DuBiotech Announces Partnership with Swiss Biotech Association
Dubai: 25 October, 2009 - Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech), the major life sciences hub in the Middle East and a member of TECOM Investments, today announced it has signed an agreement with the Swiss Biotech Association to promote collaboration between the two organisations.
The agreement was signed by Dr Marco Baccanti, Executive Director of DuBiotech, and Domenico P. Alexakis, CEO of the Swiss Biotech Association, at an event hosted by Christian D. Watts, Diplomatic Counsellor and Regional Director for the Swiss Trade and Investment Promotion - IMEA. The event was also attended by Peter Harradine, President of Swiss Business Council, and representatives of the major biotechnology companies at the life sciences cluster in Dubai.
In addition to collaboration between the two biotechnology organisations, one of the initiatives under the agreement includes a campaign to raise awareness among the Swiss biotechnology and medical technology companies about the Middle East’s growing healthcare market and the benefits offered by DuBiotech as a life sciences free zone.
Dr Marco Baccanti, Executive Director, DuBiotech, said:
Considering the strategic importance and the technology advancement of the Swiss biotechnology and medical technology sectors, and the benefits the DuBiotech platform offers to these industries, the agreement is an ideal move to ensure mutual advantages to the UAE and Swiss biotechnology companies.
Domenico P. Alexakis, CEO of Swiss Biotech Association, said:
We are actively supporting all our 183 members to develop their business opportunities. With the collaboration between DuBiotech and the national industry association, the awareness level will increase and generate additional value for the industry.
The Swiss Biotech Association’s members are well connected to a cluster of 400 Swiss medical technology companies. The association will offer all these companies an opportunity to participate in seminars in the Middle East that will be co-organised by DuBiotech and the Swiss Biotech Association.
Currently, DuBiotech hosts some of the world's top pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies such as Pfizer, Genzyme and Merck Serono, and has firmly established itself as a globally recognised centre for the life science industries.
Notes to Editors
About DuBiotech
Established in February 2005, the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech) is a leading life sciences cluster in the Middle East, and a member of TECOM Investments. The free zone currently hosts 62 major pharmaceutical firms including Pfizer, Genzyme, Merck-Serono and Amgen, as well as companies specialized in biomedical and scientific devices, biotechnology, cosmesis, and enzymes.
DuBiotech offers flexible laboratory space as one of the key components of the sprawling business park. In addition to hosting a range of assets varying from offices to warehouses and land for manufacturing, the 22 million sq. ft. biotechnology cluster enjoys a strategic location with world-class infrastructure.
A number of free zone-associated incentives such as full ownership, tax-free profit repatriation and business friendly environment that DuBiotech offers makes the cluster an ideal destination for life sciences companies seeking to address the fast growing regional markets.
About Swiss Business Hub GCC
The ‘Swiss Business Hub GCC’ offers to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) from Switzerland and Liechtenstein specific services for strengthening and developing their business relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Based in Dubai and with offices in Kuwait, Riyadh and Jeddah (at the respective Swiss Embassies and Swiss Consulate Generals) the Business Hub benefits from a widespread network of contact in the Middle East. The SMEs, therefore, enjoy direct access to major players in the commercial, social, political, scientific and cultural fields. The flexible, transparent and independent infrastructure enables prompt client-oriented services. http://www.osec.ch/internet/osec/en/home/export/countries/ae/export.html
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