LONDON, March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- In an environment where costs are under constant pressure, the pharmaceutical industry is under increasing strain to develop drugs that add real value. This is an important driver for the evolution of the drug discovery procedure and for the introduction of processes that are more efficient as well as quicker in delivering a higher per cent of pipeline molecules to the market. Moreover, the genomics revolution is fast bringing about fundamental changes in drug discovery and clinical genomics solutions are targeting the needs of medical as well as pharmaceutical research, thus enabling the development of better and safer drugs.
Consequently, with experimental demands as well as goals becoming more aggressive, researchers are turning to instruments and procedures that promise a higher throughput. Pharmaceutical R&D laboratories are reaching the point where existing products can no longer solve new bottlenecks. While the main cause for this relates to the liquid-handling capabilities of most automation products, an increasing number of laboratories are expected to consider introducing microfluidics technology.
“At present, target validation is a major bottleneck for the pharmaceutical industry and it is for this reason that RNA Interference (RNAi) is likely to play a major role in target validation,” notes Frost & Sullivan (http://healthcare.frost.com) Healthcare Analyst Dr. Amarpreet Dhiman. “The potency of RNAi and the range it works for as well as the fact that yield determination is easier with RNAi when compared to other technologies are added factors driving its acceptance.”
Among challenges impacting the Asia Pacific drug discovery market, regulatory hurdles are likely to be a major impediment to the drug discovery process. With concerns over drug efficacy and safety, regulatory agencies are extremely cautious while implementing new regulations and in the coming years, this challenge is likely to have a high impact on the Asia Pacific drug discovery market. India’s pharmaceutical industry, for example, is one of the most regulated in the world and price controls are affecting the profitability of the industry. In addition, weak patent protection is also proving a long-term threat to foreign investment in India’s drug market.
Nevertheless, pressure from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is speeding up discussions within the Indian Government to improve patent protection. Further, the regulatory environment related to drug administration in China has also undergone significant changes in the last decade. These improvements, as contemplated in the three newly adopted laws or regulations, include modification of new drug definitions, abolishment of administrative protection mechanisms, simplification of regulatory filing procedures, promotion of commercialisation and standardisation of the manufacturing process.
The drug discovery market in Asia Pacific was worth US$5.62 billion in 2004 and is likely to reach US$18.55 billion in 2011. In revenue terms, the market shows a strong bias towards the segment for basic research, which by itself was worth around US$3.14 billion in 2004.
Regionally, Singapore is fast becoming the hub in Asia Pacific for drug discovery R&D. This is mainly due to the Government’s effort to diversify the country’s economic portfolio and three agencies are directly linked to the task of implementing favourable initiatives. While the Biomedical Sciences Group of the Economic Development Board’s (EDB) is responsible for formulating industry development plans and attracting international companies to set up operations in Singapore, BioOne Capital makes strategic investments in companies with the aim of generating small spin-offs. Further, the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) is taking the lead in coordinating and funding the public sector as well as academic research and training of scientists.
Equally, India is fast gaining proficiency and expertise, which is assisting its move from generic as well as specialty contract manufacturing to innovative drug discovery and development. India has more than 200 biotechnology companies and the industry has grown by around 40.0 per cent in the past year, principally in the areas of pharmaceuticals, agriculture and bioinformatics. According to the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), India is likely to capture a third of the world’s generic drug business by 2007.
“As pharmaceutical research and manufacturing capabilities grow in Asia Pacific, opportunities will emerge for global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that are looking for new markets for their products and services,” says Dr. Dhiman. “Understanding the challenges and being aware of the opportunities is the first step in being prepared to capitalise on the explosive growth that is being seen in drug discovery and development research in all Asia Pacific countries.”
If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end-users, and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the Strategic Analysis of Drug Discovery Market in Asia Pacific (B665-55), then send an e-mail to Radhika Menon Theodore, Corporate Communications, at rmtheodore@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you via e-mail.
Strategic Analysis of Drug Discovery Market in Asia Pacific
B665-55
Background
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company’s industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.
Media Contacts: Europe: Radhika Menon Theodore Corporate Communications P: +91-(044)-42044541 E: rmtheodore@frost.com Americas: Melina Trevino Corporate Communications P: +1-210-247-2440 F: +1-210-348-1003 E: melina.trevino@frost.com India: Surbhi Dedhia Corporate Communications P: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131 E: sdedhia@frost.com Asia Pacific: Jasminder Kaur Corporate Communications P: +65-68900937 E: jkaur@frost.com Australia: Sharmin Jassal Corporate Communications P: +61-2-8247-8900 F: +61-2-9252-8066 E: sjassal@frost.com
Keywords: drug discovery, Asia Pacific, genomics, proteomics, genomics sequencing, proteomics sequencing, RNAi, microfluidics, target validation, research, information, market, trends, technology, service, forecast, market share
Database of Key Industry Participants: 7TM Pharma, Accelrys, Angiogene, Axis-Shield, Bayer Healthcare, BioImage A/S, Charles River Laboratories, Decodon, Evotec OAI, GE Healthcare, Genedata, ICON Clinical Research, Invitogen, MerLion Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, QTL Biosystems, Roche Applied Science, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi-Aventis
Frost & Sullivan
CONTACT: Europe: Radhika Menon Theodore, Corporate Communications, Tel:+91-(044)-42044541, E: rmtheodore@frost.com, Americas: Melina Trevino,Corporate Communications, Tel: +1-210-247-2440, F: +1-210-348-1003, E:melina.trevino@frost.com, India: Surbhi Dedhia, Corporate Communications,Tel: +91-22-2832-4705 Ext: 131, E: sdedhia@frost.com, Asia Pacific:Jasminder Kaur, Corporate Communications, Tel: +65-68900937, E:jkaur@frost.com, Australia: Sharmin Jassal, Corporate Communications, Tel:+61-2-8247-8900, F: +61-2-9252-8066, E: sjassal@frost.com
