Drug maker Rohto plans clinical trials in Hong Kong as OASES’ first Japan partner
Top university research, cross-border data exchanges and access to mainland China’s large market have attracted Japanese firm Rohto Pharmaceutical to conduct clinical trials in Hong Kong, making it the first company from the country to partner with the city’s government under a flagship investment initiative. Rohto, known for its over-the-counter eye care and skincare products, is among the…
Japanese drug manufacturer Rohto Pharmaceutical has selected Hong Kong as the site for its inaugural clinical trials, marking the country's first partnership with the city's government through the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES). The firm, renowned for its over-the-counter eye care and skincare products, has joined a group of 18 companies chosen by OASES to bolster Hong Kong's economy.
Kunio Yamada, Rohto's chairman and representative director, cited Hong Kong's superior research capabilities and its close proximity to mainland China as the primary reasons for choosing the city. He highlighted the high level of university research in Hong Kong and the city's connection to the Greater Bay Area, a development plan by Beijing aiming to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province into a single business and innovation hub.
Yamada revealed that Rohto plans to conduct clinical trials for drugs related to eyes, cancer, and cell therapy, leveraging Hong Kong's research capabilities and the city's access to a population of nearly 90 million people within the Greater Bay Area. Takashi Togasaki, Rohto's managing director of the company's research facility in Hong Kong, emphasized the impact of the city's integration with the Greater Bay Area, stating that it has transformed Rohto's strategy for expanding clinical trials in Hong Kong.
The firm has already collaborated with four local universities and is in talks with hospitals in Hong Kong and Shenzhen for potential trials and research. With Hong Kong planning to establish its own drug regulatory body, Togasaki expressed the company's interest in a pathway for conditional approval in regenerative medicine to expedite the rollout of treatments.
Rohto plans to increase its investment and workforce in Hong Kong over the next three to five years, with a targeted expansion from six current employees to around 10 to 15 people. Yamada expressed optimism about Hong Kong's potential for research, reaffirming his confidence in the city for Rohto's future endeavors.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
