HK Media’s Jiangsu Tour: Aidea Pharmaceutical's HIV Drug Breakthrough Sets Sights on the World

The Hong Kong media delegation visited Jiangsu Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. on March 25. Ms. Liu Yan, the corporation's Board Secretary, introduced the latest commercial progress of the corporation's two Class 1 innovative anti-HIV drugs. Ms. Liu also stated that the corporation plans to list in Hong Kong in the long term, aiming to leverage the city's financing flexibility to support clinical trials in the U.S. and expansion into the African market.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

From AIDS Fighter to STAR Market Listing: Aidea's Rise

Founded in Yangzhou in 2009, Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., listed on the STAR Market in 2020, and remains the only corporation from Yangzhou currently listed on the exchange. According to Ms. Liu, the corporation's founder started the business in Guangzhou in the previous years. After selling Guangdong Techpool Biopharma Co., Ltd., the founder returned to the hometown of Yangzhou to establish Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Ms. Liu Yan, the corporation's Board Secretary, Photo by Bastille Post

The corporation's English name, "Aidea," was jokingly interpreted by the media as "Aidea, the AIDS fighter" based on the similarity of Chinese pronunciation when the corporation first went public. "It seems destined that we would achieve something in this field," Ms. Liu said.

Ms. Liu Yan, the corporation's Board Secretary, Photo by Bastille Post

Filling the Gap, Doubling Revenue: Aidea's Two Innovative Drugs Deliver

China currently has four innovative oral anti-HIV drugs on the market, and Aidea Pharmaceutical owns two of them: Ainuovirine Tablets (Aibangde) and Ainuomiti Tablets (Fubangde). The former is the first domestically developed Class 1 oral anti-HIV drug, while the latter is the only domestically produced triple-combination drug, requiring just one tablet every 24 hours.

The drug products released by Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The drug products released by Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

According to Ms. Liu, among the more than one million HIV patients in China, approximately 60–70% still use free generic drugs. However, the market penetration rate of innovative drugs continues to rise, and she predicts the overall market size will reach 11 billion RMB by 2027. She revealed that Aidea's HIV business revenue has doubled annually for nearly four years — soaring from just 33 million RMB in 2022 to nearly 300 million RMB in 2025.

The drug products released by Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

Aidea's Innovative HIV Drugs: Just 70 RMB per Patient

Ms. Liu specifically highlighted Fubangde as an example. The suggested monthly price is 724 RMB, but after medical insurance reimbursement, patients in some provinces actually pay as little as 70 RMB.

The drug products released by Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

She described how free generic drugs, while effective at suppressing the virus, can lead to long-term side effects such as insomnia, depression, and headaches. "Although lifespan has increased, the quality of life has severely declined," she said. In contrast, Aidea's innovative drugs offer significant advantages in safety and convenience. Relevant clinical data from the corporation has been published in top international journals.

The drug products released by Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

Accelerates U.S. Clinical Trials, Explores International Financing Channels

Regarding the R&D Pipeline, Ms. Liu highlighted ACC017, an integrase inhibitor comparable to Gilead's globally bestselling HIV drug. The product has entered Phase III clinical trials, and the corporation is currently in discussions with the U.S. FDA, with plans to launch U.S. clinical trials next year. The corporation has announced a refinancing plan of no more than 1.277 billion RMB, with the raised funds primarily allocated to clinical expenses and related R&D in the U.S. market.

Regarding a potential Hong Kong listing, Ms. Liu described it as a "future consideration", noting that the corporation's current A-share market capitalization stands at less than 10 billion RMB. Nevertheless, she believes Hong Kong offers distinct advantages in terms of international financing flexibility and overseas capital flow. "Hong Kong's refinancing is very flexible," she said. "A corporation can issue shares five or six times in a year, which is basically impossible in the A-share market."

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

The Hong Kong media delegation visited the Tianrui Mansion Senior Living Community in Yangzhou on March 26. Ms. Liu Qin, General Manager of Yangzhou Yiju Yiyang Co., Ltd., introduced that the community currently houses over 200 elderly residents, utilizing smart devices for "age-friendly monitoring" and employing an open management model that distinguishes it from traditional senior care institutions.

The Tianrui Mansion Senior Living Community, Photo by Bastille Post

Developed by Yangzhou Construction Engineering Holding Group Co., Ltd., the Tianrui Mansion opened in March 2022. With a total construction area of approximately 23,000 square meters, it comprises 6 age-friendly residential buildings with 243 units, making it the first embedded senior living community in Yangzhou's main urban area. Ms. Liu stated that the community currently has an 80% sales utilization rate and about 70% occupancy rate. Some residents have already reserved their units, planning to move in within three to five years. The average age of the residents is 77, and the service satisfaction rate is 96%.

The Tianrui Mansion Senior Living Community, Photo by Bastille Post

The community's most distinctive feature is that it is not registered as a senior care institution, but allows residents freedom of movement. Its management model is similar to that of ordinary residential communities. "We don't want to confine our elders to one place," Ms. Liu said. "Some are very energetic and don't want to be stuck in one place, which is why they choose our senior living program." Residents are primarily locals from Yangzhou, but also include seniors from Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and other cities. One couple, who worked as sports coaches in Foshan for many years, returned to Yangzhou after retirement and chose to retire here.

The Tianrui Mansion Senior Living Community, Photo by Bastille Post

Regarding intelligent management, each household is equipped with a call alarm and a smart bracelet. Elders living alone are also equipped with millimeter-wave radar. Ms. Liu explained that radar, rather than cameras, was chosen to protect the privacy of the elderly, "allowing them to be monitored by the smart device without them even noticing." The radar has three functions: fall detection, sleep monitoring, and bathroom occupancy alarm. If an elderly person falls and remains motionless below a certain height for one minute, the system automatically alarms.

A household unit of the community, Photo by Bastille Post

The system has already proven its value. A 90-year-old granny living alone twice fell asleep on the toilet at night. After the system automatically alarmed, the housekeepers knocked on the door but received no answer. They then used a shared key to enter and helped the granny back to bed.

A household unit of the community, Photo by Bastille Post

Regarding the monthly fee, it varies depending on the unit type, ranging from approximately 3,900 to 7,000 RMB (approximately HKD$4,200 to HKD$7,600). Air conditioning and underfloor heating are also included in the service fee; meals are charged separately.

The beautiful scenery of the community, Photo by Bastille Post

The community has also introduced a health service station, allowing elderly residents to access medical care using their medical insurance without leaving the community. Ms. Liu indicated that the community has not yet been promoted to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, or overseas. She told the Hong Kong media delegation, "We warmly welcome you to recommend our project to Hong Kong residents."

Ms. Liu Qin, General Manager of Yangzhou Yiju Yiyang Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The entertainment area of the community, Photo by Bastille Post

The reading area of the community, Photo by Bastille Post

The exercising area of the community, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post