Ashraf AI-Ouf, head of pharmaceutical commercial operations in Asia-Pacific at Bayer delivers a speech at the two-day annul Bayer Pharmaceuticals APAC media roundtable in San Sebastian, Spain, affirming that Bayer is poised to address healthcare needs and bring new therapeutic options for patients across countries. Photo courtesy of Bayer

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN — Bayer, the renowned life science company from Germany, has recently reaffirmed its dedication to advance healthcare solutions for patients in Asia Pacific (APAC) including Việt Nam with diverse healthcare landscapes and varying patient needs.

With that commitment, the company aims to lead healthcare innovation in the region, delivering breakthrough treatments and addressing the region's most urgent medical needs.

During the two-day annual Bayer Pharmaceuticals APAC media roundtable in San Sebastian, Spain, Bayer highlighted its readiness to address a wide range of healthcare issues beyond cardiovascular diseases. The company's product portfolio for regional markets includes innovative therapies in areas such as oncology, ophthalmology, women’s health, and radiology.

“Amid concerning projections, we are poised to address healthcare needs and bring new therapeutic options for patients across countries in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania,” affirmed Ashraf AI-Ouf, head of pharmaceutical commercial operations in Asia-Pacific at Bayer.

At the roundtable, Bayer disclosed its accelerated efforts in pharmaceutical innovation and clinical research with 34 ongoing clinical trials in the region, underscoring its commitment to advancing medical research and enhancing patient outcomes. The company highlighted its significant investment in cutting-edge research, particularly in cell and gene therapies.

Following initial investments in these technologies, the company's drug development pipeline in cell and gene therapies has expanded to include multiple programmes at various stages of development, ranging from preclinical to advanced clinical stages. Alongside cardiovascular diseases, key research areas in cell and gene therapies encompass neurology, rare diseases, and ophthalmology.

This year, Bayer is making strides in treating patients with Parkinson's disease by pioneering investigational cell and gene therapies. Notably, the investigational gene therapy, currently in clinical Phase II, has earned the Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Concurrently, investigational cell therapy, also designated as such, is enrolling its first patients for a Phase III clinical study, with Australia being among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region involved in this trial.

Furthermore, Bayer has achieved a significant milestone with the FDA's fast-track designation granted for an investigational cell therapy targeting specific forms of inherited retinal diseases. This innovative clinical study employs induced pluripotent stem cell-derived photoreceptor cells to restore vision by replacing damaged retinal cells with healthy ones, marking a groundbreaking approach in treatment.

“Bayer is leveraging its global expertise while adapting to local market dynamics in Asia-Pacific,” Ashraf stressed.

To enhance research and development activities, Bayer has strengthened collaborations with partners and local authorities.

The company has established two life science incubators in Asia, namely Bayer Co Lab Kobe and the largest co-creation incubator in APAC, Bayer Co Lab Shanghai. These initiatives focus on nurturing early-stage biotech innovation in areas like cell and gene therapy and oncology.

Beyond its pursuits in cell and gene therapies, Bayer is advancing various modalities across disease areas such as cardiovascular, oncology, women's health, radiology, and ophthalmology.

Aligned with its mission of "Health For All, Hunger For None," Bayer remains steadfast in shaping the future of healthcare through innovation, strategic investments, and an unwavering commitment to improving patient outcomes in Asia-Pacific and worldwide. — VNS