Shanghai's first international drug development center was
launched yesterday to help Chinese researchers and patients become
involved in international trials for new medicines.
The Pharma Development Center in China, which is backed by the
international pharmaceutical company Roche, is a high tech drug
development center designed to effectively carry out all the stages
of drug development from discovery to clinical development, trials
and official paper work.
According to Franz Humer, chairman and CEO of Roche, the primary
budget for the center is US$100 million and it will target cancer
and metabolic diseases like diabetes.
Clinical development ensures with rigorous checks that new
medicines can be delivered safely to patients. Previously the
development process has been carried out in Europe or North
America.
"Chinese patients have had to wait four to five years for
medicines which had already been approved in the United States or
Europe for the clinical tests needed in China," said Jean-Jacques
Garaud, Global Head of Roche Pharma Development. "The center will
reduce the waiting time and make the new medicines available for
Chinese patients as soon as possible."
He said the center is expected to have some thousands of Chinese
patients undergoing clinical tests and ensuring that the drugs
being developed are those most appropriate for Chinese
patients.
Local drug authorities said the center will help pharmaceutical
development in China and provide a platform for communication
between Chinese and international pharmacological experts.
Medical drug development is not easy. From 100,000 new drug
designs only ten will make it to clinical trials.
(Shanghai Daily October 30, 2007)