Novo increases diabetes research in China

This was a recent article which was posted on the DrugResearcher.com website, by Mike Nagle, on March 5, 2007. It explains the new joint venture between the Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, and the Chinese Academy of Science.

Novo Nordisk will continue to exploit the emerging importance of China in pharma research by establishing a new diabetes research foundation there.

The Danish pharma company is setting up a joint science research foundation with the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). The collaboration will concentrate on diabetes and biopharmaceuticals research, including related fields and technologies such as protein chemistry, immunology, inflammation, toxicology, oncology and drug delivery.

The new project sees the coming together of two of the pharma industry's fastest growing markets: China and biopharmaceuticals. Over the next three years, China is predicted to become the joint fifth largest pharma market, alongside the UK with an estimated value of $24bn (€18bn), according to data from the Boston Consulting Group. The global market for biologics is growing almost twice as fast as the pharmaceutical market in general and was estimated to be worth $50bn in 2005.

The Danish pharma company is setting up a joint science research foundation with the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). The collaboration will concentrate on diabetes and biopharmaceuticals research, including related fields and technologies such as protein chemistry, immunology, inflammation, toxicology, oncology and drug delivery.

A spokesperson at Novo told DrugResearcher.com that the initial $2m outlay from the company can be used to fund research projects or individual scientists with significant collaboration between CAS, Novo and Chinese academics. As part of the deal, Novo will be offered first right of refusal on any intellectual property resulting from the research.

The Novo spokesperson went on to explain that the foundation will be primarily administered through CAS and their research centres as opposed to through Novo's existing R&D centre in China. The foundation's board will comprise of nine members - five from CAS and four from Novo.

The Novo R&D centre was established in 2002 and also concentrates on diabetes research - specifically biopharma research relating to insulin products. Dr Thomsen said that Novo plan to carry on increasing its research presence in China.

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