(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pfizer today announced a joint initiative with the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (SIBS) to support fundamental research in China. As part of the initiative, Pfizer China will provide US$500,000 each year over three years to fund health-related fundamental research projects at SIBS and its application to drug discovery and development programs in the country. This is the latest in a series of Pfizer initiatives aimed at supporting China as it becomes one of the leading contributors to healthcare innovation worldwide.

“This collaboration represents a major commitment by Pfizer to fundamental research and development in China,” said Jeff Kindler, Pfizer’s chief executive officer. “Our investment is an example of our dedication to leading healthcare innovation, not only in the last mile of drug development, but from much earlier stages of exploration into basic healthcare principles. Innovation in these areas has the potential to truly alter the way we look at healthcare over the next 20 years.”

Fundamental research, also known as basic research, is generally defined as pure scientific investigation to gain knowledge and understanding about the physical world. While this type of research does not necessarily lead to immediate commercial gain, it has the potential to lead to important new discoveries that ultimately improve healthcare and help save lives.

“Our choice of Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences as a research partner demonstrates our high regard for the scientific expertise and capabilities of SIBS,” said Martin Mackay, President, Pfizer Global Research and Development. “China is increasingly seen as a source for innovative healthcare research, and we are proud of our ongoing investment in the outstanding science and people here.” Research projects will be selected and developed jointly by Pfizer and SIBS scientists.

“Today marks a new milestone in the collaboration between SIBS and Pfizer,” said Jiarui Wu, Vice President of SIBS, “The agreement injects momentum into the innovation activities at SIBS and Pfizer, and this collaboration will definitely accelerate the development of new healthcare solutions.”

Pfizer’s China Research and Development Center, a state-of-the-art facility that provides global drug development support capabilities, research collaborations, and strategic alliance opportunities to China and the Asian region, is based in Shanghai. It employs more than 330 staff and is the largest R&D center for a multinational pharmaceutical company in China.

“Strategic alliances such as this one are needed to increase the opportunities to produce the science, technology and product candidates that lead to new medicines,” said Al Gabor, regional president for Pfizer’s North Asia, India, Pakistan, and Thailand region. “This collaboration with SIBS is a testament to Pfizer’s continued commitment to the city of Shanghai, and to China as a whole.”

ABOUT PFIZER CHINA

Founded in 1849, Pfizer is the world's premier biopharmaceutical company taking new approaches to better health. We discover, develop, manufacture and deliver quality, safe and effective prescription medicines to treat and help prevent disease for both people and animals. We also partner with healthcare providers, governments and local communities around the world to expand access to our medicines and to provide better quality health care and health system support. At Pfizer, colleagues in more than 90 countries work every day to help people stay happier and healthier longer and to reduce the human and economic burden of disease worldwide.

In China, our mission is to meet the diverse medical needs of the country’s 1.3 billion population in an innovative, socially responsible and commercially viable manner. We offer a broad portfolio of innovative medicines, actively partnering with healthcare providers, academics, and authorities to serve Chinese patients and to support the rapid development of the country’s healthcare system.

Pfizer began its business operations in China in the 1980’s and is now one of the largest multinational pharmaceutical enterprises in the country, with a presence in over 170 cities nationwide and a total staff over 4,000. We have four state-of-the-art plants in Dalian, Suzhou, and Wuxi, and a management center in Beijing.

In Shanghai, our Pfizer China Research and Development Center has become an integral component of Pfizer’s worldwide pharmaceutical development program. It also works alongside Chinese partners to develop the skills and talents of local scientists, biostatisticians, medical professionals, pharmacists, and others with expertise in life sciences. The Center collaborates with leading academic researchers and top institutes in China including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and multiple institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Pfizer has also established long-term partnerships with leading Contract Research Organizations in China such as Wuxi Pharmatech. By working with these partners, Pfizer strives to create an environment that will nurture research and innovative drug development in China.

For more information on Pfizer China, please visit http://www.pfizer.com.cn

ABOUT SHANGHAI INSTITUES OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (SIBS)

Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (SIBS) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is a leading research institution for life sciences in China. It was established on July 3, 1999, through structural reorganization and institutional reform of eight former CAS institutes of biological sciences in Shanghai.

The mission of SIBS is to make important contribution to the country and the world in areas of human health, bioresources and sustainable development of agriculture and environment, and so on. Therefore, SIBS gives priority to scientific researches and creative accomplishments.

Currently SIBS comprises eight research institutes and three supporting units located on six campuses. SIBS now has a total staff over 2000, including 26 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In addition, there are over 1800 graduate students and some 150 postdoctoral fellows at SIBS.

Research at SIBS is in three major directions: the basic research of life sciences, translational research on human health and major diseases, and the research on sustainable development of agriculture and environment. Main research areas of SIBS include functional genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics, structure and function of biological macromolecules, regulation of molecular network of cellular activities, molecular and cellular mechanism of brain development and functions, R&D of new pharmaceuticals for prevention and treatment of major diseases, modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, translational biomedical research, nutritional science, virology and immunology, molecular physiology of plant, insect and microorganism, biotechnology, computational biology, as well as interdisciplinary studies.

For more information about SIBS, please visit: http://www.sibs.ac.cn/