Multinational pharmaceutical companies had on the third day of the China International Import Expo inked collaboration agreements with local healthcare authorities, schools and enterprises as part of efforts to contribute to the Healthy China 2030 Initiative.

British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with the school of community medicine and public health at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College to promote diversified cooperation for healthy aging, and jointly raise public awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases.

"The collaboration aims to enhance disease prevention knowledge among the elderly, a community prone to a relatively high risk of getting infectious diseases, and ultimately help them improve their quality of life and realize healthy aging in China," said Cecilia Qi, vice-president and general manager of pharma and vaccines at GSK China.

GSK also signed an MoU of strategic collaboration with JD Health, a major telemedicine platform, to facilitate digital upgrading of the vaccine industry and improve the availability of high-quality health resources for the public.

United States-based Bristol-Myers Squibb signed an MoU of innovative partnership and a collaboration agreement with Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan province and JD Health respectively.

The former is aimed at accelerating the entry of the company's innovative therapies in the zone so that domestic patients with unmet clinical needs can have access to the world's most advanced treatments. The collaboration agreement involves the establishment of a comprehensive online platform for diagnosis, treatment and long-term disease management for liver disease patients.

Meanwhile, Abbott debuted its latest flash glucose monitoring device that comes with an additional Bluetooth connection and an optional warning system to alert patients when their glucose levels are too high or low. The product can provide real-time glucose data and maintain a high level of accuracy for 14 days.

The company also signed an agreement with Sinopharm, a State-owned pharmaceutical company during the CIIE. The two sides have agreed to collaborate in product procurement to improve the accessibility of Abbott's diabetes care products in 2021.

"We are working with partners to meet patients' core demands. We hope that our cooperation with Sinopharm will enable more patients to enjoy complete and friendly diabetes care," said Shawn Xiang, general manager of Abbott Diabetes Care, Greater China and Emerging Asia Region.