Sanofi expands drug R&D activities in China

LONDON (Reuters) - France's Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA) said on Tuesday it was expanding its research and development presence in China, underlying a growing trend by global drug companies seeking to tap into the country's science base.

Sanofi is expanding its R&D facility in Shanghai, is establishing a biometrics centre in Beijing and has signed a partnership agreement with the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences for the discovery of new drugs for neurological diseases, diabetes and cancer.

The expansion encompasses all stages of drug R&D, from drug-target identification to late-stage clinical studies.

Sanofi first established its R&D facility in Shanghai in June 2005, since when the unit has been involved in many clinical studies on medicines such as Lantus, rimonabant, Plavix, dronedarone and idrabiotaparinux.

The biometrics centre in Beijing will focus on study design, data management and statistical analysis of global and local clinical trials. It is planned to be fully operational by the end of the year.

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by David Holmes)