Aggregating global biotech resources
MANY factors that shape preeminent cities can be found in the field of biotech. It is a game-changing industry that leads the next round of global competition. It helps advance city development through innovation, and provides a good strategic choice for Shanghai to build upon.
Building a robust biomedical industry in Shanghai will attract cutting-edge R&D establishment, high-end talent, and dynamic innovation culture from around the world. A sophisticated biomedical industry will raise Shanghai’s position in global industry, serve as a sustainable and high-growth sector, fill a regional need for a world-leading biomedical hub in Asia, and build upon Shanghai’s existing biomedical foundation. Harnessing these global innovation resources will help Shanghai achieve its goal of becoming a “Global City of Excellence.”
To help Shanghai become a forward-thinking and innovative global city, Roche is honored to present the following recommendations.
Enhance early-stage R&D
Shanghai may establish an advanced Asia Pacific medical center in the pilot Free Trade Zone that offers the world’s highest quality healthcare, including cutting-edge innovative drugs, and promotes early-stage R&D capability.
The city can leverage Internet and big data to establish a biobank in the center. This will facilitate the gathering of patient data and information for the Asia-Pacific region and drive the development of personalized medicine and promotion of early-stage R&D.
Attract innovative talent
Shanghai may foster talent by establishing biomedical schools at top-ranked Shanghai higher education institutions and attract talent through a supportive system that rewards innovation and expertise. Talent mapping will serve as a critical tool for identifying which areas to develop. The city can look to Hong Kong and Germany for global experiences in developing a world-class system for fostering talent.
Instill innovative culture
Shanghai may establish a specialized biomedical innovation advisory board to bridge government thinking and market needs, launch public biomedical campaigns to strengthen knowledge and collaboration, and establish an ecosystem that provides sufficient resources to innovative start-ups and encourages intra-sector collaboration to facilitate commercialization. Such an ecosystem would include building of a comprehensive value chain to connect links in scientific discovery. Global experience in instilling an extraordinary innovative culture can be learned from London.
As a global leader in innovative diagnosis and personalized healthcare, Roche is committed to working “in China, for China.” Roche’s purpose of “doing now what patients need next” aligns with Shanghai’s vision of becoming a global city with excellence. The company specializes in cutting-edge biomedicine including genetic testing, precision diagnosis, and targeted medicine. It has in-depth knowledge of capital investment in R&D, talent cultivation and attraction, and experience collaborating with SMEs.
Roche is eager to share its expertise in innovative biomedicine and experience in developing a sophisticated biomedical sector. We are pleased to partner with Shanghai as the city works to become a “Global City of Excellence.”
Given its existing strengths and resources, Shanghai is well positioned to achieve this goal, while working to improve the health of citizens in Shanghai, China, the Asia-Pacific region, and even around the world.
Shanghai has the ambition, will, and resources to implement the aforementioned policies and transform into a global city of excellence. Becoming an innovative, influential, future-oriented, and dynamic global city is well within reach for Shanghai. Roche is committed to continue working with all local and national stakeholders to promote health and achieve long-term goals in sustainability.
