The 2025 Shanghai Digestive Disease Academic Conference was successfully held at the Shanghai International Convention Center from July 4 to 6, 2025. The conference attracted nationally renowned clinical experts, scholars and industry representatives to attend, and conducted in-depth discussions on the standardized diagnosis and treatment of digestive and psychosomatic diseases, the transformation of cutting-edge technologies and hot topics in clinical practice, injecting new impetus into promoting the improvement of the prevention and treatment of digestive system diseases in my country.

Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical has always taken "passion, innovation, care, and health" as its core value, and continued to deepen its presence in the field of digestive system disease treatment. With more than 30 years of pharmaceutical experience, the company has built a product matrix covering multiple therapeutic areas such as the digestive system, cardiovascular system, and musculoskeletal system, and has taken the lead in passing the national GMP certification to serve patients with high-quality drugs. During this conference, Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical systematically presented its innovative achievements and strategic layout in the field of digestive health through special reports, product displays, and academic seminars.

1. Focus on the academic frontier and explore diagnostic and treatment standards

In this conference, Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical held a seminar on "Caring for intestinal health and getting rid of inconvenient life" - Standardized diagnosis and treatment of chronic constipation and typical cases. The experts at the meeting conducted a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of chronic constipation, a common disease, from multiple dimensions such as epidemiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, and clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies. In the subsequent wonderful case sharing session, through multidisciplinary case sharing and collision of ideas, the clinical application path of the bulk laxative calcium polycarbophil was further clarified, providing practical guidance for the standardized diagnosis and treatment of primary care doctors.

The leaders and guests who attended the symposium included: Professor Chen Minhu of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Zou Duowu of Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Professor Hou Xiaohua of Wuhan Union Hospital, Professor Wang Chengdang of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Professor Xiao Yinglian of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Chen Shengliang of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Professor Shi Xiaohua of Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University School of Medicine, Professor Yao Linhua of Huzhou First People's Hospital, Professor Wang Junxian of Anhui Second People's Hospital, Professor Xu Ming of Shanghai Seventh Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professor Li Xiaoping of Anhui Second People's Hospital, Professor Chen Guoyu of Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Professor Zhuang Jianbo of Suzhou High-tech Zone People's Hospital, Professor Luo Zehao of Shanghai Baoshan District Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, and Mr. Wang Houjie, Director of Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Special guest Professor Chen Minhu delivered a speech

Professor Chen said that chronic constipation is a topic often discussed at academic conferences, but there are still many clinical problems that need to be solved. Therefore, regularly updating relevant knowledge and exploring the latest therapeutic drugs are of great significance to improving the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Today, many authoritative experts in the field of functional gastrointestinal diseases and gastrointestinal motility have gathered on site to conduct in-depth discussions on the pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical diagnosis and treatment of chronic constipation. Special thanks to Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for its strong support in recent years for the promotion of academic research on chronic constipation, academic seminars, and World Constipation Day publicity. I wish this conference a complete success!

Chairman Professor Zou Duowu delivered a speech

Professor Zou thanked everyone for participating in the 2025 Shanghai Digestion and Digestive Endoscopy Conference and Shanghai Digestive Disease Academic Conference, and the 8th Oriental Digestive Disease Conference in such a hot season. He also thanked everyone for coming to the "Caring for Intestinal Health and Getting Rid of Inconvenient Life"-Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Constipation and Typical Cases Seminar.

Professor Zou said that academic progress and the development of disease treatment are inseparable from high-quality drugs. Through the introduction of Mr. Wang from Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical, everyone learned about Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical's strength in drug research and development and its responsibility to help patients.

Mr. Wang Houjie, Director of Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical&Pharmaceutical Industrial Co., Ltd., delivered a speech

Mr. Wang Houjie of Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical Industrial Co., Ltd. thanked the experts and scholars who came to the conference and expressed his great honor to participate in the special seminar "Caring for intestinal health, getting rid of inconvenience in life" and gather together with authoritative experts and medical colleagues in the field of digestion to discuss the latest progress and future direction of intestinal health management. Mr. Wang Houjie emphasized that Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical Industrial Co., Ltd., as a pharmaceutical company with a sense of social responsibility, has always adhered to the concept of "patient-centered" and has been deeply involved in the field of digestion for many years. Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical looks forward to having in-depth exchanges with experts on new concepts and technologies for intestinal health management through this seminar, and jointly exploring more optimized clinical solutions. Finally, I wish the conference a complete success!

Summary of key points of academic lectures

Professor Hou Xiaohua from Wuhan Union Hospital gave an academic lecture on "Epidemiology and Hazards of Chronic Constipation in the Elderly"

"The global prevalence of chronic constipation is 14% to 16%, and the prevalence among the elderly is 15% to 22%. And the prevalence shows a clear upward trend with age. The quality of life of patients with chronic constipation declines, causing obvious economic and social burdens. Constipation in the elderly increases the risk of multiple diseases such as the digestive system, cardiovascular system, nervous system, mental system, and endocrine system. It is very harmful and has many causes, and it needs everyone's attention."

Professor Wang Chengdang from the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University gave an academic lecture on "Chronic Constipation: Clinical Diagnosis"

"The symptoms of chronic constipation include decreased bowel movement frequency, difficulty in defecation, and a lack of a sense of complete emptying. The influencing factors include organic disease factors and drug factors. Chronic constipation is diagnosed based on symptoms, and a comprehensive symptom assessment is conducive to accurate identification and diagnosis. The diagnostic methods for chronic constipation include identifying symptoms, identifying alarm signs, anorectal digital examination, balloon expulsion test, defecography, intestinal transit time measurement, and colon pressure measurement. The classification diagnosis of chronic constipation is helpful for further treatment."

Professor Xiao Yinglian from the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University gave an academic lecture on "Pathophysiology of Chronic Constipation"

"The occurrence and symptoms of chronic constipation are closely related to factors such as age, gender, education level, drug side effects, psychological factors, lifestyle and dietary structure. The pathophysiology of chronic constipation is often caused by a variety of important pathophysiological mechanisms, such as abnormal intestinal motility and intestinal transmission, abnormal visceral sensory function and uncoordinated defecation. The anorectal functional state is related to uncoordinated defecation, and the classification of constipation (normal transmission type, slow transmission type, defecation disorder type, mixed type) can be achieved through anorectal manometry.”

Professor Shengliang Chen from Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine gave an academic lecture on "Dilemmas and Countermeasures for the Diagnosis and Treatment of IBS-C and FC"

"The diagnosis of IBS is based on abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort as the main symptoms, which are related to defecation or accompanied by changes in defecation habits such as frequency and/or stool characteristics. This is more in line with Chinese clinical practice than focusing only on the single symptom of abdominal pain. The diagnosis of IBS-C and FC emphasizes understanding pathophysiology from symptoms. Digital rectal examination can be used as a means of preliminary assessment of anorectal sphincter function, and attention is paid to identifying accompanying psychiatric and psychological comorbidities."

"Bulk-forming laxatives are the basic drugs for step-by-step treatment of constipation. They can effectively improve constipation by increasing the water content and volume of stool and are safe for long-term use. Calcium polycarbophil is a representative drug of bulk-forming laxatives. It can decalcify in the gastric acid environment to form polycarbophil. Polycarbophil combines with water in the neutral environment of the intestine to form a hydrophilic gel, which participates in the formation of stool, making the stool fluffy, soft and easy to excrete. Calcium polycarbophil has unique clinical advantages: it does not require a lot of water during use, long-term use will not cause electrolyte disorders, and it will not cause diarrhea while promoting catharsis. In addition, calcium polycarbophil can be used in combination with various laxatives without the risk of drug interactions, thus improving the overall efficacy."

"Both domestic and international guidelines recommend calcium polycarbophil as a first-line treatment for chronic constipation. The 2024 Chinese Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Chronic Constipation strongly recommends calcium polycarbophil, emphasizing its high safety and long-term use.”

“Calcium polycarbophil is not absorbed into the blood and is highly safe. It can shorten colon transit time, increase the frequency of bowel movements, relieve the hardness of stool, improve the overall symptoms of constipation patients, and relieve constipation symptoms in patients with diabetes and constipation. Clinical studies have shown that calcium polycarbophil has a significant therapeutic effect on patients with constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with alternating constipation/diarrhea. It is especially suitable for patients with abdominal distension symptoms and can effectively improve abdominal discomfort symptoms.”

Wonderful case sharing session

Professor Li Xiaoping from Anhui Provincial Second People's Hospital shared the case of "Individualized Diagnosis and Treatment of IBS-C"

"Calcium polycarbophil is a representative drug of bulk laxatives. The Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (2025) recommends oral calcium polycarbophil for IBS-C patients, 1g/time, 3 times/day. In this case, the IBS-C patient developed diarrhea symptoms after taking an oral osmotic laxative, and was adjusted to the "intestinal humidifier" calcium polycarbophil tablets (2 tablets tid). It can induce laxative effects without causing diarrhea, is convenient to take orally, has a pleasant taste, and has good patient compliance. It is also not absorbed by the digestive tract and has high safety.”

Professor Chen Guoyu from Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital shared a case study on "Calcium Polycarbophil Assisted Bowel Preparation"

"Constipated patients have poor bowel cleansing before colonoscopy due to various reasons, which affects the results of colonoscopy and may cause lesions to be missed. Constipated patients can take calcium polycarbophil tablets orally for 3 days before colonoscopy, which can form polycarbophil hydrogel in the intestine, soften stool, increase stool volume, promote intestinal peristalsis, and shorten colon transit time. It can effectively improve the bowel cleansing effect of PEG solution."

Professor Zhuang Jianbo from Suzhou High-tech Zone People's Hospital shared a case study on "A case of constipation cured after 15 years"

"Constipation is a group of symptoms. Finding and treating the cause is crucial to relieving constipation. The patient in this case was diagnosed with chronic organic constipation (slow-transmission type, severe), hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, severe), colorectal melanosis-Ⅰ, depression, and sleep disorders. After a comprehensive evaluation, an individualized treatment plan was developed, including etiological treatment (thyroid function treatment drugs, psychiatric and psychological drugs), symptomatic treatment of constipation (discontinuation of anthraquinone drugs, use of polycarbophil calcium 3 times/day. 1.0g/time), and lifestyle reshaping. The patient's constipation symptoms were significantly relieved and did not relapse.”

Professor Luo Zehao from Shanghai Baoshan District Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine shared his experience on "Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment of Stubborn Constipation in the Elderly"

"The patient had a history of constipation for decades and had relied on anthraquinone laxatives for defecation for 10 years, which damaged his intestinal function. By taking bulk laxatives (calcium polycarbophil) + probiotics and adjusting his lifestyle, the patient's spontaneous bowel movements increased and the dryness and hardness of his stools were relieved. Calcium polycarbophil is a high-molecular polymer. The hydroxyl groups in its molecular structure are ionized and bind to water molecules. After absorbing water, the volume expands to form a hydrophilic gel, which increases the water content and volume of the stool, making it easier to excrete the stool. It is highly safe and effective."

2. Innovative products debut at the exhibition to support full-course disease management

Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical brought its star product in the field of digestive system, Libofei® calcium polycarbophil tablets/granules, to the exhibition. The booth staff shared with the participants its clinical application and scientific research development in the field of digestive system. Calcium polycarbophil is a bulk laxative recommended by domestic and foreign guidelines. It participates in the formation of feces, making the feces fluffy, soft and easy to discharge. While improving constipation symptoms, it effectively relieves the patient's abdominal discomfort/pain. The drug is not absorbed in the digestive tract, is safe for long-term use, and helps patients develop good bowel habits.

In addition, Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical also displayed the color page of its new drug Rivelin® Vonoprazan Fumarate Tablets. The drug is designed to provide a better choice for acid-related diseases and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication treatment. As a new generation of potassium ion competitive acid blockers, Vonoprazan has the characteristics of rapid onset of acid suppression and long-lasting effect, effectively relieves acid reflux symptoms, and helps restore normal gastric homeostasis and digestive physiological functions.

The successful holding of this conference not only built a communication platform for the deep integration of industry, academia and research, but also promoted the transformation of cutting-edge achievements in the field of digestion into clinical practice. Suzhou Chung-Hwa Chemical & Pharmaceutical said that in the future, it will continue to be patient-oriented, develop more innovative drugs urgently needed in clinical practice through technology iteration, academic co-construction and industrial ecological extension, and actively participate in national health strategies to contribute corporate strength to the goal of "Healthy China 2030" and the development of global public health.