Speech by SMS Koh Poh Koon at Merck Life Science Analytical Testing Hub Opening Ceremony and its 350th Anniversary Celebration

SPEECH BY DR. KOH POH KOON, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT MERCK LIFE SCIENCE ANALYTICAL TESTING HUB OPENING CELEMONY AND ITS 350th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ON 18 SEP 2018, 2PM, AT ASCENT BUILDING

Mr Andrew Bulpin, Head of Global Process Solutions, Merck Life Science

Dr Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Executive Board and Family Board, E. Merck KG

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Introduction 

1.             It gives me great pleasure to join you this afternoon for the opening of Merck’s Analytical Testing Hub, and the celebration of Merck’s 350th anniversary, which is a significant milestone for any company. Congratulations!

Merck’s Long-Standing Partnership with Singapore

2.             Singapore is one of the leading biomedical sciences (BMS) hubs in the world today, manufacturing four of the world’s top 10 medicines. The BMS industry is an integral part of the Singapore economy, making up almost 4% of our GDP, and employing more than 22,000 workers, many of whom are in high-skilled and well-paying jobs.

3.             As an industry leader in life science technologies and services, Merck’s operations in Singapore since its establishment in 1994 have been instrumental in supporting the growth of our BMS industry. Today, Merck employs more than 380 people in its Asia-Pacific Headquarters in Singapore, covering businesses across healthcare, life-science and performance materials. 

4.             Merck’s latest investment in the analytical test hub in Singapore is their first outside of the US and Europe. This decision is a strong testament to the capability and partnership that we have built up over the years.

Positioning Our Biomedical Sciences Industry for Long-Term Growth

5.             Merck’s investment in Singapore is also timely, as global and regional healthcare demands continue to grow. According to Deloitte’s 2017 Global Health Care Outlook report, healthcare spending in the world’s major regions are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 2.4% to 7.5% between 2015 and 2020. This rise in healthcare expenditure will be driven by the growing middle class in developing countries, as well as the expansion of services in developed countries due to a growing prevalence of chronic diseases and rapidly ageing population. 

6.             Against this backdrop, pharmaceutical companies seeking new opportunities can leverage Singapore’s strengths to grow their businesses in the region and for regional consumers. Meanwhile, the Singapore government remains committed to the BMS industry as a key driver of our economy, through our investments in three areas: infrastructure, technology, and talent.

7.             First, we are committed to invest in infrastructure to support manufacturing and research & development (R&D) activities. One example is the Tuas Biomedical Park which is now a premier biopharmaceutical manufacturing location, and home to 31 manufacturing plants. This cluster development has brought about benefits including the sharing of major infrastructure, targeted and specialised management of the cluster’s niche requirements as well as fostering of community ties. On the other hand, Biopolis is a world-class research hub and home to many of our brightest scientists and leading research institutes and laboratories. Companies can tap on the Biopolis’ vibrant ecosystem to drive collaborations with other public and private research organisations.

8.             Second, we are committed to devote resources to innovation and technology to deepen our capabilities in this knowledge intensive sector. Under the Research, Innovation, Enterprise (RIE) 2020 plan, the Government has committed S$4 billion to the Health and Biomedical Sciences domain, to improve our competitiveness while aligning our R&D efforts with national healthcare strengths and needs. We encourage more collaboration between our public research agencies, multi-national companies and local biotech startups, to address more complex challenges with new solutions. 

9.             Last but not least, we are committed to invest in the education, training and upskilling of our people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and related fields, to ensure a steady supply of talent to complement the needs of the industry. In addition, the Singapore government has also launched several programmes to meet the growing needs of the local industry. This include the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) where professionals have the opportunity to be trained and equipped with the requisite capabilities for a different or adjacent sector.  The PCP for the Pharmaceuticals and Biologics industries jointly developed by EDB and Workforce Singapore, has benefitted over 350 inpiduals since its launch in 2014. Another example is the Skills Framework for the biopharmaceutical industry, which first maps out the career pathways and opportunities in the sector before identifying the skillsets required across the different roles, and finally matching the inpiduals to the right training programmes. To ensure easy accessibility to training and skills development, the Labour Movement is also providing bite-sized mobile modules for workers in the industry, including process and lab technicians.

10.          In this regard, Merck has been taking the lead and partnered EDB to support the training and qualification of 30 local scientists.  We are proud to be able to anchor these valuable high-skilled capabilities in Singapore, which will further strengthen our talent pipeline. In addition, Merck’s Lab at Science Park has trained and upskilled more than 1,400 biopharma operators, Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) specialists, and scientific staff for the broader biopharmaceutical industry, since its inception in 2009.  I am encouraged and look forward to more companies like Merck to play their part to create more good jobs for Singaporeans.

Singapore and Merck to Strengthen Our Partnership in New Growth Areas 

11.          Looking ahead, there are significant opportunities for Singapore and Merck to strengthen our partnership in new growth areas, driven by technology advancement. In the delivery of healthcare, developments in digital technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning are prompting pharmaceutical and biotech companies to relook at novel ways to deliver therapies, beyond pills and traditional treatment, to include precision treatment, alongside a greater focus on prevention and wellness through holistic disease management.

12.          In the manufacturing shop floor, developments in technologies such as the Single-Use Technology are also transforming the way biopharma manufacturers are manufacturing their medicines. As large scale reactors are replaced by much smaller reactors with disposal components, which reduces contamination risk while providing cost efficiency and flexibility to meet changing market needs.

13.          These rapid technological advancements drive home the importance for Singapore and our BMS industry to be at the forefront of innovation. Given the complex and dynamic nature of the BMS industry, closer collaboration among the different stakeholders would help improve our overall competitiveness to tap into growth opportunities. As Singapore continues to invest in our talent and technological capabilities, we welcome Merck to be actively engaged in our efforts as we work together to strengthen our BMS ecosystem.

Conclusion

14.          In closing, I would like to thank Merck for your continued confidence in Singapore. We look forward to deepening our partnership with you, and wish the team every success in your ventures. Thank you!