During the keynote forum's interactive interview session, Dr. Gao Yansong, Vice President of Jiuzhi堂 Group and General Manager of Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Jiuzhitang Maker"), delivered a keynote speech titled "Exploring Stem Cell Therapy for COVID-19 Pneumonia," sharing with the audience Jiuzhi堂's century-long efforts in combating the pandemic—efforts that primarily unfolded in two key areas:

Since the outbreak began, numerous studies—both domestically and internationally—have been launched exploring the use of MSC therapy for treating severe COVID-19 patients, with consistently promising results emerging. In this specific indication, Jiuzhitang Maker Cell Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jiuzhi堂, has received funding from the Beijing Daxing District Science and Technology Commission to conduct preclinical research on ischemia-tolerant allogeneic human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (it-hMSC) for the treatment of acute lung injury. Meanwhile, Stemedica, a U.S.-based company controlled by Jiuzhi堂, has utilized the same it-hMSC product and recently secured FDA emergency IND approval to treat 14 critically ill and severely ill patients, demonstrating remarkable therapeutic efficacy. In September of this year, Stemedica’s Phase II clinical trial evaluating it-hMSC for COVID-19 patients was granted FDA approval. To date, the product has already obtained 8 IND approvals in the United States and 1 in China. Cao Ronggui , former Deputy Minister of Health and Vice Dean of the School of Medicine at Tsinghua University Cao Zeyi , Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Capital Medical University Wang Songling , Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and National Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine Zhang Danning , Director of the Division for Infectious Disease Control and Prevention at China CDC, Researcher Li Zhongjie , Chairman, Legal Representative, and Party Branch Secretary of the China Anti-Aging Promotion Association Liu Renfu More than 450 attendees, including presidents of various industry associations, experts, business representatives, and media representatives, attended the opening ceremony of the conference. Jiuzhitang Co., Ltd., as a co-organizer, participated in this year’s event.

During the keynote forum's interactive interview session, Dr. Gao Yansong, Vice President of Jiuzhi堂 Group and General Manager of Jiuzhitang Maker (Beijing) Cell Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Jiuzhitang Maker"), delivered a keynote speech titled "Exploring Stem Cell Therapy for COVID-19 Pneumonia," sharing with the audience Jiuzhi堂's century-long efforts in combating the pandemic—efforts that primarily unfolded in two key areas:

First is prevention: During the pandemic, Jiuzhitang donated large quantities of Skicon "BCG Polysaccharide Nucleic Acid Injection" and other anti-epidemic medications through the Zhong Nanshan Medical Foundation. Skicon Injection's effectiveness in preventing viral infections was recognized and recommended by Academician Zhong Nanshan during the 2003 SARS outbreak, leading to its inclusion in relevant clinical guidelines. It also earned expert consensus stating: "BCG Polysaccharide Nucleic Acid can effectively prevent respiratory diseases caused by SARS and other viruses, particularly benefiting elderly individuals and patients with underlying health conditions by significantly boosting their immune systems."

During the conference, Dr. Gao Yansong was interviewed by reporters from the People's Daily and Health News, discussing the development trends in the stem cell industry. Dr. Gao noted that stem cells stand out as one of the few globally recognized multi-functional therapies currently demonstrating efficacy across a wide range of clinical indications—particularly in treating severe and critically ill patients with COVID-19, where they have shown remarkable effectiveness. Several prominent Chinese academicians have also highlighted, on various occasions, the promising role of stem cells in addressing acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19 pneumonia. Moreover, with the implementation of the revised Drug Administration Law in December 2019, cell-based therapeutic products are now explicitly classified as pharmaceuticals under regulatory oversight. As the cornerstone of regenerative medicine, stem cell-based drugs represent not only the fastest-growing segment within the broader regenerative medicine field but also the closest to becoming commercially viable treatments—making them a technology with immense potential for the future.

Dr. Gao Yansong, when discussing Meike's strengths and how the company plans to tackle future competition, said: "Meike’s key advantages lie in three core areas: manufacturing, quality, and clinical applications. First, in terms of production processes, Meike boasts world-leading stem cell expansion technology, enabling us to generate large-scale, high-quality doses from a single tissue source—placing us at the forefront globally. Second, our stem cell quality system adheres to both U.S. and Chinese cGMP standards. Since 2018, we’ve been rigorously aligning ourselves with these stringent GMP requirements, holding ourselves to the same exacting standards applied to pharmaceutical products before they hit the market. Third, Meike’s stem cell products have already secured clinical trial approvals from both the U.S. FDA and China’s Center for Drug Evaluation. Notably, our it-hMSC product has received eight IND approvals in the U.S. and one in China, clearly demonstrating that our robust quality system and cutting-edge manufacturing processes have earned recognition from both the U.S. FDA and China’s drug regulatory authorities—both critical factors in advancing stem cells toward becoming viable medicines. Ultimately, our goal is to transform stem cells into therapeutic drugs and accelerate their journey to market."