Quintiles, the international contract research organization is gearing up to expand its Singapore operations to meet the surging demand for its business in the Asia-Pacific region. The new regional headquarters will be double the size of its existing operations in Singapore and will be the home of the region's largest clinical development organization.

Quintiles' Asia-Pacific growth also has lead to expansion of seven local offices in the region and the addition of a new location in Indonesia.

"Quintiles is the largest and fastest growing clinical development group in Asia," said Dennis Gillings, CBE, chairman and chief executive officer. "Since entering the region in the 1990s, we have built a strong staff of 2,800 clinical development professionals, representing a total of 23 nationalities, who have worked in more clinical trials and with more investigator sites than any other single organization in Asia, he added.

According to Anand Tharmaratnam, Quintiles chief executive officer, Southeast Asia, and head of Clinical Development, Asia Pacific, the expanded facility renews the company's commitment to the region and to its partnership with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

"Our growth in Singapore has been bolstered by the expanding base of companies and research institutes in Singapore's larger biomedical sciences research community," Tharmaratnam said. "We are projecting continued strong growth in the future, and this new facility gives us the room we will need. The new location also will allow us to work more efficiently, share best practices and deliver truly turnkey solutions to our customers."

"Quintiles was the first contract research organization to set up operations here. Its continued growth since the mid 1990s is testament to Singapore's attractiveness as a home base from which contract research organizations as well as pharmaceutical companies manage and coordinate their clinical trials activities in Asia. Quintiles' expansion of its regional headquarters also reaffirms Singapore's position as Asia's leading location for headquarters activities," said Dr Beh Swan Gin, managing director, Singapore Economic Development Board.

Quintiles' Central Laboratory and its Clinical Development Services (CDS) offices will move into approximately 80,000 square feet of space in the Cintech IV building now under construction in Singapore's Science Park One. The move is planned in the 3rd quarter of 2009.

Quintiles also has expanded its offices recently in Manila, Taipei, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Sydney and Hong Kong. The company also has opened an office in Jakarta. In Singapore, Quintiles presently has about 225 employees, occupying close to 40,000 square feet of space in three locations. The new location has a capacity of about 400.

Quintiles entered the Asia Pacific region in 1993 with offices in Japan and Australia before establishing its Singapore.