These technologies will expand and broaden the possibilities of making significant improvements in therapeutic effects in numerous diseases that were previously considered impossible with conventional antibodies. At CPR in Singapore, we will focus on creating these candidate antibodies for the first few years, after which we will conduct clinical trials.

Do you intend to expand operations in other region besides Singapore?
Chugai has satellite research centers in Singapore (PharmaLogicals Research), South Korea (C&C Research Laboratories) and Japan (Forerunner Research), as well as development and sales and marketing operations in Taiwan and China.

Chugai is committed to invest $160 million (S$200 million) over the next five years in Singapore, and this will be the focus of our operations in this region. Our priority is to ensure results and success of our existing operations.

How far do you think technological advancements are important in developing new therapies for difficult to treat diseases?
Finding new therapies is very challenging, but technologies such as cell therapy and DNA therapy among other new technologies can overcome these challenges. We believe we can conquer the treatment of difficult-to-cure diseases step-by-step, over a period of time. Chugai aims to target diseases that have high unmet medical needs by utilizing its strength in biopharmaceutical research and in small-molecule research gained from strategic alliance with Roche.

Chugai and Roche have a research collaboration in both small molecules and in non-small molecules since 2003 and 2004, including mutual access to both research resources, such as the world's top class chemical compound library with the size of two million compounds.