Lilly to close Singapore R&D unit; double sales force in emerging markets
The Lilly Singapore Center for Drug Discovery (LSCDD), located at the country’s Biopolis science park, employs 130 staff focused on drug discovery in oncology and diabetes as well as biomarker and IT development.
Spokeswoman Sherri Jaffe told in-Pharmatechnologist the closure will allow Lilly to ”maintain its innovative research capabilities” and “in no way reflects on the positive, impactful work of the talented Lilly staff in Singapore.”
Jaffe explained that the move, part of the $1bn cost cutting plan that will see Eli Lilly shed 5,500 jobs by 2011, “does not alter its plans for emerging markets including Asia.”
Quite what Lilly plans for its drug discovery operations in Asia remains to be seen, however, like many Big Pharmas, Lilly has chosen to outsourcing a significant amount of its development and manufacturing work in recent years.
Most recently the US drug major cemented its links with contractors Covance and Parexel. The Singapore centre closure may indicate the firm will go on to adopt this approach to identify new drug candidates as well.
Sales in emerging markets
Lilly will continue to operate its Phase I clinic at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and, according to Jaffe, will maintain ongoing scientific collaborations with other Institutions and businesses in the country.
The US drugmaker will also retain its sales and marketing presence in Singapore which, Jaffe continued, fits with a recent doubling of capacity in emerging markets and plans to "double capacity again in the next five years."
Beh Kian Teik, biomedical sciences director at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) which operated the R&D centre with Lilly, told Channel News Asia that the organisation regretted the US firms decision.
Beh explained that the EBD is working with Lilly to support staff affected by the closure, adding that the firm’s decision to maintain the Phase I and sales units “attest to Singapore's role as companies' key partner in accessing growth opportunities.”
