SINGAPORE, June 28, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - The nation's drug development efforts have been given additional momentum with the introduction of two new platforms, and a grant scheme for drug discovery and development. These national platforms aim to bridge the gap between basic science research and pharmaceutical enterprises. They will also serve to catalyse collaboration across industry, research institutes, academia, and the hospitals; as well as nurture a strong pool of scientific talent for Singapore's biomedical ecosystem.
Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC) - national platform for drug discovery & development
EDDC is a national platform for drug discovery and development to channel high potential drug candidates toward realising commercial outcomes for Singapore, as well as clinical outcomes that will benefit Singaporeans. EDDC integrates A*STAR's Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC), the clinical development unit known as Drug Discovery and Development (D3), and the Experimental Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC). EDDC will leverage Singapore's competitive advantage in melding biomedical sciences, clinical medicine and engineering, to bring early drug targets to first-in-man clinical trials. With a growing Asian market and a predominantly ethnic-Asian population in Singapore, there are opportunities for Singapore to differentiate ourselves by focusing on novel therapeutics for Asian-prevalent diseases.
Target Translation Consortium (TTC) - coordinates early-stage drug discovery efforts
Also launched today, the Target Translation Consortium (TTC) brings together A*STAR, Duke-NUS Medical School, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, National Healthcare Group, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, and SingHealth. Helmed by EDDC, this new TTC coordinates early-stage drug discovery efforts across academia, healthcare institutions, and government agencies. This collaborative approach is an important competitive edge for Singapore's biomedical ecosystem amidst an increasingly sophisticated drug discovery and development space.
Singapore Therapeutics Development Review (STDR) - consolidated grant scheme
To complement these two new platforms, the Singapore Therapeutics Development Review (STDR) grant scheme was also announced. STDR consolidates three separate schemes by A*STAR, the National Health Innovation Centre Singapore (NHIC), as well as the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART); into a new grant that funds early-stage projects up to S$750,000. It combines the expertise and resources of all three organisations, streamlining the assessment and feedback process for promising drug discovery and development projects. This ensures that projects with high potential are adequately funded without undue delay, which strengthens the pipeline of home-grown drug candidates.
Singapore's investments in biomedical sciences have been making steady progress, with made-in-Singapore cancer drug candidates now moving into clinical trials and commercialisation. The biomedical sciences sector has also seen a positive growth trajectory of home-grown biomedical companies. Singapore now has close to 100 local biotech companies, which collectively contributed more than US$350 million in deal flows in 2018 alone. In 2017, Singapore's three largest biotech companies were reported to have an estimated collective valuation of more than US$1 billion (Cell Research Corporation, S$700M; Tessa Therapeutics, S$650M; Aslan Pharmaceutical, S$400M).
Singapore now has an increasingly rich mix of biomedical talent, knowledge and capabilities, a vibrant biomedical business environment, and an ecosystem that fosters innovation and the sharing of new ideas.