Thanks to the preferential policies of the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (one of the key industry parks of the Hainan FTP), Donanemab, an innovative new medication for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, was put into use for the first time in the Chinese mainland at the Hainan Hospital of Ruijin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (Ruijin Hainan Hospital).

Alzheimer's disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes a gradual decline in memory and cognitive function. Approximately 32 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. There are currently nearly 9.83 million Alzheimer's patients in China, with the disease ranking tenth among leading causes of death nationally in 1990 but rising to fifth place by 2019.

Pathological changes in amyloid proteins are one of the important markers for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. These proteins are produced naturally by the body, and can clump together to form amyloid plaques. Excessive buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain may contribute to the memory and thinking problems associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Donanemab, which is now available at the Ruijin Hainan Hospital, can help the body clear excessive accumulation of amyloid plaques and slow conditions that may cause patients to lose track of memories and become unable to function independently. The advantage of the medication is that it does not require lifelong use, and treatment may be stopped in consideration of the patient’s response and the reduction of amyloid plaques. This helps to reduce the burden of treatment on patients by lowering the number of required infusions as well as overall treatment costs.