Data from Greater Bay Area’s 88 million residents to help improve healthcare policy: GSK
British pharmaceutical company GSK is turning to patient data gathered from the 88 million residents of the Greater Bay Area’s 11 cities to speed up drug development in vaccines and cancer care, as officials push for closer cross-border medical cooperation. GSK Hong Kong and Macau general manager Nicholas Teo said patient data was very important because it could form “supplementary evidence” to…
GSK, a British pharmaceutical company, is leveraging patient data from the 88 million residents across 11 cities in the Greater Bay Area to expedite drug development, particularly in vaccines and cancer care. The company's Hong Kong and Macau general manager, Nicholas Teo, emphasized the importance of patient data in supplementing regulatory filings and expanding labels, as well as uncovering additional benefits beyond the medication itself.
Teo highlighted vaccines as a prime example, noting that while their effectiveness against diseases like flu, shingles, and respiratory syncytial virus is well-established, researchers are also exploring potential benefits for cardiovascular health and neurological outcomes. GSK's strengths lie in vaccination, disease prevention, and oncology, with a focus on shingles, respiratory syncytial virus, and hepatitis B. The Greater Bay Area, a Chinese government initiative integrating Hong Kong, Macau, and nine mainland cities into a single economic hub, boasts a combined GDP exceeding US$2.23 trillion.
In September, GSK signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute to study the long-term health effects of the shingles vaccine. GSK will fund the study and invest in shared data infrastructure, granting access to patient data from hospitals and government agencies.
The Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute, located in Shenzhen-Hong Kong's Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, aims to facilitate the exchange of researchers and data between Hong Kong and mainland China. Cheung Ching-lung, the institute's director of the real-world study and application center, emphasized the need for a safe infrastructure and robust government regulation to effectively utilize real-world data.
Ian Wong, a pharmacy professor at the University of Hong Kong, stressed the importance of infrastructure, government regulation, ethics, and public education in making real-world data accessible. Raphael Yeung, a senior pharmacist at Hong Kong's Drug Office, highlighted the city's regulatory safeguards, including the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, ensuring the value of data ultimately lies in better outcomes and informed policy decisions.
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