 |
New R&D pilot plant aimed at increasing capacity to deal with GSK's growth and maturity of its product pipeline
Singapore, 4th November 2005 - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) today announced its plan to build a new R&D pilot plant to accommodate GSK's extensive pipeline of new chemical entities during a groundbreaking ceremony at its Global Manufacturing Supply (GMS) site in Jurong, Singapore.
GSK's new R&D pilot plant project represents an investment of S$115 million in state of the art plant and laboratory facilities which will play a key role in the task of converting experimental molecules to prescribable medicines. The plant will perform two main functions; developing chemistry, analytical and engineering science and technology to deliver commercially viable products and; manufacture of clinical trial supplies to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of new medicines in development.
Dermont Moynihan, Senior Vice President, Chemical Development for GSK stated, "Since GSK's formation in 2000, the number of new chemical entities (NCEs) in our development pipeline has increased by nearly 80%. This has led to an unprecedented growth in demand of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Building this new pilot plant at the same location as the existing manufacturing site will increase our capabilities and capacity. to ensure that GSK is able to deliver the pipeline to the patients who are waiting for ourr new medicines."
Co-location of the R&D plant with a manufacturing facility and their respective functions, offers enhanced opportunities for sharing scientific and operational resources to provide a seamless transfer of technologies and the ability to tailor process designs to expedite commerical manufacturing of new medicines.
Maureen O'Shea, Director of R&D Enterprise for GSK, will head the R&D enterprise to build and establish the operation at Jurong. Once building work is completed, a locally based pilot plant director will be recruited to run the facility with a R&D team of 40 technical staff who will rotate between the site's two main functions to broaden and deepen the technical skill base and provide opportunities for advancement for people.
Mr Philip Yeo, Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR) and Co-Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) for Biomedical Sciences said, "The opening of this pilot plant marks GSK's first investment in upstream manufacturing process development in Singapore. A new milestone reached in Singapore's longtime partnership with GSK. Process R&D is about developing the ability to produce cost effectively and efficiently molecules with a high degree of specificity and quality. With the establishment of this plant, Singapore has reinforced itself as a centre of excellence for pharmaceutical manufacturing."
In line with the US FDA's recent guidance on increasing the use of specific technology in development and manufacture of pharmaceuticals, the plant will be equipped with the latest process analytical technology which will facilitate testing of the reactor contents on-line, with no manual intervention. High levels of automation, appropriate to meet the flexibility requirements for the pilot plant operation and to facilitate remote real-time monitoring of processes by technical experts located at GSK R&D facilities in Europe and the US, will help to reduce need and time for travel to get to the site. A sophisticated data management system will enable predictive and on-line batch quality reports critical in the development of the processes which will be transferred between the two facilities. Site clearing work started in September and the plant is expected to become operational on Q3, 2007.
For more information, please contact:
Ms Lim Sook May
Communications Officer
Tel: 6860 5915
Mobile: 9846 6396
Fax: 6861 8577
E-mail: Sook-May.S.Lim@gsk.com
www.gsk.com
|
