Officiating the opening of Schering-Plough's Translational Medicine Research Centre (TMRC) are (from left to right):
Dr Ismail Kola, SVP, Discovery Research, Schering-Plough Research Institute and Chief Scientific Officer, Schering-Plough Corporation ;
Dr Erik Sprengers, Head, TMRC, Schering-Plough;
Dr Beh Swan Gin, Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board

Schering-Plough officially opened its first Translational Medicine Research Centre (TMRC), a 30,000 square-foot facility located in the Biopolis.

TMRC will support Schering-Plough Research Institute (SPRI)'s global R&D programmes by focusing on biomarker discovery and development across various therapeutic areas that include cardiovascular, central nervous system, immunology and infectious diseases, oncology, respiratory and women's diseases. The facility will also be Schering-Plough's focal point for non-invasive imaging for the company's discovery and exploratory clinical development programmes.

From the Biopolis, TMRC will coordinate Schering-Plough's participation in biomarker consortia and serve as a liaison between SPRI therapy areas and Singapore's scientific and medical institutes.

“Today is an important milestone with the setting up of the Translational Medicine Research Centre of Schering-Plough. The centre will consist of a Translational Research Laboratory and a Translational Medicine Unit. Both will play an important role in the discovery, development and validation of biomarkers to support the R&D process of Schering-Plough. Biomarkers help to give researchers early indication if a project should be continued  or if resources need to be refocused. Biomarkers can also help in identifying patients that benefit most from a new therapy thus contributing towards sub-population medicine," said Dr Erik Sprengers, Head, Translational Medicine Research Centre, Schering-Plough.
 

"Over time this laboratory is expected to make a difference in Schering-Plough’s pipeline that is already today considered as one of the richest in the industry. We are pleased to be working with the support of Singapore’s EDB as well as tap into the immense talent pool here in Asia coupled with those from around the world. With this new centre, we look forward to translating research into treatments for tomorrow.”