Maker Story | Zuo Yuxing: Innovative Therapies Open the Door to Curing Metabolic Diseases

From Doctor Zuo to Boss Zuo, Zuo Yuxing's identity has changed, but his persistent exploration and meticulous work in the medical industry have remained consistent; from the battlefield of medical device distribution to the blue ocean of innovative manufacturing, he has led his team to pioneer the development of revolutionary treatment products for metabolic diseases with the passion of a doctor and the wisdom of a businessman.

The seemingly sudden golden idea comes from more than ten years of accumulation and precipitation; similarly, behind the "world's first approved" product in the field is also the results of countless attempts and reflections. 2024 is the eighth year since the establishment of Tongee, and it is also a new starting point for the "Gastric Bypass Stent System", which is a Class III innovative medical device pioneered by Tongee and was approved for marketing in China. "At present, we have more than 10 projects under development, more than 100 patents applied for, and many products are undergoing clinical trials at different stages in more than 40 well-known hospitals." Zuo Yuxing said, Tongee is full of confidence facing the vast blue ocean of development.

Exploring new approaches to diabetes surgery

The founding of Tongee began with a casual conversation. In 2009, Zuo Yuxing and an American expert discussed the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The American expert's mention of "surgical treatment" shocked him. At that time, according to the Chinese medical concept, diabetes was mostly caused by insufficient secretion of insulin from the pancreas, and the disease could only be controlled by drug management and lifestyle adjustments. How could surgery be used for this? Even textbooks described diabetes as "incurable, requiring lifelong medication."

During the conversation, the American expert showed Zuo Yuxing the flowchart of "gastric bypass surgery" - the surgery reconstructs the gastrointestinal structure, changes the physiological flow of food, affects food intake and absorption, thereby improving sugar metabolism and reducing insulin resistance, helping to increase insulin secretion and pancreatic cell function.

Zuo Yuxing's years of experience in clinical practice and the medical device industry immediately led him to understand the principle behind the treatment. This sparked his question: Could placing a cannula in the duodenum to isolate the chyme, thereby "diverting" bile and pancreatic juice from the food, and thus blocking digestion and absorption, achieve the same effect? His idea was recognized by American experts, who encouraged him to embark on this bold experiment. Currently, no such medical device exists internationally, and if this innovation could be realized, it would represent a major breakthrough in medical development.

In this way, Zuo Yuxing began to focus on the research and development of this technology, hoping to make a breakthrough in the treatment of metabolic diseases.

The road to entrepreneurship is long and arduous

Developing a brand new product is a challenging journey. With no previous experience to follow, and all exploration to begin from scratch, initial setbacks are inevitable. However, Zuo Yuxing doesn't feel discouraged when discussing these early setbacks, but rather a sense of gratitude. In his view, every failure is a testament to practical experience, it signifies that you've made the leap.

"During early animal experiments, the results were often less than ideal. The R&D team would always hold a meeting that evening to review and brainstorm: Why did it fail? What should we do next? How long will it take?" Zuo Yuxing recalled. It was this positive attitude towards setbacks that became their driving force for continuous progress.

After the animal experiment success, the gastric bypass stent system obtained clinical research approval, and Zuo Yuxing volunteered to become the first person to attempt human implantation. Despite being aware of the risks and the high probability of failure, Zuo Yuxing chose to personally verify the product's performance. This trial collected valuable human implantation data successfully, laying a solid foundation for subsequent product upgrade and next-generation development. Recalling this journey, Zuo Yuxing said with a relaxed smile, "We used to think animals had more powerful digestive systems, but my experimental data shows that the human digestive system is even more powerful!"

This fearless spirit of exploration fueled the company's growth and fostered the innovative culture and entrepreneurial spirit that Tongee still champions today. Zuo Yuxing stated frankly that the first lesson for employees upon arriving at Tongee was to challenge their inherent thinking in the workplace. At Tongee, employees are not bound by traditional frameworks, but are given a broad space for innovation and are encouraged to boldly conduct experiments and try new things. "The results we have now are obtained through repeated trial and error, I cherish the process of sedimentation very much."

The core values of "Innovation, Collaboration, Efficiency, Dedication" fully mobilize the creativity and enthusiasm of employees, and the experience of setbacks and challenges has also strengthened the team's unity and determination. Currently, Tongee has established multiple technology platforms and ISO13485-certified R&D, quality, manufacturing, and supply chain management system. It has successfully developed a number of new medical technologies for metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Working together with like-minded people on a meaningful cause, it is this sense of mission to devote oneself to a noble cause that gives Tongee people the strength to remain steadfast and forge ahead when face with the uncertainties of the future.

Using technology to support public health

Currently, the global population suffering from metabolic diseases caused by obesity is enormous, and the overweight and obesity situation in China is also grim, urgently requiring strengthened intervention and improvement. In June 2024, the National Health Commission and 16 other departments jointly formulated the "Weight Management Year" Activity Implementation Plan, aiming to achieve the widespread establishment of a supportive environment for weight management, significantly elevate the public's awareness and skills of weight management, and improve the abnormal weight status of some people. This initiative aligns perfectly with the mission actively pursued by Tongee. Zuo Yuxing said that weight loss is the initial stage in the treatment of metabolic diseases. Adhering to the vision of developing new ways to treat metabolic disease and the mission of relieving patients who suffer from metabolic diseases around the world from their pain and helping them regain health and happiness, Tongee has always been committed to creating an innovative platform for gastrointestinal interventional therapy and related medical equipment, disease management and solutions to make life healthier and life better.

"With the increase of bad habits and life pressure in modern life, health issues have become the focus of social attention." Looking to the future, Zuo Yuxing expects Tongee to play a greater role in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases; it will also continue to make breakthroughs and innovations to help people prevent and manage various chronic diseases, provide more solutions for public health management, and contribute positive forces to improving the health level and quality of life of the entire society.