Fangzhou and Novo Nordisk Signed Collaboration Memorandum – GlobeNewswire

Strategic Partnership to Advance Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

On July 21, 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Fangzhou Inc., a leading Internet healthcare solutions provider, and Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company. This collaboration, announced at the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, aims to address the management of serious chronic diseases, directly contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The partnership is strategically positioned to advance several key SDGs through its focus on technology, health, and collaboration.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The core objective is to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and obesity through prevention and treatment (Target 3.4). The initiative supports a shift from a “disease-centered” to a “health-centered” model, promoting early screening, diagnosis, and treatment to enhance public health outcomes.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: By leveraging Fangzhou’s AI application services and robust technology infrastructure, the collaboration fosters innovation within the healthcare industry (Target 9.5). It aims to create innovative digital solutions for managing chronic conditions on a global scale.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: This MoU exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership (Target 17.17) by combining the strengths of a technology firm and a pharmaceutical leader. This cross-sector collaboration is essential for achieving comprehensive health goals and driving the medical industry’s digital transformation.

Collaboration Framework and Objectives

The partnership will leverage the respective strengths of each organization to create a comprehensive health management service for patients with diabetes and obesity. The primary objectives were outlined by Dr. Xie Fangmin, Founder of Fangzhou, and Christine Zhou, Senior Vice President of Novo Nordisk.

Key Components of the Health Management Service

The initiative will establish a full-cycle health management service designed to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. The service will include:

1. Medication Guidance and Reminders: Utilizing digital tools to ensure patient adherence to treatment plans.
2. Efficacy Tracking: Employing technology to monitor patient progress and the effectiveness of treatments.
3. Health Education: Providing accessible information to enhance public awareness and understanding of diabetes and obesity.
4. One-Stop Healthcare Services: Integrating various health services into a single, convenient platform for patients.

Future Outlook and Strategic Vision

Both parties have expressed their commitment to exploring further innovative collaborations. The long-term vision is to accelerate the digital transformation of the medical industry, providing significant benefits to patients with serious chronic diseases. This forward-looking approach aligns with the strategic objectives of the “Healthy China 2030” plan, reinforcing the partnership’s dedication to achieving sustainable, long-term improvements in global health and well-being.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article’s central theme is the management of serious chronic diseases, specifically diabetes and obesity, which directly relates to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The collaboration heavily relies on leveraging technology, such as “AI application services,” “innovative digital solutions,” and a “robust technology infrastructure,” to improve healthcare services. This aligns with the goal of fostering innovation and upgrading technology.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article is an announcement of a partnership, a “Memorandum of Understanding,” between two distinct entities—Fangzhou Inc. and Novo Nordisk—to achieve a common health-related objective. This exemplifies a public-private partnership aimed at achieving sustainable development goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • Explanation: The partnership’s primary goal is to improve the management of “serious chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.” The article emphasizes a shift from a “disease-centered” to a “health-centered” model and supports the implementation of “early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment,” which are key strategies for preventing and treating non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and reducing associated mortality.
2. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries…including…encouraging innovation.
   • Explanation: The collaboration aims to “explore AI technology and address the pain points of traditional health management” by creating “innovative digital solutions.” This directly supports the target of upgrading technological capabilities and encouraging innovation within the medical industry through “digital transformation.”
3. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • Explanation: The article details a strategic collaboration between Fangzhou, a Chinese “Internet healthcare solutions” company, and Novo Nordisk, a “leading global healthcare company.” This partnership leverages the “combined strengths of both companies” to achieve shared objectives, perfectly aligning with the promotion of effective public-private partnerships.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 3.4:
   • Implied Indicator: The article implies progress can be measured by the successful implementation of a “comprehensive health management service” that includes “medication guidance, reminders, efficacy tracking, and health education.” The number of patients with diabetes and obesity who receive these services and the enhancement of “public awareness of diabetes and obesity” serve as practical indicators of progress in disease management and prevention. The existing user base of “49.2 million registered users” provides a baseline population for measuring the reach of these interventions.
2. For Target 9.5:
   • Implied Indicator: Progress can be measured by the development and deployment of the “innovative digital solutions for managing blood sugar and weight” mentioned in the article. The successful integration of “AI technology” into the “smart healthcare ecosystem” would be a direct indicator of technological enhancement and innovation in the healthcare sector.
3. For Target 17.17:
   • Mentioned Indicator: The primary indicator is the formal establishment of the partnership itself, evidenced by the “Memorandum of Understanding” signed by Fangzhou Inc. and Novo Nordisk. The scope and scale of this collaboration to “jointly enhanc[e] public awareness” and benefit patients serve as a measure of the partnership’s effectiveness.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: globenewswire.com