VOLUME 41 NO.11 NOV 2009 MICA (P) 031/01/2009 PRESIDENT’S FORUM AH GU HOBBIT TWELVE Reasons TRAVELOGUE PENANG: palate- pleasing paradise! Interview with Chairman Philip Yeo r Philip Yeo is Special Advisor for Economic Development in the Prime Minister's Office and also Chairman of SPRING MSingapore, a government agency with the mission of enabling Singapore's small and medium enterprises to broaden and deepen Singapore's economy. He was Chairman at the Economic Development Board (EDB) from Jan 1986 to Jan 2001 and then Co-Chairman EDB from Feb 2001 to March 2006 with the mission of building up the biomedical sciences industry. From Feb 2001 to March 2007, Mr Yeo was Chairman, Agency for Science, Technology and Research. Mr Yeo is credited as the driving force behind Fusionopolis and Biopolis, both of which are co-located to enhance collaboration across diverse scientific domains and pave the way for multi-disciplinary research. For his formative role in Singapore's life sciences industry, Mr Yeo was awarded the BioSpectrum's Asia Pacific Life Time Achievement Award in March 2009. Once-daily ® FEATURE Many scientists think that an idea is a business, but they are wrong. In the good old days, money could be As monotherapy or in combination with other widely prescribed agents raised easily, until these scientists finally realised that JANUVIA® delivers SUBSTANTIAL glucose VOLUME 41 NO.11 NOVEMBER 2009 an idea is not a business. An idea remains an idea, reductions for a broad range of patients until it is transformed into a product or service. with type 2 diabetes EDITORIAL BOARD In clinical studies,2 EDITOR Dr Toh Han Chong THC: For Singapore to make America’s science has great s Substantial HbA1c reductions through a physiologic mechanism of action DEPUTY EDITOR biomedical sciences one of the competitive advantage. Scientists there Dr Tan Yia Swam successful pillars of the economy, what are not rich, but are happy – their s Generally weight-neutral therapy with are the key ingredients needed? happiness is governed by a different a low risk of hypoglycemia ® MEMBERS PY: The key is to see the link up reward system. Chinese, Korean and Prof Chee Yam Cheng between biotechnology companies, Japanese science is handicapped because s Generally well-tolerated therapy Dr Martin Chio (sitagliptin/metformin, MSD) the pharmaceutical industry and of poor English. A/Prof Daniel Fung s Always once-daily dosing Research and Development (R&D). As initial therapy or for patients not controlled on metformin Dr Hsu Liyang Dr Lim Boon Leng Now, we have GlaxoSmithKline THC: Geographical clusters may Before prescribing, please consult the enclosed full Prescribing Information. ® Dr Jeremy Lim (GSK), Novartis and Eli Lilly create a unique value proposition for JANUMET provides POWERFUL Dr Tan Poh Kiang JANUVIA can be used as an adjunct to diet and exercise as initial therapy, alone laboratories already established here. economic growth and competitiveness. or in combination with metformin, or as an add-on to metformin, PPARG agonist, HbA1c reductions to help more patients Dr Tan Wu Meng sulfonylurea, sulfonylurea + metformin when the current regimen does not Dr Teo Eng Swee Cuthbert The pharmaceutical companies are Can we create an economically vibrant provide adequate glycemic control. with type 2 diabetes get to goal currently creating small R&D centres, cluster system like that between Hong JANUVIA is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to any many of which are specifically disease- Kong and Shenzhen? components of this product. In clinical studies, EX-OFFICIO When JANUVIA is used in combination with a sulfonylurea, a lower dose of Dr Chong Yeh Woei focused. What I planned in the early PY: Hong Kong is part of China, so the the sulfonylurea may be considered to reduce the risk of sulfonylurea- s Powerful HbA reductions to help more patients Dr Abdul Razakjr Omar induced hypoglycemia. 1c 2000s was that we should encourage relationship between both is like a house 3 A dosage adjustment is recommended in patients with moderate or get to goal (HbA1c goal <7%) this setting; we are the only other and windows. Singapore, on the other severe renal insufficiency or with end-stage renal disease requiring EDITORIAL MANAGER country in Asia, apart from Japan, hand, has no hinterland. If Malaysia and hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. s Weight loss and less hypoglycemia (with sitagliptin Ms Krysania Tan where such a critical mass of major Indonesia succeed, we will also succeed In clinical studies, the adverse reactions reported, regardless 4 of investigator assessment of causality, in r 5% of patients 100 mg + metformin) vs a sulfonylurea + metformin pharmaceutical companies is situated. because we are part of this geographical treated with sitagliptin as monotherapy and in combination therapy with metformin or pioglitazone and more s Comprehensive mechanism that targets EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE location; we cannot row away! I am of commonly than in patients treated with placebo, 2 Ms Gracia Ong THC: Even in the context of Asia, the opinion that we should learn Bahasa were upper respiratory tract infection, 3 key defects of type 2 diabetes nasopharyngitis, and headache. can we excel against the Chinese, the in addition to Mandarin. Before prescribing, please consult the enclosed full Prescribing Information. Koreans and the Japanese in basic The views and opinions expressed in all the articles JANUMET is contraindicated in patients with: are those of the authors. These are not the views science and R&D? THC: Many pharmaceutical companies s Renal disease or renal dysfunction, eg, as suggested by serum creatinine levels r1.5 mg/dL [males], of the Editorial Board nor the SMA Council unless PY: St Jude Children’s Research are moving their operations and R&D r1.4 mg/dL [females] specifically stated so in writing. The contents of the Newsletter are not to be printed in whole or in part Hospital in Tennessee has only 56 beds to China. Is that of concern to our own s+NOWNHYPERSENSITIVITYTOSITAGLIPTINPHOSPHATE METFORMINHydrochloride, or any other component of JANUMET without prior written approval of the Editor. for paediatric cancer treatments and biomedical enterprise? s!CUTEORCHRONICMETABOLICACIDOSIS INCLUDINGDIABETICKETOacidosis Published by the PY: JANUMET can be used to improve glycemic control as an adjunct to diet and exercise as initial therapy, in the Director is now on the A*STAR China is focusing largely on Singapore Medical Association, patients inadequately controlled on metformin or sitagliptin alone, in patients using sitagliptin + metformin Level 2, Alumni Medical Centre, 2 College Road, Biomedical Sciences International producing for its huge market. Another in combination, and in combination with a sulfonylurea in patients inadequately controlled with any 2 of Singapore 169850. Advisory Panel. The crux is in issue is that of intellectual property, the 3 agents: metformin, sitagliptin, or a sulfonylurea. Tel: 6223 1264 When JANUMET is used in combination with a sulfonylurea, a lower dose of the Fax: 6224 7827 developing specialised areas. Focusing if R&D is to take place. The problem sulfonylurea may be considered to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. Email: [email protected] on a specific disease is important is not of compliance, but one of In clinical studies, the most common adverse reactions reported, regardless of investigator URL: http://www.sma.org.sg but we should not allow research in enforcement. It is tough because China assessment of causality, in r5% of patients and more commonly than in patients treated SMA Reg. No.: ROS 198/59 TAP with placebo were as follows: diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache one area to continue forever if it is is such a big country. (for sitagliptin and metformin combination therapy); nasopharyngitis (for sitagliptin monotherapy); and diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, flatulence, abdominal discomfort, For classified advertisements and not fruitful. Money is finite, so it The big pharmaceuticals are here: professional announcements, please contact SMA. indigestion, asthenia, and headache (for metformin therapy). should be reallocated. One must find GSK, Novartis, Genentech/Roche, For other advertising enquiries, please contact some laboratories to close and others Merck/Schering-Plough, Abbott, and References: 1. IMS Health, NPA Plus™, October 2006 − 3 October 2008. 2. Data on file, MSD Singapore Equity Communications Pte Ltd 3. Williams-Herman D et al. Efficacy and safety of initial combination therapy with sitagliptin and Tel: 6324 4337 to support, but still look after the Pfizer. I have been involved in this area metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes: a 54-week study. Current Medical Research and MERCK SHARP & DOHME (I.A.) CORP. Opinion, March 2009, Vol.25, No.3, p.569 − 583 4. Nauck MA, Meininger G, Sheng laboratory staff at the same time. since I was at EDB in 1986; I started 300 Beach Road #13-02 The Concourse Singapore 199555 D, et al; for Sitagliptin Study Group 024. Efficacy and safety of the dipeptidyl Tel: (65) 6296 7772 Fax: (65) 6296 0005 peptidase-4 inhibitor, sitagliptin, compared to the sulfonylurea, glipizide, in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on JANUVIA® (sitagliptin) and JANUMET® (sitagliptin/metformin) are trademarks of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. metformin alone: a randomized, doubleblind, non-inferiority SMA News november 2009 3 Copyright ® 2008 Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. 06-10 JAN-2009-SG-4272-J trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2007;9:194 − 205. FEATURE off with biotechnology investments in 1990, and have built up our know-how since then. In mid 1990s, we decided to delve into chemicals, which involved oil and gas, petroleum and pharmaceuticals and started doing biomedical developments in 2000. Many drugs involve small molecules and links to GPCR receptors; this leads to side effects. More science is needed to accomplish targeted treatment. THC: That is true; many of the new small molecules in cancer are not as effective as initially hoped.