The most comprehensive event of its kind provides a platform for the scientific and business communities to meet, and presents new projects and start-up opportunities for investors.
|
|
(L-R) Professor Philippe Kourilsky, Chair of Molecular Immunology, College de France and Chairman of Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR; Gordon Binder, Managing Director, Coastview Capital and Founder, Amgen Inc; Ansbert Gadicke, Founder and General Partner, MPM Group; Lorraine Hahn, former anchor for CNN and CNBC Hong Kong.
|
| |
The largest biomedical event in Asia was a resounding success, setting the foundation for future staging of this international event. Held from 14-17 April at Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition, BioMedical Asia 2008 saw an impressive congregation of 1,200 business and scientific leaders.
The network event included delegates and speakers from Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US, creating a unique platform for key players in the biomedical industry, including multi-national pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, research institutions, regulators, investors, physicians and other key stakeholders. It also included more than 30 venture capitalists with a combined fund value of more than S$16.4 billion (US$12 billion), such as Coastview Capital, JAIC Asia Capital Pte Ltd, Lilly Asian Ventures and Novartis Venture Fund.
More than 50 exhibitors displayed their innovative technologies and shared best practices, while highlighting key discoveries and proprietary products. In addition, 16 on-floor seminars profiled real life case studies that offered key learnings in the latest technology and strategies.
During the opening plenary, the discussion between Gordon Binder, Managing Director, Coastview Capital and Founder, Amgen Inc, Professor Philippe Kourilsky, Chair of Molecular Immunology, College de France and Chairman of Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR and Ansbert Gadicke, Founder and General Partner, MPM Group, was a highlight. Points covered included the need for good IP protection to spur innovation. Gadicke acknowledged that it would be difficult to expect an inflow of investors' capital without IP protection, while Professor Kourilsky opined that "IP helps science, as long as it does not infringe the principles of scientific discovery and innovation." The speakers also touched on the issue of the increasing cost of developing new drugs and the ingredients for success in the biomedical field.
|
|
Lim Hng Kiang, Guest of Honour and Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry, delivering his opening address.
|
| |
Conference Highlights
BioMedical Asia 2008 offered six main conferences centred on bio-manufacturing, therapeutics, licensing, investments, informatics and logistics. In addition, there were two industry summits on contract manufacturing and clinical partnering in Asia-Pacific, alongside five pre- and post-event master classes on web resources in biology, cold chain management, viral safety for biopharmaceutical production, IP protection and implementing Radio Frequency Identification strategies across the global supply chain.
In the biomanufacturing track, key topics discussed included Asia's advantage for cost-effective biologics manufacturing, integrating Process Analytical Technology for enhanced efficiency in process development, cell culture, as well as upstream and downstream processing. Key speakers included Gerhard Klement, President and CEO, Biopharmaceuticals, Reliance Life Sciences; Thibaud Stoll, Head, Global Biopharmaceutical Operations, Novartis; and Joseph Tarnowski, Senior Vice President, Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Another area of interest covered was Biotherapeutics, which explored the commercial and clinical potential of biotherapeutic development. Among the topics discussed was the commercialisation of stem cells, and key speakers included Ih-Chull Kim, CEO, LG Life Sciences; Melanie Lee, Executive Vice President, UCB Group; and Chris Mason, Director for Regenerative Medicine, University College London.
Companies also shared their experience with licensing partnerships and strategic alliances in Asia-Pacific in the Biolicensing track. The Roche-Chugai Alliance was a key case study discussed, with Mark Noguchi, Japan Representative and General Manager, Roche Pharma and Kimio Nishimura, General Manager, Chugai Pharmaceutical, sharing their experiences with conference delegates.
On the investment front, global and regional venture capitalists shared insights on investment opportunities and challenges in Asia-Pacific. Speakers included Anja Konig, MD, Asia Pacific, Novartis Venture Fund; Fred Schwarzer, Managing Partner, Charter Life Sciences; and Ichiro Kawada, President, JAIC Asia Capital.
Overall, the conference's diverse platform was a big draw, opening multiple levels of opportunities. Says Richard Ireland, CEO, Terrapinn Asia Pacific, which organised this year's event, "With investor-friendly governments and private companies investing billions into the biomedical industry, BioMedical Asia 2008 presents an excellent platform for greater understanding of new markets, new medicines, new technologies and new partnerships. Companies can demonstrate how costs can be reduced, how innovations can be applied and how business deals can be sealed."
In his opening address, Lim Hng Kiang, Guest of Honour and Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry, observed, "This conference is unique in drawing its context from the Asian environment to address global challenges in the biomedical sciences industry. As international companies look to Asia, and Asian companies step up to the global stage, this year's conference and future ones look to be exciting indeed."
|
More than 50 exhibitors displayed their innovative technologies and shared best practices, while highlighting key discoveries, innovative technologies and proprietary products.
|
| |
Asia: A Key Growth Driver For Biomedical Sciences
Certainly, Asia is poised to be a global powerhouse in the biomedical sciences industry. "The sheer size of its market, talent and resource base cannot be ignored," added Lim in his address. "What distinguishes Asia is its sheer diversity - of political systems, culture and economic development. This presents monumental challenges, as well as tremendous opportunity for those who dare to think differently."
Such opportunities are already driving Asian conglomerates such as Kirin, LG, Mitsui & Co., Tata, Reliance and Samsung to invest in biotech ventures. Similarly, international players are actively placing bets on Asia and growing their Asian franchises - Wyeth's chemistry ventures in India, and Roche's and Novartis' R&D centres in China. These investments underscore Asia's burgeoning talent and capabilities.
Lim noted that to navigate Asia's complex and dynamic playing field, it is imperative for companies and scientists to forge partnerships that marry in-depth understanding of local conditions with a knowledge of international markets.
Examples of such strategic partnerships include the Genome Institute of Singapore's collaboration with Asian laboratories in the Pan-Asian SNP Initiative to catalogue the genetic diversity of Asians; and Singapore-based Novartis Institute of Tropical Diseases' joint efforts with the Eijkman Institute and Hasanuddin University to conduct studies at the frontline of diseases, such as dengue and tuberculosis in Indonesian hospitals.
|
"This conference is unique in drawing its context from the Asian environment to address global challenges in the biomedical sciences industry."
- Lim Hng Kiang, Guest of Honour and Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry
|
| |
Singapore Carves A Presence
As far as forging key partnerships goes, Singapore presents itself as the ideal location for global scientific and business leaders, given that it is strategically positioned at the international crossroads of geography, commerce, culture and science, notes Aw Kah Peng, Assistant Managing Director, Industry Development, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
The biomedical sciences sector is a key pillar of the Singapore economy. Since 2000, when the biomedical sciences initiative was launched, manufacturing output has expanded fourfold from S$6.3 billion (US$4.6 billion) to S$24 billion (US$17.5 billion) in 2007 at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate of 21 per cent.
Also last year, EDB brought in S$932 million (US$680.4 million) of investments in fixed assets and S$245 million (US$178.9 million) in total business spending for the biomedical sciences industry. The figures point to a fast expanding base of manufacturing and research activities for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical technology and healthcare sectors in Singapore.
Singapore's competitive edge in manufacturing will be enhanced as it further develops its capabilities in biologics and medical devices. In R&D, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are validating the country's position as a location of choice for research and innovation by expanding their research facilities and operations here. In the past two years alone, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Lonza and Novartis announced five major biologics investments totalling over S$2.1 billion (US$1.5 billion).
In 2007, global leaders Lilly, Novartis and Pfizer increased their research investments and expanded their facilities, while Japanese pharmaceutical leader Takeda acquired and expanded Paradigm Therapeutics' research operations.
There is also a growing base for medical technology R&D as global companies leverage the city-state's established biomedical and physical sciences research infrastructure. Fluidigm and Hill-Rom have chosen to locate their first Asian R&D centres in Singapore, while QIAGEN announced its decision to set up Singapore's first molecular diagnostics R&D centre.
And Singapore continues to draw leading scientists and make headway in Translational and Clinical Research (TCR). Over the past year, key research and training institutes as well as the first TCR flagship programme in gastric cancer was established, with the government committing over S$300 million (US$219 million) in new research facilities.
Shape Of Things To Come
Such was the success of BioMedical Asia this year that the event is set to return to Singapore in 2009. Scheduled for 16-19 March, BioMedical Asia 2009 will be held at the same venue.
For participants at BioMedical Asia 2008, the Singapore platform was an exciting four days of high level exchange and network. The exhibits and seminars offered companies new avenues to achieve maximum efficiency and returns, while maintaining high quality standards, sustainable operations and good practices.
In addition, the Innovative Biotech showcase offered early-stage companies seeking venture capital funding an exclusive chance to present their products to a targeted audience. It also allowed biotech companies and venture capitalists seeking licensing opportunities with big international pharmaceutical companies an exclusive platform to introduce their innovative drugs and technologies.
One delegate looking forward to the next BioMedical Asia event is Hermann Tsherrig, Head of Process Engineering, Bioengineering. "It was very exciting for me to see the biotech developments in Asia, especially in Singapore, and how these developments impact the global biomedical sciences industry. BioMedical Asia 2008 was very well managed and I will definitely come back next year," he says.
The successful staging of the inaugural BioMedical Asia 2008 provides added impetus to Singapore's efforts to attract, bid for, anchor and grow business events in key strategic clusters that inject vibrancy to its economy, says Aloysius Arlando, Assistant Chief Executive, Business Travel and MICE Group, Singapore Tourism Board. "The congregation of leading experts in the field and international speakers at the event has catalysed intellectual exchange, which will propel Singapore’s biomedical sciences industry forward in the years to come."
|
|
|
