政府新闻
拜耳Co.Lab落地中国 与上海生物医药前沿产业创新中心签约合作 2023-11-08
The two parties will jointly build an incubator in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, focusing on cutting-edge innovation in fields including cell and gene therapy (CGT). The platform is expected to be officially operational by the second half of 2024.
To foster early innovation and start-ups with Bayer's global innovation network and R&D expertise, complementing the local resources of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals and the facilities of Shanghai Biopharma Evolution.
To accelerate the translation and industrialization of local innovations in China, develop innovative assets focusing on the CGT, and help Chinese companies connect with global resources and expand their businesses to domestic and international markets.
Bayer and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals (SPH) announced their partnership at the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) on November 7. The collaboration aims at jointly building the Bayer Co.Lab incubator in China, in order to advance cutting-edge innovations in areas such as CGT, supporting and accelerating translation and industrialization of scientific research and early innovation. Under the partnership, Bayer Co.Lab Shanghai will support local start-ups to develop through fostering R&D and commercial operations, while connecting with the global pharmaceutical industry network and resources. The Bayer Co.Lab incubator network will thus land in China for the first time. The new incubator in Shanghai will be the largest site of the Bayer Co.Lab network in Asia Pacific.
Under the partnership agreement, Bayer and SPH will jointly build an incubator at the soon-to-be-completed SPH Biopharma Industrial Campus, which is designated for cutting-edge innovations in areas such as the CGT and oncology. Building up on the well-designed innovation incubation infrastructure and integrated services provided by SPH Biopharma Industrial Campus, the Co.Lab Shanghai will give full play to Bayer's global innovation, partnering network and expertise on CGT, as well as Shanghai Pharmaceuticals' domestic network and the innovation ecosystem of Shanghai Biopharma Evolution, in order to cultivate the growth of local start-ups, accelerate the translation and industrialization of early innovations, developing innovative assets in China focusing on CGT, and helping local companies connect to global resources and explore business development in domestic and international markets. The project is expected to be officially put into operation in the second half of 2024.
"As a multinational enterprise that has been engaged in China's development in the long term, Bayer stays optimistic about booming innovations emerging from China. We are very pleased to partner with SPH to jointly build the Bayer Co.Lab incubator to foster early-stage innovation and start-ups in the country. Bayer and SPH have joined forces to leverage the strengths and expertise of both parties, to help Shanghai elevate scientific and technological innovation capabilities in cutting-edge fields such as CGT, connect global network and resources, empower local innovation ecosystem and the entire industry chain, thus fulfilling our goal of 'rooting in China while connecting the world and helping local innovation enter into the global stage,'" said Xiaolan Zhou, Executive Vice President, Pharmaceuticals Division, Bayer AG, President of Bayer Pharmaceuticals China, President of Bayer Greater China.
"As a large pharmaceutical industrial group publicly listed in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals is based in Shanghai and has expanded our footprints across the world. The company not only assumes the important responsibility of protecting people's lives and health, but also actively serves the national strategy in building its own industrial characteristics and driving high-quality development in contribution to advancing China's modernization. For the Shanghai Biopharma Evolution, our primary goals focus on CGT and gene editing, in which we will increase investment. We look forward to developing more cutting-edge innovations and making impact on scientific research outcomes," said Jun Zhou, Executive Director and CEO of Shanghai Industrial (Group) Co., Ltd, Chairman of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co. ,Ltd.
The collaboration between Bayer and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals on the Co.Lab incubator network not only actively reflects the "Healthy China 2030" blueprint and the "innovation-driven development" strategy initiated by the Chinese government, but also stays aligned with the Shanghai's policy of "accelerating building a scientific and technological innovation center with global influence" and "promoting the coordinated development of gene therapy and cell therapy, accelerating the creation of a 'critical point' for biomedical technological innovation and a 'cluster area' for industrial development, advancing the transformation of innovative results."
On November 7, Ulrich Stefer, Chief Financial Officer of Bayer Group Greater China, and Lin Zhang, Director, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd, Director and Vice General Manager, Shanghai Biopharma Evolution, signed the partnership agreement on the CIIE. Representatives from the Shanghai Office for the Promotion of Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone JinQiao Administration Bureau, Shanghai Pharma, Shanghai Biopharma Evolution, and Dr. Friedemann Janus, Senior Vice President, Head of Regional Business Development & Licensing, Open Innovation and Divestitures, Bayer Pharmaceuticals attended the signing ceremony.
Representatives from Bayer and SBE sign the partnership agreement on the CIIE.
"Biopharma Evolution brings together the cutting-edge innovation forces of esteemed universities, institutes, and enterprises. We are bridging basic scientific research, applied scientific research, as well as translation and industrialization, creating an original innovation ecosystem for biomedicine, and continuing to develop innovative drugs and medical devices that truly meet clinical needs, to solve major human diseases, and make China's contribution to global health. Working together with Bayer, we are jointly building an incubation platform not only to introduce China's original innovation to the world but also to bring global innovation to China," said Man Cho, Chairman of Shanghai Healthcare Capital and Chairman of Shanghai Biopharma Evolution.
Bayer's Co.Lab as Bayer's global life science incubator network, focuses on key innovation locations worldwide and continues to expand globally. Co.Lab Cambridge in the United States was put into operation in May this year. While Co.Lab is coming to Shanghai, Bayer announced that its incubator has been expanded to Co.Lab Kobe in Japan recently, and will open a Co.Lab site in Berlin in 2024. This expansion strategically broadens Bayer's external innovation network, elevating the importance of early-stage incubation. It enhances Bayer's access to innovation while offering biotech start-ups access to both physical facilities and comprehensive support, ensuring an environment conducive to growth.
"We are looking forward to our first site of Co.Lab in China under the partnership with Shanghai Pharmaceuticals, and welcoming China's start-ups with great potential on driving innovation as they embark on the journey," said Juergen Eckhardt, M.D., Head of Pharmaceuticals Business Development, Licensing & Open Innovation. "Expanding the Bayer Co.Lab incubator network is a key element of our company's innovation strategy - finding solutions for pressing healthcare challenges and unmet medical needs through collaborative approaches. Through the Bayer Co.Lab program we can identify early-stage innovations and serve as a catalyst driving the best ideas toward realization."
Source:Global Times
