Eisai selects Singapore as Asia trials hub
and has chosen Singapore as a hub from which to coordinate its
research activities.
The Japanese-owned pharma firm has established a clinical research centre in Singapore and as of next year it will begin relocating its UK-based clinical trials to this new location. Lower operating costs, a large treatment-naïve patient and subsequent faster recruitment rates in the region were cited as the motivating factors for the move. Singapore has established itself as a popular destination for pharma and biopharmaceutical firms in terms of manufacturing, boasting a number of top companies on it shores. Only last month, for example, Novartis announced the largest manufacturing investment in its history, with plans to establish a new $700m biotech facility in the country alongside a recently constructed tableting facility. However, Singapore is also becoming a fast-moving destination for both outsourcing and offshoring in R&D and clinical trials. Indeed, Eisai has been active in Singapore for the past 40 years, although this is the firm's first attempt to cement clinical activities in the country. According to a recent report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the main reason for that is the development of R&D biocentres and campuses, and facilities which have recently been put in place: "The government has been very friendly in terms of investment". The aim is for Singapore's biomedical sciences industry is to reach S$25bn by 2015, and employment in the sector to increase by almost 50 per cent to 15,000. Meanwhile, Singapore is not the only country attracting Eisai's attention in its clinical trials plans - near-term investments in the Middle East and Vietnam are also being considered. This year the company earmarked $1bn for its global clinical research activities and 10 per cent of this was allocated to Asia (excluding Japan). The company's latest movements signal that this budding region's share of the pie is only set to grow.
