Singapore Government Press Release
Media Relations Division, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts,
MITA Building, 140 Hill Street, 2nd Storey, Singapore 179369
Tel: 6837-9666

 Mr Fred Hassan

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President

Schering-Plough Corporation

Dr Patrick Gyselinck

Managing Director

Schering-Plough Ltd (Singapore Branch)

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to join you this afternoon for the joint opening of Schering-Plough Ltd’s latest investments in Singapore - a US$230 million Multi-Product Bulk Pharmaceutical Plant and a US$30 million Research & Development Facility.

The relationship between Schering-Plough and Singapore goes back many years and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Schering-Plough for its strong support and contribution to the growth of our Biomedical Sciences industry. In 1995, Schering-Plough became Singapore’s first US pharmaceutical investor with the groundbreaking of its Multi-Product Bulk Pharmaceutical Plant and medicinal steroids plant. Schering-Plough, also known as SP, has continued to expand over the years, and build up capabilities beyond producing chemical bulk actives, to include process development, tabletting and biotech lyophilisation.

Today, SP is Singapore’s largest pharmaceutical investor and employer, with total manufacturing investments that exceed US$1 billion in fixed assets and employing a staff of 950 highly qualified personnel. The company’s two latest manufacturing investments re-inforces Singapore’s ability to support the supply of various products to the global markets through efficient infrastructure and strong manpower capabilities.

The first new facility is a Multi-Product Bulk Pharmaceutical Plant designed to manufacture a variety of drug compounds including Ezetimibe (pronounced as ‘Ee-Zee-Tee-Mide’), an anti-cholesterol drug. The products will bring the total number of drug compounds produced by the Singapore operations to more than ten, in a variety of therapeutic areas including oncology, anti-infectives and cardiovascular diseases. I am pleased to note that even as we speak, an extension to the third multi-product plant is being constructed in anticipation of increased global demand.

The second new investment is a Research & Development Facility which will play a critical role in enhancing the competitiveness of SP’s manufacturing operations here. The centre will support the main primary and secondary plants by developing and optimizing the yield and efficiency of existing manufacturing processes. It will also undertake process development for new products, and serve as a technology transfer conduit for a steady stream of future products into Singapore.

Schering-Plough also conducts and manages trials for Asia at its Clinical Research Centre here. I am pleased to note SP’s recent research collaboration with MerLion Pharmaceuticals, a local biotech company. Under the three-year partnership agreement, the two companies will jointly discover and develop novel drug compounds from MerLion’s natural products collection. It is through such research activities that Singapore will be able to enhance its R&D base and generate the intellectual capital to support the future growth of our Biomedical Sciences industry. Singapore is committed to supporting such innovation-driven growth activities.

Recent figures and announcements of new investments show that the biomedical science industry is on track for long-term growth. The sector showed a growth rate of 151% in its October manufacturing output as compared to last October, with the pharmaceutical industry being a key contributor to this output. SP’s new manufacturing activities will play a significant role in our goal of achieving S$12 billion in manufacturing output by 2005 and developing biomedical sciences as a key sector of the Singapore economy.

Today’s opening ceremony for SP’s impressive manufacturing and R&D facilities marks the continuation of a long-term strategic partnership between SP and Singapore. Singapore is proud to be a home base to Schering-Plough in Asia Pacific.

In closing, I would like to congratulate Mr Fred Hassan and all his staff of Schering-Plough Ltd (Singapore Branch) for their dedication and hard work in the successful implementation of these projects. It now gives me great pleasure to declare open Schering-Plough’s Multi-Product Bulk Pharmaceutical Plant and Research & Development Facility.

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