by Xinhua writer Liu Yinglun
HONG KONG, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China is becoming a foundational engine for global innovation, Rogier Janssens, president of Merck China and managing director of Life Science China, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
China is one of the world's most important end markets for life sciences, healthcare and electronics, which are Merck's core domains, Janssens added. This, coupled with China's growing weight in oncology, antibody-drug conjugates and other areas of global drug development, is why the company stays committed to expanding its footprint in the country.
In the latest such effort, the company announced earlier this week that it has signed an agreement with Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) to establish Merck Hong Kong Center, a dedicated physical facility for scientific product supply, technological demonstrations, and expert consultation.
The move came after the launch of the Merck Greater Bay Area (GBA) Innovation and Collaboration Center in Shenzhen in June. Janssens called having two establishments in the GBA a token of Merck's deep commitment to the region, which is spearheading growth across life sciences, healthcare, and electronics.
The centers are assigned different focuses in line with the respective strengths of the two cities, according to Janssens. The one in Hong Kong is primarily focused on early-stage development and early clinical research. Its counterpart in Shenzhen focuses more on manufacturing scale-up for biotechnology and small molecules.
Elaborating on the arrangement, Janssens said that Hong Kong is exceptionally well positioned for clinical research. Its network of hospitals holds rigorous international accreditation, and clinical data generated here is widely recognized by major international regulatory bodies, he said.
On top of mature infrastructure for clinical trials, Hong Kong's established financial markets, vibrant innovation ecosystem and deep talent pool can help Chinese technologies enter global markets, said Janssens.
Multinational firms like Merck can participate in the process by fostering collaborative exchanges and mutual learning between their technical experts and local scientists and startups, as will be the case with the Hong Kong center, according to Janssens.
"The collaboration is about serving science and innovation," said Janssens. ■
