葛蘭素史克將在華投入1億美元研發資金
英國醫藥公司葛蘭素史克(GlaxoSmithKline)計劃，在明年底之前，向其在中國的神經科學研究中心投入1億美元，這個中心將成爲該公司全球藥物研發的關鍵一環。
GlaxoSmithKline, the UK-based pharmaceutical company, plans to channel $100m by the end of next year into a neuroscience research centre in China which will become pivotal to its global drug development.
葛蘭素史克將於今天發表一次講演，首次集中介紹該公司即將推出的一系列神經科學藥物。在此之際，公司研發部門董事長蒙塞夫?斯拉維(Moncef Slaoui)表示，將在上海建立一個研發中心，負責該公司一切神經退化疾病藥物的研發工作。這些疾病包括老年癡呆症(Alzheimer’s)、帕金森症(Parkinson’s)以及多發性硬化症(MS)。
Ahead of GSK’s first presentation focused on its emerging neuroscience pipeline drugs which takes place today, Moncef Slaoui, the chairman of research and development, has said the company will build a centre in Shanghai responsible for all the company’s work on neurodegenerative diseases. These include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
“對於我們來說，中國不是外包和廉價勞動力的代名詞，”他在接受英國《金融時報》採訪時表示。“我們不想只給他們麪包渣。這關乎不同的科學。我們會將自己的`命運與他們相連。在5到10年之內，我們將從‘中國製造’轉型爲‘中國發現’。”
“For us, China is not about outsourcing and cheap labour,” he told the Financial Times. “We don’t want to give them the crumbs. It’s about different science. We will link our fate to their fate. Within five to ten years we will be moving from ‘made in China’ to ‘discovered in China.’”
葛蘭素史克的這項投資標誌着一個最新動向，西方一家大型醫藥公司進入中國不只是爲了低成本製造、臨牀實驗和不斷增長的藥品銷售額，它還想得益於中國快速發展的科研基礎。
The investment by GSK marks the latest move by a large western pharmaceutical company into the country not just for low-cost manufacturing, clinical trials and the growing sale of medicines, but also to tap into its fast expanding scientific research base.
羅氏(Roche)、諾華(Novartis)、阿斯利康(AstraZeneca)、諾和諾德(Novo Nordisk)和賽諾菲-安萬特(Sanofi-Aventis)等醫藥公司都在大舉投資於中國的研發項目，而這些項目多數集中在上海。
Roche, Novartis, AstraZeneca, NovoNordisk and Sanofi-Aventis are all investing significantly in research and development in China, with the majority concentrated in Shanghai.
在斯拉維的協調下，葛蘭素史克曾開展了一項爲期六個月的全球調查，以尋找“未來研究發現的下一個發源地”。在此之後，葛蘭素史克做出了上述投資決定。斯拉維總結道，“中國從質到量都居於首位，”尤其是在腫瘤學與神經學方面。
The GSK decision comes after six months of research around the world, co-ordinated by Mr Slaoui and designed to identify “the next seedbed for future discoveries”. He concluded that “qualitatively and numerically, China came out on top”, especially in oncology and neurology.
他的評估基於這樣一個事實：中國大約有6.3萬人持有科學博士學位，其中包括3.5萬名在西方學習並於近年回國的人員。此外，中國科研人員在《科學》(Science)、《細胞》(Cell)和《神經元》(Neuron)等學術刊物上發表的文章也爲他的判斷提供了依據。
His evaluation was based on the fact that there are an estimated 63,000 holders of scientific doctorates in China, including 35,000 who trained in the west and have returned in recent years to their home country, as well as on publications in academic journals such as Science, Cell and Neuron.
葛蘭素史克現在上海浦東有一個研發中心，但這家中心將要搬遷，給新中心讓路。新中心目標是在6年之內聘用1000名科學家，使之成爲該集團不斷擴大的神經科學“藥物發現卓越中心”(Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery)的領銜單位。神經科學是斯拉維計劃重點發展的四大藥物領域之一。
GSK currently has a centre in the Pudong district of Shanghai, which will be moved to provide the basis for the new centre. It aims to hire 1,000 scientists within six years,?making?it?a leading part of the group’s expanding Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery for neuroscience, itself one of four therapy areas on which Mr Slaoui plans to concentrate.