UAE Pfizer has a new regional president for its vast Middle East, Russia and Africa (MERA) country grouping. Turkish national Elif Aral, a 29-year Pfizer veteran, will take over from Patrick van der Loo, who becomes Pfizer Germany’s country president.   The Context This is a challenging and diverse region, where…

Global The global pharma industry is facing increased pressure to ensure lifesaving medications reach underserved populations. Drawing from a new Access to Medicine Foundation report, AMF Head of Research Claudia Martinez shares some exclusive insights on where pharma has made significant strides on the important metric of ‘patient reach’ and the…

Switzerland Switzerland’s healthcare system is at a crossroads. Although still one of the world’s bastions of biopharmaceutical innovation, the country’s domestic healthcare environment is under increasing pressure from rising costs, mounting drug shortages, and a regulatory environment that is slow to adapt. What role could pharmacies and the off-patent industry play…

Hong Kong Hong Kong’s ambitious plans to transform into an “innovation and technology” hub will require careful and deliberate combinations of Hong Kong and mainland capabilities. From this understanding, the idea for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP) was born. This new science park on the border with Shenzhen is…

Hong Kong Since we last covered Hong Kong in Summer 2023, the territory’s regulatory landscape has taken a major step towards its long-term goal of establishing a full regulatory authority. Having previously required approvals from two separate regulatory authorities in other countries or regions (such as the FDA in the US, the…

Hong Kong It has been an extremely challenging couple of years for Hong Kong’s financial sector, including for the wealth of biotech companies listed in the city, but fundamentals remain strong, and the green shoots of recovery are starting to be seen.   While biotech has historically been a high-risk, high-reward sector,…

Hong Kong Hong Kong boasts some of Asia’s finest universities, with five ranking in the global top 100, and its two medical schools – at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) – sitting in the global top 40. While this academic prowess produces globally…

Hong Kong Hong Kong needs to capitalise on its strong fundamentals to establish itself as a clinical research hotspot within APAC and support its transition into China’s innovation and technology hub. Does a new one-stop-shop for clinical trials across the Greater Bay Area hold the key?   Clinical trial numbers are skyrocketing…

Hong Kong Billed as China’s attempt to create an economic powerhouse to rival Silicon Valley, ‘The Greater Bay Area’ is a mega-region that includes nine cities in Guangdong province plus the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Since its launch in 2017, the GBA has worked to integrate these cities…

APAC A run-through of some of the most striking recent stories from pharma in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region, including Japan’s attempts to bring back Big Pharma investment; UCB’s decision to divest its China neurology and allergy business for USD 680 million; and Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Novartis investing in Singaporean manufacturing.  …

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia – by many measures the cultural, social, and economic epicentre of the Arab and Islamic worlds – is currently undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime transfiguration. The country’s ‘Vision 2030’ transformation plan has not only been radically reshaping the national economy and reducing its dependence on petroleum revenues but has also…

Global Medtech-focused recruitment consultant Ivor Campbell casts his eye over the profiles the global medtech industry needs most today. Campbell argues that while specialist scientists and engineers remain as important as ever, medtech lacks leaders with the commercial acumen and results-driven mindset to turn innovation into profitable and sustainable ventures.  …