Under the agreement, SCRC will provide lab testing for local biopharma firms for the most part, however the pair will also work with clients from other countries.
The news follows last year’s launch of Quintiles' Chinese CRO (contract research organisation) Kun Tuo, aimed at helping local companies to conduct regulatory compliant trials and product submissions.
Ling Zhen, general manager for Quintiles’ operations in China, told Outsouring-Pharma.com the new deal will support existing operations by boosting its clinical offering in the area.
"By partnering with SCRC, Quintiles is significantly expanding its capabilities for lab testing to help our customers in China develop new and better medicines whilst leveraging on Quintiles’ global expertise in lab," he said.
Of the type of work the firms will carry out, Zhen said only that it will be in compliance with ISO15189 (International Organisation for Standardisation technical committee’s lab safety requirements), and that services will be “flexible, designed to work for our customers to achieve their testing protocol needs.”
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The firm has also set up a new $14m (€11m) hub in the capital, which it says will provide the infrastructure that will help it to grow in China and other neighbouring Asian countries.
The move is the latest in a line of China-focussed developments for Quintiles, which has made no secret of its desire to become the top service provider there.
Of future developments in the region, Zhen told us: “China is an integral component of the new health landscape, fast becoming one of the key markets for biopharma development and innovation.
“As the pioneer for clinical research in China, Quintiles expects to see continued growth in demand for our services in the next couple of years and we will be offering bespoke solutions in response to the varied and unique business requirements of our business partners.”