On May 21, Pfizer China and the Chinese multi-payer healthcare platform MediTrust Health held a strategic cooperation launch event under the theme "Building Multi-Payer Systems, Accelerating Access to Innovation." Building on a long-standing partnership, the collaboration will use diversified payment mechanisms as a foundation and leverage data insights and AI technology as drivers to accelerate the introduction of cutting-edge innovative drugs into China. This aims to comprehensively improve patient access to medication and enhance the healthcare service experience, thereby supporting the construction of a multi-tiered medical security system.

The Chinese healthcare industry is currently entering a critical period of transformation, driven by both payment system reforms and the empowerment of AI technology. On one hand, the government is accelerating the improvement of the multi-tiered medical security system, with policies increasingly supporting commercial health insurance to precisely address accessibility challenges for innovative drugs and medical devices. According to the recently released "China Multi-Payer System for Innovative Drugs and Medical Devices White Paper (2026)," commercial health insurance payments for innovative drugs and devices reached 15.2 billion yuan in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 23%, making it a significant payer second only to basic medical insurance. On the other hand, AI in healthcare is moving beyond pilot projects into a new phase of industrial-scale implementation. Technological applications are deeply penetrating the entire industry chain, from front-end drug R&D and clinical diagnostics to back-end scenarios like payment claims and medical services, becoming a core engine for reshaping industry operations and enhancing overall efficiency.

At this critical juncture where these two trends converge, technological empowerment is emerging as a new link connecting the pharmaceutical industry, insurance, and patients. MediTrust Health, relying on its self-developed mind42.ai vertical large model for pharmaceutical insurance, has developed a full-chain intelligent solution covering disease-specific insights, market access strategy support, real-world data analysis, and patient service optimization. This AI infrastructure, deeply integrated into various pharmaceutical payment scenarios, provides the technical foundation for deepening the strategic cooperation between the two parties.

Simultaneously, a solid foundation has been laid through their substantial existing collaboration. Pfizer continues to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, consistently introducing global innovative drug pipelines and implementing advanced international treatment protocols, offering diverse therapeutic options for Chinese patients. MediTrust Health leverages its mature multi-payer ecosystem to build comprehensive operational capabilities in key areas such as drug market access, supply chain support, payment claims, and full-cycle patient services. To date, the two parties have jointly implemented benchmark projects including patient self-pay plans, inclusive insurance ("Huimin Bao"), commercial insurance, and payment innovations in pilot zones. Their coverage spans disease areas such as oncology, immunology, anti-infectives, and rare diseases, having cumulatively served approximately 30,000 patients and saved them about 350 million yuan in medical expenses, effectively reducing the burden of innovative drugs for patients.

Under this strategic cooperation, the partners will continue to align with industry trends and technological developments. Within the framework of Pfizer's strategy to advance the construction of systems for innovative drug accessibility and accelerate the delivery of global innovations to Chinese patients, they will further leverage MediTrust Health's leading advantages in AI-driven pharmaceutical payments. The collaboration will focus on three core directions: First, deepening innovation and services in multi-tiered security, implementing diversified payment solutions including commercial insurance, inclusive medical insurance, risk-sharing, and outcome-based agreements. This aims to streamline the entire process from drug supply to insurance direct payment, distribution, and settlement, ensuring innovative drugs are both "accessible and affordable." Second, exploring data-driven commercial insurance operations, providing compliant data insights to support project operations, enabling refined product management, continuous iteration, and value enhancement. Third, promoting innovative applications of AI in multi-payer scenarios, developing intelligent tools covering patient services and operational efficiency, achieving comprehensive upgrades in service and operational aspects.

Jean-Christophe Pointeau, Senior Vice President of Pfizer Inc. and President of Pfizer China, stated, "Pfizer remains committed to the goal of 'bringing breakthroughs that change patients' lives,' continuously accelerating the localization of global cutting-edge pharmaceutical innovations. With a rich and diverse product pipeline, we safeguard public health and clinical treatment needs. We highly value the deepening strategic cooperation with MediTrust Health. Leveraging its locally-rooted multi-payer ecosystem and intelligent technological capabilities, we can effectively broaden access pathways for innovative drugs, reduce the financial burden on patients, and jointly contribute to the stable and sustainable development of the multi-tiered medical security system."

Zhang Xiaodong, Founder and CEO of MediTrust Health, said, "Pfizer's pursuit of innovation in the global biopharmaceutical field resonates highly with MediTrust Health's innovative philosophy in pharmaceutical payments. We firmly believe that innovation only demonstrates its core value when it is implemented in real medical scenarios and genuinely benefits patients. We are honored to embark on a new chapter of cooperation with Pfizer China. Relying on MediTrust Health's AI payment infrastructure, we will promote deep synergy between patient accessibility, multi-payer innovation, and digital health services, helping global innovative therapies benefit more Chinese patients faster."

This strategic cooperation represents both an advanced iteration of the parties' years of positive collaboration and a benchmark industry example of synergistic innovation between a multinational innovative pharmaceutical company and a local pharmaceutical payment platform aimed at empowering public welfare. Moving forward, Pfizer China and MediTrust Health will consistently adhere to the core principle of being "patient-centered," supported by data intelligence, to steadily enhance the accessibility of innovative drugs. They aim to create full-cycle, high-quality intelligent health services for Chinese patients, contributing to the advancement of the Healthy China 2030 strategy.