Does the current climax of economy spells nothing but downhill for Biomedical Science (BMS) industry?

Hopes can be set high with key announcements made by leading pharmaceutical companies in Feburary 2009:

• Abbott opened its largest nutrition manufacturing facility and announced its extension into nutrition R&D in Singapore;
• Schering-Plough opened its Translation Medicine Research Centre;
• Lilly announced its collaboration with Singapore’s research institutes in brain cancer studies;
• Illumina, a leading gene chip manufacturer, invested on its second key global sites in Singapore, which will be accountable to more than half of the global manufacturing capacity for gene chips.

With Abbott’s commitment in the region, the nutrition product manufacturing facility was the company’s single largest investment in Asia. It was opened with the intention to manage growing regional demand for its nutritional products. With its establishment of Asia-Pacific Nutrition Science Research and Development Center in Singapore, clinical trials and development of its products can be customized for Asian dietary needs.
Click here for Press Release (on February 26, 2009).

In addition, Schering-Plough’s Translational Medicine Research Centre (TMRC), in Biopolis, will focus on biomarker discovery and development across a number of therapeutic purposes such as cardiovascular, immunology and infectious diseases, in support of Schering-Plough Research Institute (SPRI)’s global R&D programs.
Click here for more information.

On the same ground, Lilly Singapore Centre for Drug Discovery (LSCDD) collaborated with National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and Singapore Institute for Clinical Science (SICS) to spear head the drug discovery using adult brain tumor stem cells. LSCDD is a subsidiary of the US-based biopharmaceutical company, while NNI and SICS are the institution under SingHealth and A*Star respectively.
Click here for Press Release (on February 17, 2009).

Last on the list, Illumina has invested its first Asian manufacturing plant in Singapore, in response to the mounting demand for gene chips in Europe and Asia. The US$20 million facility, which has the capacity to produce 40,000 gene chips per quarter, will create as many as 117 employment opportunities.
Click here for more information.

With such outlooks from these prominent pharmaceutical companies even in the midst of economic downturn, it is yet another promising horizon for venture and capitalizes on the existing opportunities in Singapore.

Let’s Gear Up for BMS Industry!

For detailed highlights of Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences, please click here.

Photo: Flickr/Abuse