Local Talent, Global Ambition

By Laura Knox-Wallar

WHY ROCHE CHOSE ONTARIO FOR ITS GLOBAL PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT SITE

In 2011, through the efforts of Roche Canada’s executive team and the Government of Ontario, the Mississauga-based Canadian affiliate won the bid to house one of five global pharmaceutical development sites for Roche, the world’s largest biotechnology company.

In a province where innovation, collaboration and a knowledge-based economy are high priorities, it is no wonder why Swiss healthcare giant Hoffmann–La Roche chose to bring 200 of the brightest biotech minds in the world to its Roche Canada headquarters in Mississauga, ON. Roche Canada president and CEO Ronnie Miller believes Ontario was an ideal location for the site.

“There are certainly advantages for us to house the pharmaceutical development site here. For starters, the company has built strong relationships both in Canada, innovating here since 1931, and within Ontario forging relationships and making connections with the province’s scientific community.”

He also has high praise for the Ontario government, both for its commitment to the biotech and life science sectors in the province, and for supporting the bid to house the site with a financial commitment of $7.79 million from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.

“They have reached out, they have been good partners and they have tried to encourage investment in the sector. Like us they are trying to stimulate business in Ontario, and Ontario’s strategic priority in the life sciences is clear. It’s easy to align ourselves with the Ontario government’s innovation agenda, promoting excellence in research and investing in global opportunities. It makes Ontario an attractive jurisdiction to invest in as well as an attractive partner. These factors made it easier for us to sell the idea of expanding operations in Ontario to our parent company.”

In terms of its position within the company, Roche Canada is known for punching above its commercial weight. This coupled with the strong long-term relationship that already exists with the research community in Ontario, beginning with the establishment of its head office here in 1986, were all key reasons that Ontario was chosen to house the site.

According to Miller, with such high stakes in the research and development sector, Roche’s decision to grow its R&D expertise in Ontario correlates with local government’s high strategic priority on the life sciences as well as the province’s reputation for excellence in education and innovation. Moreover, the political climate in Ontario is hospitable for those in the business of innovation and will aid the five year $190 million dollar expansion project of the pharmaceutical development site for Roche.

“What has been good is the government of Ontario’s intention to develop an innovation based economy and they are trying very hard to do that. We worked very well in partnership with the provincial and federal government. It is one of those areas that is very difficult to align and we were aligned.”

The centre will build on the clinical expertise within the Roche global network focusing on managing clinical trials currently underway in more than 60 countries. At the same time, it provides medical writing and biostatics, and supports other Roche sites around the world. Individuals at the centre manage operations for all stages of global clinical trial research, significantly contributing to the development of highly innovative medicines to benefit patients worldwide.

The site also complements Roche’s current activities in Canada. The company’s strong clinical research base in the province is another factor that propelled Roche Canada to the top of the competitive list of jurisdictions around the world being considered for the newest global pharmaceutical development site.

Miller also pointed to issues of practicality and logistics while discussing the decision to place Roche’s global pharmaceutical development site in Mississauga.

“Travelling is the nature of the beast these days and Toronto is well placed for travel all over the world. With our main headquarters in Switzerland and our main development site in California, Ontario offers a geographic middle ground for Roche, in trying to communicate and operate across time zones. This is a benefit that could apply to many biotechnology companies based in Europe or California,

Roche Canada president and CEO, Ronnie Miller

making Ontario, if for no other reason, a practical location to do business.”

Already, Roche Canada employs 900 people across the country, including the Diagnostics division of the company with Canadian headquarters in Laval, Quebec.

The availability of talent as such was a key component in selecting Ontario to host the site.

“I think the biggest asset Ontario provides to companies like us is its deep talent pool. We have been very impressed with the quality of the people we have hired locally for the site and I think this reflects the fact that the province does wonderful research – it produces great scientists, and sometimes you need to look locally before you look globally.”

Miller has high hopes for the spin-off effects of the global development site in Ontario and its impact on the local economy. The new site has not only brought highly specialized jobs to Ontario, but he believes it will also create a myriad of benefits for Ontario’s scientific community. This includes providing new opportunities for collaboration in the discovery and development of medicines.

“The possibility of leveraging local talent is a very real one that benefits a province that produces a high number of highly skilled scientists but struggles to keep them within its borders,” he explains.

The centre may also prove useful in establishing future public/private partnerships between Roche and the province’s researchers in such key areas as the oncology, cardiovascular disease and central nervous system (CNS) spaces.

“There’s a lot of great local research organizations here to work with such as Princess Margaret Hospital, a world class cancer centre,” he said.

Perhaps most important is the impact the pharmaceutical development site and its potential success will have on expanding Ontario as a key biotech market for other companies, and ultimately, bring more jobs to the province.

“I think it will be a real boost for the whole sector in Ontario because it is such a major investment. We’ve made the investment and I hope other companies will follow suit. We view ourselves as an example of why more companies should consider setting up shop in Ontario. When I walk through the cafeteria and I see all these young new faces, coming from the local university systems and other companies, it’s very exciting and it will be interesting to see that develop over the coming years. I also think Ontario would like to be at the centre of the world’s research and development for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics and I think it is very well on its way.”

By attracting the brightest minds, developing leading edge therapies and eradicating disease in its own backyard, Ontario’s reputation of excellence, climate for innovation and appetite for growth will launch the province into this century’s biotechnology revolution.

To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/ local-talent-global-ambition/