AstraZeneca announced that it plans to establish a Predictive Science Centre in St. Petersburg over the coming year. The move strengthens AstraZeneca’s investments in Russia and supports the Russian Government’s strategy to modernise and develop the country’s pharmaceutical sector.

The new AstraZeneca Predictive Science Centre, 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 Centre through collaborations with local companies and organisations as part of a related agreement with the St. Petersburg government to be announced later this week.

Earlier this year, the company began construction of a new $ 150 million manufacturing facility in the Kaluga region to supply Russia with innovative AstraZeneca medicines that are locally manufactured. In addition, AstraZeneca has established several partnerships with Russian development institutes, including the Skolkovo Innovation Centre and Russia Venture Company, to share its global R&D expertise through research collaborations, grant programs, and clinical trials.

The new R&D and manufacturing investments, combined with the growing operational sales and marketing capabilities and an increased clinical research focus in Russia, reinforce AstraZeneca’s long term commitment to the country and constitute a significant contribution to the Russian economy of $ 1.2 billion over the next five years.

Speaking today at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, David Brennan, Chief Executive of AstraZeneca, said: “Russia is a dynamic economy where our growing investments will help us to offer to patients AstraZeneca’s portfolio of innovative medicines. We are pleased to contribute to the development of an innovative healthcare sector through our local research and manufacturing capabilities, established operations, and scientific and educational collaborations.”

Achieving continuing growth is a strategic priority for AstraZeneca in Russia where the company achieved sales of more than $ 200 million in 2010. AstraZeneca is in the top five pharmaceutical companies in the hospital and oncology segments and is the fastest-growing company in the retail pharmaceutical sector with Nexium and Symbicort as its leading products.

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease.