AstraZeneca taps internet of things for better health solutions

Children suffering from bronchial asthma, and their parents, can now breathe easier as a smart way to treat the most common chronic respiratory disease in children has been invented.

A children's nebulization center in Wuxi Children's Hospital.

Through a one-stop nebulization process and an intelligent nebulization system, AstraZeneca, one of world's leading global biopharmaceutical companies, has used Internet of Things (IoT)-based respiratory solution to enable children to receive more timely, standardized, and personalized treatment.

In the People's Hospital of Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province, where AstraZeneca has its R&D and production base for innovative small molecules such as pediatric nebulization center, children receiving nebulization treatment are enjoying cartoon shows in bright-colored environment. Without the system two years ago, parents had to coax the crying children while doctors and nurse were not able to help out because their hands were full.

During the 10-minute-or-so treatment, parents will learn from medical instruction videos on the screen while their children enjoy the cartoon; a data screen in the clinic will show a map of nebulization treatment of the nation for doctors' and parents' reference; a cellphone app will show parents the nearest treatment spot, not necessarily a crowded large general hospital.

According to White Paper on Science Popularization of Children's Respiratory Health, among children aged 0-14, the incidence of respiratory diseases is the highest, accounting for 51.87 percent. Data from the third epidemiological survey of pediatric asthma in Chinese cities shows that the total prevalence of asthma in children living in major Chinese cities is 3.02 percent.

Leon Wang, executive vice-president and international and China president of AstraZeneca, said pharmaceuticals industry should focus more on patients instead of just teaching a doctor how to treat patients.

Leon Wang, executive vice-president and international and China president of AstraZeneca

"A patient needs to know more about things like difference between acute drugs and chronic drug and how often to take…But as drug manufacturer, we have no idea of that…so innovation for us means to meet patients' personalized needs through big data," Wang said when meeting the press at the sideline of the World Internet Of Things Convention in Wuxi on Sunday

The R&D in Wuxi, known as China Commercial Innovative Center, AstraZeneca, together with cross-sector partners, leverages expertise and market in key therapy areas in China such as respiratory and cardiovascular.

Altogether, there are six molecules now: pediatric nebulization centre, respiratory polyclinic for adult patients, National Metabolic Management Centre, China Chest Pain Centre, gastrointestinal cancer centre and integrated centre for prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Internet of Things in the pharmaceuticals industry, for Wang, is a kind of restructuring in marketing. Together with related sectors such as hospitals, medical equipment and internet, AstraZeneca aims to build a new ecology of health for all integrated with all necessary resources on the platform of big data.

According to Wang, more than 12,900 standard nebulization centers covering over 260 cities nationwide have been built and 122 chest pain centers have been set up by 2016.

Beyond China, countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative are other destinations for mode. The first nebulization center aboard will be built in Cambodia later in September. Next, more will open in other countries in Southeast Asia.

A Wuxi local himself, Wang said he aims to transform his home city a land of innovation. "Wuxi is a city of internet of things…We will unite all the like-minded to build an internet of things in health."