Professor Manson Fok, Co-founder and Chairman of Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited; Dr Kenneth Tsang, Regional Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare North Asia and Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong; and Mr Alex Liu, Managing Director of Mannings HK, Macau & China sign the strategic collaboration agreement 

(12 March 2026 - Hong Kong) Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited (EVDL), Gleneagles Hong Kong (Gleneagles, part of the IHH Healthcare multinational network) and Mannings have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to jointly launch an innovative diagnostic service that integrates health care and advanced technology, extending its reach into Hong Kong communities. This collaboration aims to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on multiple fronts while enhancing the precision and coverage of diagnostic services in Hong Kong, offering a higher-quality and more convenient healthcare experience.
 

This tripartite partnership seeks to establish a “Community Healthcare Ecosystem”, leveraging Gleneagles TeleCare (virtual consultation) platform with Mannings’ retail store network, to introduce EVDL’s self-developed innovative diagnostics technology – the “Avalon Automated Multiplex System” (AAMST) into the local community, which allows citizens to receive hospital-grade diagnostic more efficiently. The service is scheduled to launch in 2^nd quarter of 2026. AMR has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most pressing global public health threats, and one of the major concerns of the Department of Health of the HKSAR Government. This initiative will be able to support doctors in delivering precise treatments, reducing antibiotic misuse and preventing antimicrobial resistance to safeguard public health.
 

Professor Manson Fok, Co-founder and Chairman of Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited; Dr Kenneth Tsang, Regional Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare North Asia and Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong; and Mr Alex Liu, Managing Director of Mannings HK, Macau & China represented the three parties at the signing ceremony. Professor Yuen Kwok‑yung, Managing Director of The Centre for Virology, Vaccinology, and Therapeutics (CVVT), key collaborator in the development of EVDL’s advanced diagnostics system AAMST, also joined the ceremony to celebrate the launch of this innovative collaboration.
 

AAMST is a highly multiplex nucleic acid testing platform featuring multiple patented technologies. Developed and manufactured by a Hong Kong‑based MedTech company, EVDL, it can simultaneously detect and identify over 40 types of pathogens — including viruses, bacteria, and fungi — in around 1.5 hours, making it the most comprehensive molecular diagnostic platform currently available worldwide. Fundamental research started in 2016 at local universities led by Professor Terence Lau, Co-founder and President of EVDL, and was advanced through interdisciplinary collaboration among industry, academia, and research sectors. The system was recommended in the “WHO Compendium of Innovative Health Technologies for Low‑resource Settings 2024” as a promising innovation capable of making a positive impact on healthcare systems. Through teaming up with the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), this technology was among the first batch of projects selected under the Innovation and Technology Commission’s “Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One‑plus Scheme” (RAISe+) by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of HKSAR Government. The project embodies Hong Kong's high-quality innovation and technological development. The support from RAISe+ will further promote technological optimization, continuous enhancement and application expansion through an efficient industry-academia-research collaboration.

Professor Manson Fok, Co-founder and Chairman of Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited, remarked, “We are delighted to be an integral part of this innovative community healthcare ecosystem, and we believe its deployment will truly benefit the community and enhance public health. We would like to express our special gratitude to the Hong Kong SAR Government – the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB) and the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) – for continuously promoting various innovation and technology policies, and for providing a strong research and innovation environment for local medical technology through different funding schemes and support measures, such as RAISe+. This enables the development of new productive forces and the realization of Hong Kong’s new industrialization. With broad support from the government, academia, and industry, our diagnostic system has been recognized by the World Health Organization and other international institutions. Today, together with our strategic partners Gleneagles Hong Kong and Mannings, we are extending hospital-grade diagnostic services into the community. We believe this will reshape Hong Kong’s healthcare landscape and mark a new milestone for public health in Hong Kong and beyond.”

Gleneagles introduced AAMST last year into its laboratory testing services, which can accelerate the diagnostic process and provide more comprehensive results. Recently, Gleneagles has further extended this service to all Gleneagles Healthcare clinics under its network, launching a testing service integrated with its virtual consultation service. A complete diagnostic report can be available as early as same day. Leveraging Mannings’ extensive retail network and professional pharmacist support under this latest collaboration, accurate diagnostic services are brought closer to our communities, fostering the development of an even more comprehensive and seamless remote care model for the public.

Dr Kenneth Tsang, Regional Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare North Asia and Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, said, “Gleneagles Hong Kong has always been committed to upholding our parent company IHH Healthcare’s ‘Care. For Good.’ sustainability aspiration, within which antimicrobial resistance is one of the key priorities. Through multiple channels and initiatives, we continue to raise public awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote the responsible use of antibiotics, contributing to the development of a healthier community and future. We firmly believe that integrating clinical expertise, innovative technologies, and strong community networks is essential to effectively advancing antimicrobial resistance management and building a truly community-connected healthcare ecosystem that enables ‘precision diagnosis and precision treatment’. This cross‑sector collaboration with EVDL and Mannings not only reflects IHH Healthcare’s commitment to patient‑centred care and healthcare innovation, but also demonstrates how we can extend hospital‑grade healthcare services into the community, helping Hong Kong and the wider region build a more resilient and sustainable healthcare system.”

As Hong Kong’s largest health and beauty chain, Mannings is committed to providing customers and the community with professional advice and quality products. Its team of registered pharmacists offers reliable health guidance, and, through its Hong Kong’s biggest chain pharmacy network, has expanded the channels connecting the community with Gleneagles Hong Kong’s medical services. Mannings’ pharmacists provide initial professional advice to citizens with respiratory symptoms, and can further assist in connecting with Gleneagles for teleconsultation and testing services. This helps doctors to diagnose conditions and deliver targeted treatments. This innovative healthcare ecosystem will not only strengthen public health response capabilities but also demonstrate the professional commitment of hospital and retail partners in supporting clinicians to make prudent decisions on antibiotic prescriptions, aligning with the vision of responsible antimicrobial stewardship. 

Mr Alex Liu, Managing Director of Mannings HK, Macau & China, remarked, “Mannings has consistently upheld its brand mission as ‘The Trusted Advisor for Wellness’, committed to providing customers and the wider community with people-centric services, professional health advice, and quality products. Through this collaboration with Gleneagles and Emerging Viral Diagnostics, the strengths of innovative technology, diagnostics, and retail are seamlessly integrated. By leveraging Mannings’ extensive retail network to bring hospital‑grade diagnostic services into the community, the partnership not only broadens and deepens Hong Kong’s diagnostic capabilities, but also enables citizens to enjoy a more convenient and reliable healthcare experience.”

EVDL, Gleneagles and Mannings, with the support of different parties, will continue to deepen cross‑sector collaboration and explore further innovative applications, including expansion to the diagnosis of other common community infections, emerging diseases and widened deployment in the community. Leveraging the close integration between retail and healthcare networks, the three parties hope to establish this model as a benchmark for healthcare innovation in Hong Kong, achieving both public benefit and industry advancement.

(From left to right) Professor Terence Lau, Co-founder and President of Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited; Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, Managing Director of The Centre for Virology, Vaccinology, and Therapeutics (CVVT); Mr Andrew Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Health & Beauty, DFI Retail Group; Professor Manson Fok, Co-founder and Chairman of Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited; Dr Kenneth Tsang, Regional Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare North Asia and Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong; Mr Alex Liu, Managing Director of Mannings HK, Macau & China; Professor Johnson Lau, Chief Executive Officer of Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited; and Mr Paul Lau, Regional Chief Financial Officer of IHH Healthcare North Asia and Chief Financial Officer of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong