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GSK and EDB Commit S$50 Million in Funding to Support Research in Green and Sustainable Manufacturing in Singapore

PharmaManufacturing.com
07/06/2010

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the government agency responsible for economic growth and development, today jointly awarded funding for eight research projects based in Singapore aimed at growing local capabilities and talent in green and sustainable manufacturing.

The first round of projects will receive close to S$5 million in funding under the S$33 million GSK-Singapore Partnership for Green & Sustainable Manufacturing. The partnership will be funded by GSK-EDB S$50 million joint fund to grow Singapore’s capabilities and talent base in green and sustainable manufacturing as well as healthcare policy. The joint fund is part of GSK-Singapore 10-year Strategic Roadmap to address the industry’s challenges and co-create innovative solutions.

“GSK is committed to the sustainability of our company, our people, our facilities, and the communities in which we operate. The funds we are committing for the research on green and sustainable manufacturing over 10 years will help Singapore to become a leader in sustainability research in pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals manufacturing and ensure that companies, such as GSK, can improve the efficiency of all activities by minimising materials, energy and waste worldwide,” said Mr Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline.

“Singapore is proud to partner GSK to grow our capabilities and talent base in green and sustainable manufacturing. This partnership will help to establish a research talent base in Singapore capable of developing more sustainable manufacturing processes in the pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals sectors,” said Mr Leo Yip, Chairman, Singapore Economic Development Board.

The inaugural awards were presented today to the eight principal investigators from the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). They will work on research projects in chemical-, physical- and bio-transformations to maximise resource efficiency and minimise waste generated during the manufacturing process. The eight lead investigators are expected to recruit 17 post-doctoral and PhD researchers.

Describing the joint funding from GSK and EDB as an investment in the future, Mr Christopher Dobson, Vice President & Managing Director, Global Manufacturing & Supply Singapore, GSK, said, “It is GSK’s wish that this investment will encourage more open exchange amongst the best research minds from all over the world and greater R&D collaborations. With this inaugural initiative, Singapore will be able to drive towards a sustainable manufacturing sector and serve as a magnet for the world’s top talent in green and sustainable manufacture.”