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Hong Kong’s first longevity health centre focused on early detection and rehabilitation, with innovation rooted in top-of-class academia, research and technology from local Hong Kong universities and HealthTech pioneers.
HONG KONG, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Asia Pacific Institute of Healthy Ageing (APIoHA) today held a grand opening ceremony to launch a first-of-its-kind medical centre, injecting a new wave of “evidence-based, data-driven” momentum into Hong Kong’s preventive healthcare sector. Officially commencing services in June, APIoHA is a holistic health management centre dedicated to serving Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
Through our unique Screen, Monitor, and Personalise (SMP) health management approach APIoHA empowers the public to maintain a balanced well-being in intellect, physical, and psychology, achieving the goals of preventive care, manage subhealth issues, and enjoying a longer healthspan and lifespan. With early screening of brain health, intrinsic capacity, and chronic diseases, our medical-led team provides professional monitoring, accurate assessments, and integrated care pathways to provide a total health solution.
Global Silent Pandemic of Cognitive Decline
Preserving cognitive function is essential to longevity – it goes beyond just living longer but maintaining the mental vitality to enjoy those remaining years. Conditions of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can appear up to 15 years before dementia, a neurodegenerative disorder associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning.
Globally, one in three adult aged 85 will develop dementia, this number increases to one in two when people reached 90 years of age. In Hong Kong, the number of people aged 60 and above with dementia is projected to soar from about 103,400 people in 2009 to over 332,600 people in 2039, according to the Department of Health[1].
Professor Timothy Kwok, Director and Founder of APIoHA said, “Our evolving understanding of mild cognitive impairment and dementia continues to uncover new lifestyle risk factors and corresponding interventions that could delay or reduce such neurodegeneration. According research, up to 45% of factors could be potentially modifiable, with most of them occurring during mid-life.[2] With Hong Kong’s population ageing, it is critical for our community to empowered with the knowledge and tools to practice targeted and personalised interventions in all stages of life for better brain health outcomes.”
Hong Kong Pave Way for Brain Health and Longevity with AI-Powered Early Detection
With best-in-class medical infrastructure and cutting-edge technological capabilities developed by distinguished Hong Kong SAR and China academia and the private sector at the forefront of this revolution, Hong Kong SAR is at the forefront of the cognitive health revolution in tackling this silent pandemic.
By combining the city’s renowned healthcare expertise with groundbreaking AI diagnostics and innovation, APIoHA is creating a new protocol in early detection and intervention – one that could transform how ageing populations worldwide maintain brain health. We are tackling dementia at its earliest stages – turning evidence-based science research into real-world innovative solutions for Asia’s ageing populations.
APIoHA leads with AI-powered retinal imaging for early, non-invasive detection of cognitive decline within a few minutes. The centre also offers R&D and patented AI electronic clock drawing test (CDT), or AI eClock. We plan to collect and expand the AI training MCI research database, targeting over 1,000 samples within three years to enable precision screening services more accessible. Combined with personalised lifestyle interventions, these innovations enable early action to slow or prevent decline – positioning Hong Kong at the forefront of preventive brain healthcare.
Redefining Healthy Living: Intrinsic Capacity
The WHO defines healthy ageing through intrinsic capacity[3] — five interconnected pillars consisting of cognitive or brain health, mobility, vitality, sensory, and psychology well-being. Intrinsic capacity determines our ability to maintain independence and quality of life throughout one’s lifespan.
At APIoHA, we apply this framework through our SMP approach—Screening for early risk detection, continuous Monitoring of key biomarkers, and Personalised interventions. By focusing on optimising these measurable capacities rather than just treating disease, we support lasting healthspan across all life stages, complementing traditional healthcare modalities.
Bridging Academia, Research & Industry for Holistic Health Innovation
APIoHA’s SMP framework provides an evidence-based pathway for comprehensive health management – from brain health, chronic disease prevention to subhealth ailments like musculoskeletal care and nutrition.
As Asia-Pacific’s premier health innovation hub, we uniquely unite world renowned academics, cutting-edge medical technologies, and leaders in the healthcare industry under one roof. This collaborative ecosystem accelerates the translation of scientific breakthroughs into practical health innovations and solutions, setting a new standard for preventive care across the region.
APIoHA was founded by Professor Timothy Kwok and Virtus Medical Group.
(From left to right) 一 Honourable guests celebrated the launch of The Asia Pacific Institute of Healthy Ageing, Hong Kong’s first longevity health centre focused on early detection and rehabilitation, with research and technology from local Hong Kong universities and HealthTech pioneers, including: Mr. Calvin Chan, Chairman and CEO of CATALO Natural Health Science Group; Prof. Carol Cheung, Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (CUHK); Prof. Vincent Mok, Professor, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine (CUHK); Mr. Samuel Poon, Co-Founder and CEO of Virtus Medical Group; Mr. Collin Lau, Co-Founder of Virtus Medical Group; Prof. Timothy Kwok, Co-Founder of the Asia Pacific Institute of Healthy Ageing, Specialist in Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics and School of Public Health (CUHK); Dr. Manson Fok, Co-Founder and Chairman of Virtus Medical Group, Specialist in General Surgery; Prof. Felix Chan, Specialist in Geriatric Medicine, Honorary Clinical Professor (HKU); Prof. Helen Meng, Patrick Huen Wing Ming Professor of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (CUHK) and Director, Centre for Perceptual and Interactive Intelligence (CPII); Dr. Fanny Ip, Chief Scientific Officer, Hong Kong Center For Neurodegenerative Diseases, member of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience (HKUST).
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[1] https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/ncd_watch_september_2017.pdf |
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[2] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract |
About Asia Pacific Institute of Healthy Ageing
The Asia Pacific Institute of Healthy Ageing Limited (APIoHA) aims to empower individuals who seek to remain healthy with advancing age. Together with medical professionals, institutions, and our communities, we offer evidence-based, personalised health plans which are based on individual lifestyle and comprehensive functional, biological, and genetic assessments. The efficacy of the health plans will be monitored continuously and modified accordingly.
www.apioha.com
About Virtus Medical
Established in 2018, Virtus Medical upholds the vision of developing an evidence-based healthcare practice with a patient-first culture, providing services to the needed. Virtus Medical brings together more than 60 specialists of different disciplines and over 40 general practitioners and allied health professionals to offer a multidisciplinary medical approach across different stages of a complete health cycle – Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation. Virtus Medical provides its services from Virtus Medical Tower, a 15-storey medical facility located in the heart of Central, together with 14 specialist centres and two multidisciplinary medical centres across Central and Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong.
www.virtusmedical.com