of genetic testing, immunotherapies, targeted therapies, clinical trials, and cutting-edge advancements. Furthermore, OrigiMed is committed to delivering patient care services to those in need, striving to enhance patient well-being.
Han Shuang, General Manager of Bayer’s Prescription Drugs Oncology Business Division, stated, “Precision medicine is one of the key focus areas for Bayer Oncology. The approval and market launch of Vitrakvi® (larotrectinib) have brought significant survival benefits and improved quality of life for Chinese patients with NTRK fusion-positive cancers. Over the years, Bayer Oncology has leveraged its strengths in therapeutic areas such as liver cancer and colorectal cancer—digestive system tumors with high prevalence in China—as well as prostate cancer, a male malignancy with a steadily increasing incidence rate. We have continuously developed an innovative portfolio of products to address unmet medical needs in oncology treatment. Meanwhile, Bayer has been deepening and advancing local collaborations, working with partners from diverse fields to promote the comprehensive improvement of cancer diagnosis and treatment standards in China. Leveraging the important platform of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), Bayer and OrigiMed have jointly launched the ‘NTRK Patient Care Innovation Collaboration Project.’ Through this initiative, we aim to explore innovative patient care pathways under precision diagnosis and treatment models, thereby alleviating the medication burden for patients with NTRK gene fusions. Furthermore, Bayer and OrigiMed will leverage their respective strengths to explore broader collaborative opportunities, working hand in hand to comprehensively enhance detection and treatment rates for precision medicine in China. These efforts contribute to building a multi-tiered healthcare security system and supporting the Healthy China 2030 initiative.”
Han Shuang, General Manager of Bayer's Prescription Drugs Oncology Business Unit, Delivers On-Site Remarks
Lu Tao, General Manager of the OrigiMed Innovation Center, stated, “OrigiMed is an innovative medical technology company focused on precision oncology diagnosis and treatment, committed to providing individualized precision diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for every patient. Leveraging our AI-powered companion model ‘Zhihui’ built upon a specialized knowledge base, along with our professional medical team, we offer end-to-end management services ranging from personalized diagnostic and treatment recommendations to health management. Furthermore, we help alleviate patients’ medication costs through innovative collaboration models. We look forward to joining forces with Bayer to jointly explore new paradigms in innovative payment mechanisms for pan-solid tumors. Together, we aim to deliver high-quality, accessible patient care services for adult and pediatric patients in China with NTRK gene fusion-positive solid tumors, ensuring that premium pharmaceutical resources benefit more Chinese patients, reducing their actual out-of-pocket medication expenses, driving innovative development in precision diagnosis and treatment, and enabling more Chinese patients to reap the benefits.”
Lu Tao, General Manager of OrigiMed Innovation Center, Delivers On-Site Remarks
OrigiMed is a precision medicine company focused on the R&D of international high-tech solutions and their clinical translation in oncology. It is committed to advancing clinical testing for hundreds of cancer-related genes, providing comprehensive and accurate molecular-level information for each patient to assist physicians in delivering precise treatment and driving innovation in the clinical management of cancer patients in China. By offering rigorously validated comprehensive genomic profiling, OrigiMed identifies molecular alterations in patients’ tumors and matches them with relevant targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and clinical trials. Currently, OrigiMed has established deep collaborations with numerous biopharmaceutical companies both in China and abroad to support clinical trials and new drug development.
As a multinational corporation, Bayer possesses core competencies in the health and agriculture sectors of life sciences. The company is committed to helping people overcome the major challenges posed by global population growth and aging through its products and services, thereby contributing to human well-being and the prosperity of the planet. Bayer is dedicated to promoting sustainable development and generating a positive impact through its business operations. Meanwhile, the Group enhances profitability and creates value through technological innovation and business growth. Globally, the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality. In the 2022 fiscal year, Bayer employed approximately 101,000 people and reported sales of €50.7 billion. Research and development expenditures, excluding special items, amounted to €6.2 billion.