RareStone Inc. Announces Strategic Collaboration with Tencent on a Service Ecosystem Focused on Rare Disease Patients in China

BOSTON, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RareStone Inc., formerly Citrine Medicine, a China-based rare disease company, and Tencent Holdings Limited (Tencent), based in Shenzhen, China, signed a strategic collaboration memorandum to develop a service ecosystem focused on rare disease patients in China. The combined effort will promote education of rare disease, focus social awareness on rare disease, and improve accessibility of medical information and services for rare disease by working together to provide innovative digital solutions to benefit rare disease patients.  

Through this strategic cooperation, RareStone will contribute its strength in the development of disease education, and Tencent will contribute its technical platform capabilities with access to its broad user base. Together, the two companies in collaboration will develop education and services focused on rare disease awareness, diagnosis, and disease management. This digital effort will help more patients obtain timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment and services.  

At the signing of the strategic collaboration between RareStone and Tencent, Yiou Wang, Chairman of the Beijing Pain Challenge Charity Foundation, a patient organization, which has served rare disease patients for 12 years, commented on the topic of rare disease, stating "Patients with rare diseases currently have numerous unmet needs in areas of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Many patients find it difficult to uncover correct information on rare disease from medical professionals as well as access rare disease treatment options." Ms. Wang added, "I am very pleased that we have companies, such as RareStone and Tencent, which use the power of science and technology to improve the health status of patients with rare disease." 

Several representatives of other rare disease patient organizations also witnessed the signing of strategic cooperation between RareStone and Tencent, including the China Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I Patient Alliance, Beijing Zhiai Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Care Center, Shenzhen Muscular Dystrophy Baby Care Center, Guangzhou Aizhiyi Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Mutual Association, Hypercortisolism Alliance, Leukodystrophy Connect, and Dravet Baby Support Center. At the signing, patients expressed great hope and suggested future areas of focus for the collaboration between RareStone and Tencent. 

At the collaboration signing ceremony, RareStone Chief Executive Officer, Shawn Xiang, pronounced, "It may take several generations of effort to make rare diseases 'not rare.' As a company focusing on rare disease solutions, we hold this responsibility on our shoulders and aim to contribute with our professional knowledge, experience and resources to the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Collaborations with strong technology companies, such as Tencent, will surely help accelerate the process via technological innovation."

Tencent Vice President, Meng Zhang added, "Tencent hopes to make digital upgrades in a variety of industries, and medical care is one such key area. In this strategic collaboration, Tencent will join hands with RareStone to better serve China's 20 million rare disease patients through innovative digital solutions in the field of rare diseases." 

Tencent
Tencent is an internet-based platform company that enriches the lives of internet users through technology and helps enterprises upgrade their digitalization. Medical care is one of the industries in which Tencent focuses, actively exploring applications and innovations in the health fields. Through innovative digital solutions, including artificial intelligence, big data, cloud and other technical capabilities, the company helps to improve diagnosis, treatment, and disease management as well as the level of public health management.

RareStone Inc.
RareStone Inc., formerly Citrine Medicine, is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with rare and intractable diseases by making diagnosis and essential treatments available and accessible to those who need them in China. Our mission is to build the first rare disease ecosystem in China, and in doing so, enable people with rare diseases to live more normal lives. In addition to developing and marketing rare disease drugs, RareStone aims to establish a patient-centric platform which educates people on rare diseases, trains doctors on diagnosis and treatment, and helps doctors develop a full disease management protocol. RareStone's lead product candidate, Wakix^® (pitolisant), is an investigational oral drug in development for the treatment of narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea in China. RareStone also recently announced two strategic partnerships that will allow the company exclusive rights to develop, register, and commercialize Alkindi^® for pediatric congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients and Efmody^® for adolescent and adult CAH patients—both hydrocortisone treatments—in Greater China. RareStone is headquartered in Shanghai and has other offices in Beijing, China and Cambridge, Mass.

For more information, visit www.rarestonegroup.com

RareStone Media Contact: 
Melissa Bradford-Klug
President and Chief Business Officer, RareStone Inc.
[email protected]

SOURCE RareStone Inc.

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