Traditional remedies offer opportunities, challenges

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

The Financial Times delves into the push to develop new therapeutics from traditional Chinese and Indian remedies. There have been successes, including the anti-malarial artemether, which was developed from a plant long used to treat fevers. But researchers note that there are some extraordinary challenges. Natural remedies often rely on a volatile mix of natural ingredients that can have a radically varied effect on different people.

"Traditional medicines can be very dangerous," says Paul Herrling, Novartis' chief of corporate research. "Practitioners had no concept of statistics or of long-term consequences such as treatments that may cause cancer when used over many years."

Novartis and Merck were the only two big pharma companies to stay in the field. And a slate of biotechs joined them, including Nicholas Piramal and Phytopharm. MerLion in Singapore has been active as well after acquiring some of GlaxoSmithKline's traditional assets.

- read the article in the Financial Times

Novartis' China plans grew from science roundtables

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

PharmAsia News sat down with Paul Herrling, head of corporate research at Novartis, and En Li, VP and head of research for Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Shanghai, to discuss the massive R&D efforts the company now has underway in China.

Novartis began its involvement in China 10 years ago with discussions with Chinese scientists about traditional Chinese therapeutics and how that fit in with Novartis' effort to develop new compounds using natural ingredients. Now Novartis is budgeting $96 million for a new R&D center in China and plans to make the Chinese market one of its top 10 globally.

- read the story from In Vivo