The 2024 APAC Health and Life Sciences Summit, hosted by ASK Health Asia (AHA) and supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI), successfully took place on 11–12 November 2024 at the EDB office in Singapore. Building on a strong debut in 2023, the summit brought together over 250 health system leaders, policy experts, industry pioneers, development partners, investors, and innovators from across Asia Pacific (APAC) to advance innovation and collaboration in Asia for the world. The agenda featured five key topics, nine dynamic panels, and three showcase sessions that spotlighted breakthrough innovations. Discussions spanned APAC’s landscape and growth opportunities in life science, regional regulatory collaborations, health financing innovations for improved access, investment trends as well as ways to measure and tackle the growing impacts of climate change on health.

Carrie Liu of the World Economic Forum, Dr Chang Liu, founder and CEO of ASK Health Asia, and Associate Professor Jonas Karlstrom, Innovation Core Lead at SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute moderated the event. In the opening remarks, the hosts shared how this year’s summit marked the establishment of the APAC Health and Life Science Partnership Platform, a collaborative initiative uniting public and private stakeholders to drive transformative solutions and foster equitable access to high-quality care across the Asia and Pacific region. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) highlighted the importance of innovation in healthcare and life sciences for Asia’s rapidly evolving landscape and reaffirmed Singapore’s strategic role in facilitating collaboration and creating value across the region.

 

Partnering and Innovating for Equity and Access Across APAC

 

The first morning of the summit focused on two key topics, “The APAC Growth Story” and “The APAC Life Science Innovation Landscape,” offering valuable insights into the region’s dynamic development and innovation potential.

 

A Country Highlights session featured insights from Australia, India and China. Dr Paul Huleatt, Counsellor (Health) at the Australian High Commission, Singapore, and Regional Advisor for the Indo-Pacific Regulatory Strengthening Program, underscored that strengthening regulatory frameworks in the Asia Pacific region depends on collaborative partnerships, evidence-based decision making and the continuous improvement of regulatory practices. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Secretary General of NATHEALTH, highlighted key opportunities in India’s healthcare, focusing on innovation, digital health, infrastructure and global integration through public-private partnerships.   Lin Shi, Policy Director of PhRMA China Office, stated, “China’s biopharmaceutical R&D pipeline has grown by 784% over the past decade, becoming the second largest globally after the United States. This growth was driven by supportive policies such as regulatory reforms. An innovative biopharmaceutical ecosystem is key to continue to enhance innovation and improve patient access.”

 

Dr Snehal Patel, Co-founder of aEQ and Managing Director of Saena Partners, and Carrie Liu, Lead for Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum, moderated panels that explored cross-regional health innovation and the development of a supportive ecosystem for life sciences in APAC. Speakers from the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Japan, Australian High Commission Singapore, ProtectHealth Corporation and Ministry of Health Malaysia, the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Apollo Hospitals shared their perspectives on cross-regional cooperation to advance health equity and access. The panel underscored the importance of innovation and regulatory harmonization in addressing challenges and improving health outcomes for all. They discussed specific models of stakeholder collaboration that have had measurable impact on access and how to take those lessons and apply them to other areas of need.

 

Panel Discussions: Cross-regional Commitment to Health Innovation for Equity and Access

 

Speakers from A*Star, the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), JLABS Singapore, CBC Group, and PATH South Asia shared insights on fostering innovation in the APAC life sciences sector. The panel explored strategies to advance R&D, overcome regulatory fragmentation, and promote sustainable investments, emphasizing the importance of building a collaborative ecosystem. Dr Alessandro Falcone, Regional Head of JLABS Singapore, outlined the three key pillars necessary for life science innovation: science, expertise, and funding. “In the current volatile landscape, companies that pivot and adapt quickly are the ones that thrive. This includes reassessing product focus, geographic strategy, and even leadership structure,” he emphasized.

 

In the “Innovator Showcase” session, leaders from BeiGene, Pilatus Biosciences, Hugo Biotech presented examples of cutting-edge Asian life sciences innovation for the region as well as the global market.  For instance, the digital transformation of pathology, highlighting automating complex procedures and centralizing sequencing analysis, has led to a substantial reduction of costs and accuracy of microbiology testing.

The afternoon session began with the topic of “Creating a Vibrant Life Sciences Market in APAC”, in partnership with DBS Bank, GenScript and Sino-Innovax. The showcase session featured leading organisations of the life science innovation value chain, including GenScript, ATLATL Scientific, SG Diagnostics, and George Clinical. Dr Janice Jin, President of GenScript Asia Pacific, highlighted the company’s four-pronged approach: “We’ve made meaningful impacts in supporting local research, engaging with the community, nurturing local talent, and fulfilling corporate social responsibilities.”

 

The panels, “Partnering for Success: A Dialogue” and “Innovative Financing for Improved Access,” explored strategies to advance APAC’s life sciences market through cross sectoral and cross regional collaboration and sustainable innovative financing. Moderated by Giles Newmarch, Senior Investment Officer, lFC-International Finance Corporation (World Bank) and Dale Huntington, Senior Director, Health Care Systems Policy, Johnson and Johnson, the panels featured leaders from DBS Bank, Sino-Innovax Biotec, Diagnostics Development Hub, SCG Cell Therapy, Microsoft, Access Partnership, Pfizer, MSD Pharma, MSD for Mothers, aEQ, Heals Healthcare and MiyaHealth. Discussions focused on leveraging partnerships, technology to develop and bring more innovations to the market, as well as through tailored financing models to address improve access, bridge funding gaps, and drive innovation. Dr Eugene Hong, Head, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical at the Institutional Banking Group, DBS Bank, underscored the importance of a compelling narrative to attract investment. “Investors are drawn to projects that address pressing societal challenges. By framing key issues as urgent and solvable, we can mobilize capital more effectively”.

 

The next session, “the Asia Life Sciences Investor Forum”, was held in partnership with Haitong International. The panels, “Global Investment Supporting Asia Life Sciences Industry” and “Asian Investment Facilitating Regional Life Sciences Industry Cooperation,” highlighted the pivotal role of investment in advancing Asia’s life sciences ecosystem. Moderated by Stephen Ng, Managing Director and CEO of CICC Singapore, and Barney YAO Executive Director of Equity Research, Chief AI Strategist at Haitong International, the discussions brought together leaders from B Capital Group, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EDBI, ABC Impact, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, VMS Group and LYFE Capital. The panel emphasized the pressing need to address financing gaps, noting that governments across the APAC region are grappling with the dual challenge of aging populations and shifting disease burdens, all while navigating economic pressures. They explored various strategies to expand the fiscal space for health, including leveraging non-traditional funding mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and outcome-based financing models.

 

The day one program also featured a “Singapore Night” networking dinner, in partnership with SGX Group and Han Kun Law Offices, highlighting by keynote speeches from Dr Wei Yang Cheong, Vice Provost at Singapore Management University and Senior Adviser (Health Economics) at the Ministry of Health, Singapore, Jin Hoe Koh, Executive Director at SGX Group and Aaron GU Partner of Han Kun Law Offices.

 

Creating a Climate-Resilient Health Future for Asia

 

The second day of the summit, in partnership with CIIP, opened with remarks by Deepali Khanna, Vice President for Asia at the Rockefeller Foundation, highlighting the critical need for innovative solutions and partnerships to address the region’s pressing healthcare and climate challenges.

 

This was followed by a panel on “The Impact of Climate Change on Health”, calling for industry action, moderated by Hong Ma, Executive Vice President, Advocacy and Engagement at Edelman APAC Health, featuring leaders from Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP), the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the World Economic Forum. Panellists explored the wide-ranging health impacts of climate change and emphasized the need for industry-wide action to build robust, adaptable healthcare systems in the region.

 

Building on this theme, followed a panel on “Decarbonizing the Healthcare Sector in Asia”, moderated by Jean-Gaetan GUILLEMAUD, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Zuellig Pharma, and convening leaders from SingHealth, DBS Bank, Philips, Roche and Apollo Hospitals. Discussions focused on reducing the healthcare sector’s carbon footprint and implementing sustainable practices through innovative supply chain strategies and cross-sector collaboration.  “As we pursue our decarbonisation journey, our efforts fall into two main categories: infrastructure and culture. While the infrastructure aspect is straightforward, the cultural shift requires more attention. It’s not that our colleagues don’t care—they do. But we need to make it easy for them to do the right thing: to recycle, to reuse, and to actively participate in the sustainability journey amidst their demanding clinical responsibilities,” shared Professor Wan Cheng Chow, Group Director of Academic Medicine at SingHealth HQ and Vice Dean of Office of Academic Medicine at Duke-NUS School of Medicine.

 

Panel Discussions: Decarbonizing the Healthcare Sector in Asia

 

Showcase presentations followed, highlighting innovative solutions at the intersection of climate change and health. Representatives from the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP), DBS Bank, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Landcent Group shared successful projects that demonstrated the power of public-private partnerships in creating scalable, sustainable solutions.

 

The summit concluded with a forward-looking panel on climate-resilient health systems, moderated by Renzo R. Guinto, Associate Professor of Global and Planetary Health at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute. Panellists from Bayer Foundation, Yale School of Public Health, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Microsoft, and Digital Health China Technologies discussed strategies for enhancing health infrastructure, securing investment, and driving regional cooperation to address growing climate challenges. This comprehensive exploration of climate and health underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and policy action in building a sustainable and resilient future for healthcare across APAC. The panel discussed practical tools and strategies to drive resilience, such as automating processes, addressing social norms, and implementing standardized checklists. Specific examples included national disease surveillance systems, data-sharing platforms, and the integration of carbon tracking into digital health solutions.

Summit moderators (from left to right): Associate Professor Jonas KARLSTRÖM, Core Lead of Innovation in Global Health at SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, and Dr Chang LIU, Founder & CEO of ASK Health Asia and Adjunct Associate Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

 

In closing remarks, Dr Chang Liu, the founder and CEO of Ask Health Asia expressed gratitude to all participants – speakers and attendees and noted the importance of continued collaboration across the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Chang Liu reflected, “This summit underscores the vital role APAC countries play in global healthcare innovation. By harnessing our shared strengths and fostering cooperation, we are building a future where healthcare is accessible, equitable, and resilient to climate impacts.”

 

For more information and to stay updated on APACLIFE2024, please visit the official website.

 

About SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute

The SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI) aims to advance health and wellbeing in Asia and beyond. Working in collaboration with partners, the Institute seeks to strengthen health systems, improve health outcomes and increase health security. Launched in 2018, SDGHI harnesses the capacity of SingHealth, the largest group of health care institutions in Singapore, and the Duke-NUS Medical School, to advance interdisciplinary global health research and capacity development across the region.

www.duke-nus.edu.sg/sdghi

About ASK Health Asia

ASK Health Asia is an Asia based think tank, consultancy, and venture builder in healthcare. Headquartered in Singapore, ASK Health Asia has extensive experience and operations in Southeast Asia, Mainland China, and Macau, with close partnership in India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Middle East. ASK Health is a premier catalyst for health systems transformation in Asia. Through in-depth research, consultancy, platform development, solution co-creation and resource connection, we work closely with development partner, governments, and industry leaders to jointly capture growth opportunities from new health policies and provide innovative solutions to the economies across Asia.

www.askhealthasia.com / www.askhealth.com.cn