111, Inc. , a leading tech-enabled healthcare platform company committed to digitally connecting patients with medicine and healthcare services in China, today announced a strategic cooperation agreement with Suzhou Zelgen Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. ("Zelgen") (688266.SH), an innovative drug R&D and production company. The agreement will allow 111 and Zelgen to build an innovative out-of-hospital, virtual management platform for liver cancer patients that integrates doctor resources, doctor-patient interaction, convenient access to medicines, and education resources. The platform will assist patients with easy-to-access online doctor consultations that provide medical diagnoses, treatment options, follow-ups, as well as providing information on diseases, medications and therapies.

Liver cancer has become the second most fatal cancer in China. According to data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, about 4.6 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in China, with about 410,000 of those cases being liver cancer. Out of 3 million cancer deaths in 2020, about 390,000 were from liver cancer, second only to lung cancer.

In June 2021, Zelgen's independently developed drug, Donafenib Tosylate (trade name: Zeprosyn®), secured regulatory approval from China's National Medical Products Association (NMPA) for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Zeprosyn® serves as a new front-line treatment option for patients who have not yet received systemic treatment, and will be distributed through 111's new collaborative virtual platform.

Dr. SHENG Zelin, Chairman and General Manager of Zelgen, commented, "Zelgen is an innovative pharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new drugs. The company's first marketed product, Zeprosyn®, has been included in multiple clinical guidelines including the "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer." Through this partnership, we will be able to take advantage of 111's online diagnosis, treatment, multi-channel platform, and health management services to further increase the availability of new drugs and, in turn, provide greater benefits to patients."

At the signing ceremony, Dr. Yu Gang, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of 111, stated, "The cooperation with Zelgen in the field of liver cancer is an important deployment of our digital platform in health management services directed toward a leading cause of cancer death in China. By harnessing the power of the Internet, we can break the limitations of time and space, and this new virtual platform will bring together specialists and patients online to efficiently carry out diagnoses, treatment education, follow-up visits, and prescription renewals. These functions not only expand the service radius of doctors, but also help medicines like Zeprosyn® reach more patients. Pharmaceutical companies like Zelgen can increase their regional coverage and expand distribution of innovative drugs. Patients' quality of life is also improved, as they gain access to a wider array of professional medical services and cutting-edge therapeutic drugs. Our new technologically advanced virtual platform will be beneficial for all parties within the medical system."

As a pioneer in the Internet + Healthcare industry, 111 continues to be at the forefront of innovative patient care and service models to expand and facilitate access to quality healthcare and life-saving medication nationwide. 111 currently has partnered with over 360 domestic and global pharmaceutical companies, and the partnership with Zelgen reaffirms the company's commitment to deliver solutions that will empower doctors and companies to provide superior healthcare services to patients.