Tagged with R&D

South Africa A leading voice in the global fight against HIV, Professor Linda-Gail Bekker works across both scientific research and activism. As CEO and founder of the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, Prof Bekker has helped change the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. Her organisation has brought the latest HIV…

Global 35 years after the specific mechanisms and structure of the human immunodeficiency virus were first identified, the world is still waiting for a vaccine against HIV. Several late-stage candidates have failed in this time, leading to most of the major pharma companies exiting HIV vaccine research. Some new early-stage approaches…

Saudi Arabia As a part of the sweeping transformation Saudi Arabia is achieving thanks to its Vision 2030, the Kingdom is also advancing its research ambitions. With the restructuring of its regulatory framework along with its well-established network of research institutes and bolstered by the integration of electronic health records, Saudi has…

Saudi Arabia Over the past three years, Sanofi has significantly expanded its presence in the GCC region, launching 40-50 new products, including treatments for rare diseases and advancements in immunology, diabetes management, and vaccines. As Jean-Paul Scheuer explains, this expansion aligns with Sanofi’s goal to become a leading immunology company globally and…

Saudi Arabia Lifera was established in 2023 to address key priorities outlined in the National Biotech Strategy of Saudi Arabia, focusing on improving biopharma resilience and enabling the development of biologics, vaccines, cell and gene therapies, and other advanced medical therapeutics. The organisation’s first chairman, Ibrahim Aljuffali, explains how Lifera aims to…

China Reporting from Chinese language media outlet Yaozh, based on recently issued annual financial reporting, shows the leading R&D spenders among the (predominantly mainland Chinese) biotech companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). Local heavyweight Beigene invested almost three times as much on R&D last year as its nearest…

China Chinese biotech Jacobio has made remarkable strides in pioneering first-in-class drug research, with their SHP2 inhibitor project only the second globally to initiate a clinical trial for a novel target and eventually licensed to AbbVie for approximately USD one billion in 2020. Chairman and CEO Dr Wang Yinxiang outlines Jacobio’sstrategic…

Spain Thanks to what AstraZeneca country president Rick Suarez called a “thriving life-science eco-system and highly-skilled talent pool,” along with Spain’s leading position in clinical trials, the British Big Pharma is intensifying its commitment to the country with a total investment of EUR 1.3 billion its new global R&D hub in…

UK Last year the UK-based pharma industry warned against the country’s waning competitiveness, condemning the government’s statutory scheme designed to control drug prices. UK-headquartered AstraZeneca joined the battle cry, claiming it would be choosing Ireland over Britain, a decision the company has now more than revised with a GBP 650 million…

China The latest news from Chinese pharma, including progress on the US Senate bill targeting BGI and WuXi AppTec, a report on why drug research is slowing in the country, and why Chinese firms are targeting global deals to navigate the capital crunch.   US Senate bill targeting China’s BGI, WuXi…

India Clinical trials will be a pivotal part of India’s attempts to scale the global pharmaceutical value chain. Following a series of well-publicised scandals in the early 2010s, the country tightened up its clinical research regulations and saw a significant drop in trial numbers. However, with a revised regulatory landscape, a…

Portugal While not a major player in clinical trials at the European level, Portugal has untapped potential in this field, leveraging a first pioneering centre in Braga, the country’s strong scientific community, a growing openness to collaboration with industry, and access to a European patient database. Considering the remarkable progress that…