Zhaoke Ophthalmology Limited (“Zhaoke Ophthalmology” or the “Company”, SEHK: 6622), a leading ophthalmic pharmaceutical company dedicated to the research and development, manufacturing and commercialization of therapies that address significant unmet medical needs, is pleased to announce that the Company has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Wenzhou Global Eye and Vision Care Innovation Hub (“Eye Valley”), a leading eye-health R&D institution and industry platform in China. Zhaoke Ophthalmology and Eye Valley will jointly establish the “Eye Valley-Zhaoke Ophthalmology Innovative Ophthalmic Drugs Research Institute” with the mutual objective of driving the clinical advancement of innovative and generic drugs for ophthalmic diseases, as well as promoting the overall development of eye health in China.

Zhaoke Ophthalmology and Eye Valley signed their strategic partnership agreement on 18 May 2024

The signing ceremony was attended by:

·        Professor Qu Jia, Chief Director of the Eye Hospitals Group at Wenzhou Medical University, Chairman of Eye Valley, and Director of the Wenzhou Global Eye & Vision Innovation Hub

·        Professor Ye Cong, Deputy Director of Eye Valley

·        Mr. Dai Xiangrong, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Zhaoke Ophthalmology

·        Mr. Feng Jiang, Senior Vice President for Sales & Marketing at Zhaoke Ophthalmology

According to the agreement, Zhaoke Ophthalmology and Eye Valley will leverage their respective specialisms in the Institute to conduct constructive collaborations in various areas, including innovative research, clinical trials, product registration, technical training, manufacturing and sales & marketing. The two parties will focus on ophthalmic diseases such as dry eye disease, myopia, presbyopia, wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and glaucoma. This will create a long-term and close partnership based on an integrated “industry-academic-research-application” approach.

Mr. Dai Xiangrong, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Zhaoke Ophthalmology said, “We are very pleased to partner with Eye Valley, one of China’s leading eye-health organizations. Through the joint establishment of the Research Institute, our commitment to developing treatments for major ophthalmic diseases will receive even more support from the ophthalmology community. We look forward to a close relationship with Eye Valley as we work together to develop the Chinese ophthalmic industry by bringing patients more and better treatment options as quickly as possible.”

Eye Valley said, “Zhaoke Ophthalmology has brought many high-quality ophthalmic drugs to patients with its excellent R&D strengths and innovation capabilities. The joint development of the “Eye Valley-Zhaoke Ophthalmology Innovative Ophthalmic Drugs Research Institute” reflects our mutual commitment to researching, developing and applying innovative ophthalmic drugs that bring safer and more effective treatment options to patients. Eye Valley will fully utilise the technological, medical and human resources available at Wenzhou Medical University’s Eye Hospital to support the Research Institute’s work, including product R&D and commercialisation.”

About China Eye Valley (“Eye Valley”)

China Eye Valley is a new eye-health R&D institution and industry platform jointly established by the Longwan District Government and the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. It is based in the national high-tech zone in Wenzhou and benefits from policies supporting national, independent demonstration zones for innovation. Leveraging the resources of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in medicine, scientific R&D, education, talent and transformation, as well as the resources of the four national science and technology innovation platforms, Eye Valley has established a leading domestic optometry industry-academic-research transformation system, to promote the development of the entire eye-health chain. It has also built a world-class, high-end medical cluster comprising R&D, industrial incubation, talent nurturing and academic exchange.