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Takeda opens new drug development center in China

Japan's Takeda is adding a new drug development center in Shanghai intended to complement the international clinical work now under way in Singapore and Cambridge, MA.

Both of the existing operations, including the cancer drug developer Millennium in Cambridge, work with contract research organizations to advance new treatments through the clinic. Now the Shanghai operation will draw on the international team to study new drugs catering to the fast-growing market in China.

"The establishment of [the Takeda Shanghai Development Center] will provide a powerful addition to this global development infrastructure," the company stated today. "TSDC will work on extending and enhancing the company's clinical development activities within the Asian region, with a focus on China for general medicine working as an integrated regional team with [Takeda Global Research & Development in Singapore], and across Asia for oncology. The team will be composed of personnel from both the Pharmaceutical Development Division and Millennium, and will draw on the rich pool of talent and expertise in China. Through the resources of TSDC, Takeda will continue to conduct high quality clinical trials which will lead to secure regulatory approval in Asia, with a growing emphasis on China, and continue to build deeper relationships with physicians and regulatory authorities."

Virtually all of the big pharma companies around the globe have been beefing up their operations in China as they position themselves to grab a share of its red-hot market. That's likely to have a big impact on outsourcing companies, many of which are expanding rapidly in China to cater to their client's newest global initiatives.

- here's the press release