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Unique public private partnership to accelerate progress in personalising healthcare
Roche announced today that it will enter into a strategic alliance with Singapore’s scientific and medical institutions to set up a major new translational research hub in Singapore.
This “Hub for Translational Medicine” aims to enhance the understanding of how scientific advances from preclinical research can be transferred in practice to patients.
Bringing together world-class expertise from Singapore’s scientific and medical research institutions with Roche’s significant capability in translational medicine and clinical development, this new centre will focus on expanding knowledge of disease biology to develop new personalised treatment approaches.
With an investment of 100 million Swiss Francs, the Hub for Translational Medicine will initially employ around 30 leading scientists. A joint steering committee consisting of members from Roche and the Singapore institutes will define the strategic direction of the alliance and oversee its research projects.
“Singapore’s research institutions offer outstanding scientific excellence combined with state-of-the-art translational medicine facilities,” said Jean-Jacques Garaud, Global Head of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development. “The powerful combination of intellectual and technological capabilities together with outstanding government commitment at the heart of this collaboration will provide a unique opportunity to drive personalised healthcare.”
“We are delighted that Roche has chosen to work with Singapore in this pioneering public-private partnership that leverages on our network of biomedical sciences research institutes and academic medical centres. This collaboration will enable Roche to conduct multidisciplinary studies and generate important insights in disease biology to accelerate the drug discovery and development process,” said Dr Beh Swan Gin, Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board.
The Roche-Singapore Hub for Translational Medicine has the potential of setting new standards in developing strategies for drug development and personalizing healthcare. The integrated disciplines and groups are expected to generate benefits for all parties involved and to provide a huge potential for novel scientific expertise and intellectual property to be generated in both therapeutic and diagnostic research and development.
“Leveraging Singapore’s close-knit research community and clinical research infrastructure, companies are well-positioned to develop cost-effective, efficacious therapies more quickly for Asia and global markets. Within just one decade, Singapore has emerged as a key partner for leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies that seek to accelerate drug discovery in Asia,” said Professor Edward Holmes, Chairman, National Medical Research Council, Singapore.
“We are proud to partner Roche’s new Hub for Translational Medicine in Singapore. Roche’s decision to collaborate with Singapore’s research institutes attests to the strong core biomedical research capabilities present here and reflects the attractiveness of Singapore as a choice biomedical research hub for impactful industry collaborations.” said Sir George Radda, Chairman, Biomedical Research Council, Agency for Science, Research and Technology (A*STAR), Singapore.
