SPEECH BY MR S. ISWARAN, MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR CODEXIS’ BIOCATALYST R&D CENTRE AT SCIENCE PARK ON 25 OCTOBER 2007, 10:15 AM
Mr Thomas Baruch, Chairman, Codexis;
Dr Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning.It gives me great pleasure to join you today for the opening ceremony of Codexis’ biocatalyst R&D centre atSciencePark. This research operations centre in Singapore will be Codexis’ firstoutside the US with the full range of biocatalyst R&D capabilities.Codexis is investing more than S$70 million in this project, which will employ approximately 50 research scientists and full-time staff.
Codexis is one of the top biocatalyst companies in the world whose technology enables the production of pharmaceutical and other industrial products.It is also a recipient of the Red Herring North America 100 award, which recognises Codexis as one of the top companies with the ability to influence and drive the industry’s future.
Codexis’ investment in Singapore is a strong testament to our ability to host cutting-edge research activities in new technological areas.Codexis will be able to leverage on Singapore’s infrastructure and manpower capabilities, to further improve the cost and efficiency of its customers’ and partners’ pharmaceutical production processes, not just in Asia, but around the world.
Singapore’s network of FTAs, including agreements with the US, Japan and India, will also prove to be of great benefit to Codexis’ efforts to strengthen its foothold in the fast-growing and dynamic Asia-Pacific markets.
Significance of Codexis’ R&D Centre in Singapore
This R&D centre is especially significant to Singapore for three reasons.First, the establishment of Codexis’ biocatalyst R&D centre is aligned with Singapore’s objective of strengthening our pharmaceutical process R&D capabilities, to support the growing pharmaceutical manufacturing sector here.These capabilities will contribute towards ensuring the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Singapore.Given its strong track record, I am confident that pharmaceutical players in Singapore, both present and future, will find Codexis to be a valuable partner.
Second, as part of Singapore’s progress towards becoming a knowledge-driven economy, we recognise the importance of building capabilities in technology platforms which have a wide range of applications across industries. I am thus pleased to note that Codexis’ biocatalysis technology extends beyond pharmaceutical manufacturing to other industry verticals such as chemicals and biofuels.
Third, Singapore has built up key research capabilities in chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, bioprocess technology and bioinformatics through our efforts to develop the biomedical sciences and chemicals industry clusters.These are relevant disciplines that will support Codexis’ R&D operations in Singapore.Codexis’ investment will therefore open up a whole new spectrum of exciting and high value jobs for our workforce.
Our strategy to develop Singapore’s biomedical sciences industry focuses on attracting both pharmaceutical companies as well as biotechnology companies. There is an increasing interdependence between the two, and we believe that it is critically important to have a diverse range of companies in Singapore in order to create a robust and dynamic biomedical sciences eco-system.I am, therefore, very pleased indeed to welcome Codexis, an innovation-driven biotechnology company, to our shores.
In conclusion, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the management and staff of Codexis on the opening of your biocatalyst R&D centre in Singapore.You can be assured of the Singapore Government’s full commitment to and support for your enterprise.I wish you every success.
Thank you.