Sanofi has announced plans to launch a global research and development (R&D) operations hub with a specialized focus on digitalization and Big Data analysis in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. It will be the company’s third hub for Sanofi Global Clinical Sciences and Operations with other facilities in France and the US.

Sanofi is investing EUR 66 million ($76 million) in the hub to support the clinical research and development of Sanofi’s drugs by focusing on managing global multi-center clinical-trial data and files. Sanofi expects the hub to accelerate the availability of trial results from Phase I to Phase IV. Sanofi plans to recruit 300 local pharmaceutical R&D professionals for the hub by 2020.

Sanofi says that the Chengdu facility will focus on clinical development in multiple therapeutic areas, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, vaccines, oncology, immunology and inflammation, rare diseases, multiple sclerosis, and neurology. It will support biological technology for polypeptides, gene therapy, monoclonal antibodies, and multi-specific antibodies.

Source: Sanofi