AstraZeneca plans R&D center in Russia and Novartis breaks ground on new facility

In yet more illustrations of multinational drug majors getting a foot hold in the fast-growing BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) emerging pharmaceutical markets, Anglo-Swedish company AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) plans to establish a Predictive Science Center in St Petersburg, Russia, over the coming year. Also yesterday, Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) said it had begun construction of a new pharma plant, also in St Petersburg.

So far as AstraZeneca is concerned, the move strengthens the firm’s investments in Russia and supports the Russian government’s strategy to modernize and develop the country’s pharmaceutical sector. The new AstraZeneca Predictive Science Center, the company’s first in Russia, will leverage local scientific talent and focus on developing bioinformatics, data analysis methods, software and systems to better predict the safety and efficacy of potential new medicines. Approximately 30 people will work at the Center through collaborations with local companies and organisations as part of a related agreement with the St Petersburg government to be announced later this week.

Already building production facility