The official opening of Hong Kong Integrated Oncology Centre (HKIOC) & Hong Kong Integrated Imaging & Endoscopy Diagnostic Centre (HKIEDC) redefines cancer care in the Asia Pacific Region

Hong Kong -- July 11, 2015 -- TE Asia Healthcare Partners (TE Asia), a TPG Capital portfolio company, and TalkMed Group Limited (TalkMed) in partnership today announce the official opening of Hong Kong Integrated Oncology Centre (HKIOC) & Hong Kong Integrated Imaging & Endoscopy Diagnostic Centre (HKIEDC) that brings premier cancer care to patients, their families and the greater community. Located in the heart of Hong Kong, the new two-storey out-patient cancer centre houses a comprehensive range of diagnostic, treatment and support services designed to bring patients and caregivers together in a tranquil and soothing environment that promotes personalized care and healing.

The quality of cancer care is a top priority for many national healthcare organizations. The barrier to timely and a more personalized approach to cancer care is a highly challenging health issue not only in Hong Kong, but also in Greater China and the wider Asia Pacific region.

Cancer diagnosis, treatment planning and post treatment care is becoming more sophisticated. Patients now look for a better coordinated cancer care service and a multi-disciplinary team of experts to provide them with the best possible care.

Professor Ronnie Poon, Medical Director of HKIOC and HKIEDC, said, “At HKIOC and HKIEDC, our multi-disciplinary specialists collaborate in developing a personalized treatment plan to achieve optimal outcomes, this is what we call the tumor-board approach. Supported by a team of highly experienced oncology nurses and pharmacists, our medical experts include surgeons, clinical oncologists, radiologists, and other cancer-related specialties. Our guiding principle – “Strive for cure, Care for life” represents our daily commitment to the highest quality of cancer service and patient care.”

Aik Meng Eng, CEO of TE Asia, added, “Patient convenience, timeliness and flexibility to receive world-class cancer care has always been our top priority. We are devoted to providing the best to our patients in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Our ultimate goal is to serve a large and medically diverse patient population under one roof, in order to increase patients’ access to breakthrough diagnosis and treatments.”

The patient-centric HKIOC and HKIEDC provide outstanding facilities that integrate the most advanced imaging technologies that help diagnose and guide therapy for different types of cancer. HKIEDC houses a wide spectrum of screening, imaging, diagnostic and interventional services, which include 3D Mammography/Tomosynthesis, Ultrasound, Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA), X-Ray, Dexa Bone Densitometry, CT, PET-CT, MRI, and the first PET/CT-MRI in Hong Kong. HKIEDC is also equipped with 3 endoscopy rooms in compliance with world-class safety standard.

HKIOC is furnished to provide patients and their care-givers a calm and stress-free experience. Separated from the busy reception area, the centre is equipped with 22 private treatment suites where chemotherapy is administered. In many out-patient cancer centres safe ventilation may be a concern, this centre has adopted the highest standard of drug safety by building its own reconstitution room, which is comparable to the safety standard of leading cancer centres in the world.

The integrated oncology centres HKIOC and HKIEDC are the first in a series of investments planned by TE Asia to build a portfolio of high growth medical specialties across Asia.

Tim Dattels, Co-Head of TPG Capital Asia said, “Opening this world-class cancer centre in central Hong Kong is an exciting moment for the whole team. Working with TalkMed, TE Asia has created a unique healthcare offer, bringing together state of the art diagnostic and treatment services in a modern high-end environment.

TPG’s depth of experience in this sector taps into a fast growing demand for easily accessible premium healthcare and we are delighted to work with some of the best medical professionals in their field to create that service in this city.”

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About TPG Capital

TPG Capital is the global buyout group of TPG, a leading private investment firm founded in TPG is a leading global private investment firm founded in 1992 with over $74 billion of assets under management and offices in San Francisco, Fort Worth, Austin, Dallas, Houston, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Moscow, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. TPG has extensive experience with global public and private investments executed through leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts, growth investments, joint ventures and restructurings. The firm has a strong history of healthcare investing and its well-known investments include Aptalis, Chindex International, EnvisionRX, Healthscope Immucor, Manipal Health Enterprises, Parkway Holdings, Par Pharmaceutical, Quintiles Transnational and Surgical Care Affiliates, among others.

For more information visit www.tpg.com.

About TE Asia Healthcare Partners

Established in 2014, TE Asia is the working title for a healthcare platform sponsored by TPG Capital. TE Asia is headed by Aik Meng Eng, who has been a TPG advisor focusing on the healthcare sector. The goal of TE Asia is to identify and build a portfolio of healthcare delivery assets in Asia with a focus on specialty clinics and hospitals.

About TalkMed

TalkMed a public company that is listed on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange. TalkMed provides tertiary healthcare services in the fields of medical oncology and palliative care to the oncology patients in the private sector in Singapore through Parkway Cancer Centre at seven clinics in Gleneagles Hospital Singapore, Mount Elizabeth Hospital Singapore, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and Mouth Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre Singapore.

Our Professional Medical Team at HKIOC & HKIEDC

PROFESSOR RONNIE POON

Professor Ronnie Poon graduated from the Medical School of the University of Hong Kong in 1989 with the award of John Anderson Gold Medal. He subsequently obtained a Master of Surgery and Doctor of Philosophy from the University.

He received his general surgery training at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, Australia and Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. After completing his training, he specialised in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery and joined the Department of Surgery of the University of Hong Kong. Professor Poon was promoted to Associate Professor in 1991, Professor of Surgery in 1996 and Chair Professor in 2011. He served as the Chief of the Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Queen Mary Hospital from 2011 to 2014 before moving to private practice. He also served as the Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of HKU. Currently, he is currently the Medical Director of the Hong Kong Integrated Oncology Centre.

Professor Poon is an internationally renowned expert in the field of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. He has devoted his research efforts mainly on the management of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer. In particular, he pioneered the development of novel treatments for liver cancer – including new techniques in surgical resection, thermal ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and molecular targeted therapy for different stages of liver cancer.

In 2001, Professor Poon was the first to introduce radiofrequency ablation to the management of early liver cancer in Hong Kong. He also led the development of minimally invasive surgery for liver cancer at Queen Mary Hospital. He is internationally recognised for his research to improve surgical outcomes and long-term survival of liver cancer patients. Recently, he introduced two-stage hepatectomy to enhance liver regeneration and the safety of liver resection in the treatment of liver cancer in Hong Kong. He developed the Hong Kong Liver Cancer Staging System to guide treatment of liver cancer worldwide. He also led a group of expert clinicians in liver cancer to develop a consensus guideline for the treatment of liver cancer in Hong Kong.

Professor Poon has published more than 400 full articles in top international journals and has delivered more than 300 lectures on his research at international conferences. He has served on the editorial boards of international journals and has been invited to help establish liver cancer treatment guidelines for international organisations such as the Asia-Pacific Association for Study of the Liver and the National Cancer Institute of the USA. Professor Poon served as the Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. He is a member of the Founding Board and Governing Council of the International Liver Cancer Association, as well as the Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Primary Liver Cancer Expert Association. He is also the Founder and Chairman of the Hong Kong Liver Cancer Foundation.

Professor Poon has received several local and international awards for his clinical and research accomplishments, including the G.B. Ong Travelling Fellowship in 2001, Outstanding Young Researcher Award of the University of Hong Kong in 2003, the International Guest Scholarship of the American College of Surgeons in 2006, Outstanding Researcher Award of the University of Hong Kong 2007 and the James IV Travelling Fellowship in 2007.

DR JENSEN POON

Dr Jensen Poon is a colorectal surgeon with special interest in minimally invasive surgery. Dr Poon graduated from the University of New South Wales in 1995 and completed his surgical training at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong.

He has been awarded with fellowships at professional authorities including the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the American College of Surgeons, the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. He has served as the Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong and the Deputy Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Queen Mary Hospital.

Dr Poon is a surgeon as well as a scholar. He has conducted a series of research on minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of colorectal cancer. From the results of his studies, Dr Poon has explored new strategies to achieve optimal outcomes for patients and has published his findings in more than 70 articles in international journals, two book chapters and one thesis for his doctorate degree.

Together with his team at Queen Mary Hospital, Dr Poon has introduced advanced minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer in Hong Kong. These innovative techniques include single-port laparoscopic colectomy and robotic assisted rectal cancer resection.

Dr Poon’s research is internationally recognised. In 2012, he won a Top International Abstract Award at the annual scientific meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. The following year, he was awarded the Inaugural Carlos Pellegrini Travelling Fellowship from the American College of Surgeons.

He has shared his knowledge of minimally invasive surgery and colorectal diseases at more than 40 global conferences and scientific meetings. Through different workshops on minimally invasive surgery, he has trained many young surgeons in Hong Kong.

DR CHEUNG FOON YIU

Dr Cheung Foon Yiu is a Specialist in Clinical Oncology. His clinical interests are urological oncology, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, skin cancer and lymphoma.

In 1990, Dr Cheung graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He earned fellowships from the Royal College of Radiologists in 1996 and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in Radiology in 1999. He holds a Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK as well as the qualification of Graduate Statistician from the Royal Statistical Society in UK.

Dr Cheung has participated in various clinical researches and has published or presented more than 30 articles in international journals and at oncology meetings. He was also appointed as an Honorary Clinical Staff at Hong Kong’s two medical faculties that teach graduate medical students.

DR PETER SO

Dr Peter So graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical School in 1991. Since 1994, he has served as a Clinical Oncologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. Dr So has been a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists since 1999. He also earned fellowships at the Hong Kong College of Radiologist and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (Radiology) in 2002.

In 2003, Dr So was listed as a Specialist in Clinical Oncology at the Medical Council of Hong Kong. Since then, he has specialised in Colorectal Cancer, Central Nervous System Tumours and Gynaecological Malignancies. In 2006, Dr So obtained an MBA in Healthcare from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. From 2007 onwards, Dr So has been active in caring for patients with lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, including oesophageal cancer and thyroid cancer.

During his time at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Dr So gained experience in treating brain tumour patients using Stereotactic Radiotherapy. He has taken part in multi-institute clinical trials in the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer. He has also served as an Institute Principal Investigator and Co-investigator in a number of international multi-centre clinical trials on lung cancer treatments.

Dr So has assisted in the all-round care of patients in lung cancer patient groups jointly organised by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Prince of Wales Hospital Cancer Patient Resource Centres. His involvement in the Kowloon Central Cluster Quality Control and Audit Meetings as well as Document Control Meetings continues to improve the quality of care given to patients across the city.

DR TONY LOKE

Dr Tony Loke graduated from the University of Melbourne, Australia in 1985 and completed his Fellowship in Diagnostic Radiology at the Prince of Wales Hospital/United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong. Since 2001, he has been the Consultant Radiologist at the United Christian Hospital, and is also its former director of Hepatobiliary/Gastrointestinal and Cardiovascular Imaging.

Dr Loke is recognised for his contribution to Hepatobiliary/ Gastrointestinal imaging and Cardiovascular imaging. His pioneering work in Hong Kong include the use of liver specific contrast medium, portal vein embolization with tissue glue, radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma and diffusion weighted imaging of the body.

Dr Loke has the distinction of being a founding member of The Hong Kong Liver Cancer Foundation and The Gastrointestinal Cancer Foundation. He is currently a board member of the Asia-Pacific Association of Image Guided Minimally Invasive Therapy in Oncology (AAITO), as well as a member of the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Expert Group. Dr Loke was also the appointed representative of the Coordinating Committee in Diagnostic Radiology, Central Committee on liver disease (HAHO) and Coordinator for the working group on Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Radiology of Accreditation Sub-committee (Hong Kong College of Radiologists). He was formerly a member of the Cardiac Imaging working group, holding a position in the coordinating committee in Diagnostic Radiology (HAHO) since 2011.

Dr Loke has contributed over numerous articles in international peer-review journals including Radiology, American Journal of Radiology, Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, and was associate editor of Journal of the Hong Kong College of Radiologists from 1999 to 2009. He was Examiner in the Joint Final Fellowship of Hong Kong College of Radiologists and The Royal College of Radiologists from 2009 to 2011 and 2013 and was Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1994.

DR MICHAEL YANG

Dr Michael Yang’s stellar academic performance earned him the Li Tsoo Yiu Memorial Scholarship (1995 – 1997). He subsequently graduated from the University of Hong Kong Medical Faculty in 1997, and completed his residency training at the United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong with a major in musculoskeletal imaging and interventional radiology.

His overseas training knowledge include MRI training in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, United Kingdom, musculoskeletal radiology training in the Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, South Korea and interventional radiology training in Westmead Hospital in Sydney, Australia and AJOU University, Suwon South Korea. He also acquired training in breast imaging, hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal imaging, and nuclear imaging. In recent years, Dr Yang has become actively involved in musculoskeletal and breast imaging, vascular interventions, pain imaging and interventions.

He was formerly the consultant and the director of musculoskeletal imaging in the United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong. He was the trainer in musculoskeletal imaging for the Hong Kong College of Radiologists and also the Honorary Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Radiology of the University of Hong Kong.

Dr Yang actively participates in local and overseas conferences and publications. He is the author or co-author of various local and overseas index journals including Radiology, American Journal of Radiology and Skeletal Radiology.