S'pore to produce cancer drugs for Genentech, eyes growth in biologics

US-based biotechnology firm Genentech said it will use Singapore as a base to produce drugs for cancer and a disease that causes blindness in older people for its US market by 2010.

At the groundbreaking of its new facility on Thursday, policymakers said they are confident of attracting more major biologics players to Singapore, especially to do higher value work.

Genetech is building a US$140 million microbial plant in Singapore.

"Beyond production, our hope is to attract development - for commercial development. Right now, the development is public research. Our hope is to attract companies to do cancer research. Singapore is becoming a centre for cancer research, cancer development and cancer drugs," said Philip Yeo, Special Advisor for Economic Development, Prime Minister's Office.

Singapore is now home to four biologics plants, and Genentech's latest facility will be the first biologics plant here to make medicine based on bacteria technology.

Officials believe that building a strong industry cluster in the emerging field of biologics will help attract related supporting industries.

"We do have a very strong pipeline of biologics project interests from companies. And we really see this to be the next wave of growth for the biomedical sciences manufacturing sector," said Yeoh Keat Chuan, Executive Director (Biomedical Sciences), Economic Development Board (EDB).

With half a billion US dollars of investments in Singapore already, Genentech said it's looking at pursuing further work here.

"With the great experience that we've had in Singapore, you can reasonably assume that we'll be talking in the future about other things. The right place to start will probably be in clinical development, where Genentech is looking at globalising our clinical development facilities and operations," said Patrick Yang, Executive VP of Genetech.

The new plant is slated to be operational by the end of 2009.

Soon after that, Genentech is planning to buy the Lonza plant next door once it's tested and qualified.

The plan is to have both plants contribute up to 40% of the company's total sales revenue over time. - CNA /ls

source:www.channelnewsasia.com