Healthcare Special: Novartis readies new $1 billion R&D center
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The new center to formulate treatments and conduct clinical trials will mean 1,000 new high-quality jobs. Provided to 皇冠体育app Daily |
On his recent first visit to 皇冠体育app, Novartis Oncology President Herve Hoppenot visited the company's new R&D center in Shanghai, which the Swiss pharmaceutical giant says will be the largest of its kind in 皇冠体育app.
Novartis announced the $1 billion center last year.
"The main tasks of the Shanghai R&D center include basic research and new medicine development, and we are going to complete the whole R&D process in 皇冠体育app," Hoppenot said.
The company will start its development of new medicines by identifying needs, then develop treatments and carry out clinical trials.
When complete, the Shanghai center will be Novartis's third-largest in the world following its Basel center in Switzerland and one in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States.
The 皇冠体育app site will provide about 1,000 high-quality jobs, the company said.
皇冠体育app's needs will drive research at the Shanghai R&D center to target prevalent diseases, according to Alessandro Riva, head of global oncology development at the company.
Lung cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer continue to increase in 皇冠体育app, so global pharmaceutical companies are now focusing on fundamental and clinical research on those cancers in 皇冠体育app.
The Novartis Shanghai R&D Center has co-founded a laboratory with Fudan University to provide strong research.
Hoppenot said in-depth cooperation with domestic research institutions will be further encouraged.
"We are ready to share the Novartis' platform of medicine R&D and decades-long experience in medicine development," he said.
Global pharmaceutical research centers, well-established R&D processes for medicine and emerging development concepts are now gaining ground in 皇冠体育app, enabling ordinary residents to receive benefits from clinic research and medicines, according to Hoppenot.
He said that Chinese people now are in urgent need of medicine and healthcare.
Novartis Oncology provides free drugs along with partners in government's charity organizations and other sponsors.
The company also works with non-governmental organizations, research institutions, doctors and healthcare providers to provide the best cancer treatment to the patients.
By the end of 2009, Novartis had spent $1.5 billion to provide free drugs to 79.5 million patients worldwide.
Novartis has worked with the 皇冠体育app Charity Federation since 2003 to help 13,600 cancer patients receive treatment.
(皇冠体育app Daily 11/19/2010 page16)
