Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC, (J&JPRD) expanded its global research network by officially announcing its new research and development (R&D) center in Shanghai. The site will also serve as the division’s Asia R&D headquarters. Dr. Lily Lee will head the Asia research and development efforts.

J&JPRD’s Asia headquarters will embrace the company’s philosophy of open innovation and collaboration by developing a broad regional network. Open innovation is the philosophy of combining internal research, expertise, and capabilities with external knowledge/innovation, expertise, or approaches to accelerate innovation in product and technology development.

“R&D is undergoing a transformation globally, and Asia will be a leading player,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Global Head, Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Johnson & Johnson. “By establishing our R&D headquarters in Shanghai and using a networked, open innovation model through which we work collaboratively with universities, research institutes and companies, we are ensuring that we are part of Asia’s growth as a research leader.“

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J&JPRD is already busy collaborating and building its network across China.

“Since 1985, when J&J set up a manufacturing and commercial joint-venture in China, we have been committed to Asia and to China,” said Dr. Lily Lee, the head of J&JPRD Asia Pacific. “We’re taking a unique approach in Asia by actively seeking out and collaborating with the numerous exciting research institutions in academia and industry and building a strong network of researchers throughout the region to create a virtual R&D community. Our goal is to invest in research and development in the region, fuel entrepreneurship, and tap into Asia’s vast scientific excellence and talent to foster new therapeutic approaches for the region and the world.”

J&JPRD will ensure that Asia becomes a crucial part of its portfolio development in all its strategic therapeutic areas. The company’s therapeutic areas include neuroscience, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, immunology, oncology and virology. A special focus will be placed on diseases with specific, high unmet needs in the region. These include oncology, infectious and metabolic diseases. The Asia division plans to invest in open innovation through more research partnerships and collaborative efforts that connect the medical and academic communities to its R&D centers.

Johnson & Johnson has long had a presence in Asia, including over 20 years in China via Xi’an-Janssen and 50 years in India. With the establishment of the headquarters in Shanghai, J&JPRD is connecting its R&D hubs in Beijing, Mumbai, Bangalore and other R&D operational teams to form a virtual R&D organization.

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