Asia: Advancing in the Face of Adversity

Pharmaceutical companies appear to have their sights set on Asia. The first couple of months in 2009 has seen the likes of Millipore, Schering-Plough and PerkinElmer opening up their training or research facility in Singapore.

In this issue, we feature an exclusive interview with Rob Nail, GM, Agilent Automation Solutions, who is in the process of setting up a production facility in Singapore (page 23). The plant will focus on developing equipment and technology for life science laboratories. Despite the global economic slowdown, he is expecting double digit growth from his business unit in Asia Pacific this year.

The Technology Vision Group is also stepping up its efforts in two of Asia's major life science markets - China and India. The company's BioPartnering initiatives are geared towards matchmaking foreign life science companies with their counterparts in these countries.

There is currently rising concern from overseas markets on the authenticity, safety and quality aspects of imported drugs from Asia. Audit service provider, blue inspection body is conducting third-party audits of excipient and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in Asia. It is offering manufacturing authorization holders in Europe the opportunity to take part in the audits to qualify their suppliers from India and China.

Consumers will be able to play a part in combating the proliferation of fake drugs. Zuellig Pharma has unveiled a facility in Singapore that will focus on the development of anti-counterfeit solutions. The company is planning to roll-out a technology that can be used by anyone with a mobile phone. This allows consumers who buy a pharmaceutical product to send out a text message containing the serial number and receive immediate authentication on the product.

Even in the face of a global economic downturn, major players in the pharmaceuticals arena seem to be going against the grain, with the execution of their expansion plans. Perhaps Dr Daniel Marshak, vice president, PerkinElmer sums it up all too well, "We want to use the opportunity to build customer relationships and release new products, and be able to position ourselves to move forward when the global economy starts to recover."