The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Philippines) Inc. have entered into a landmark agreement to establish the country's first pharmaceutical innovation hub, marking a significant milestone in the Philippines' healthcare infrastructure development. The memorandum of understanding was signed by PEZA Director General Tereso Panga and AstraZeneca Philippines country president Lotis Ramin, with Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque witnessing the ceremony.
Multi-Stakeholder Health Innovation Hub
The agreement establishes AstraZeneca's Multi-Stakeholder Health Innovation Hub in the Philippines, the first of its kind in the PEZA ecozone network. This flagship project is designed to position the country as a regional center for digital health technology, research and development collaboration, and patient-centered healthcare solutions across the ASEAN region.
The hub will be modeled after AstraZeneca's prestige pharmaceutical hub in the United Kingdom, bringing international standards and expertise to the Philippine healthcare landscape. Both PEZA and AstraZeneca envision positioning the Philippines as an ASEAN hub for health-related production, distribution, and R&D collaboration.
Oncology Innovation Center Launch
The first project under the Innovation Hub will be an Oncology Innovation Center, which represents a cutting-edge approach to cancer care in the region. The center will harness artificial intelligence for early cancer detection, expand patient-support systems, build healthcare workforce capacity, and promote evidence-based policy development.
This AI-driven approach to oncology represents a significant advancement in the Philippines' cancer care capabilities, potentially improving early detection rates and patient outcomes through technology-enhanced diagnostic processes.
Investment Promotion and Economic Impact
Under the partnership agreement, AstraZeneca will actively support the Philippines' investment promotion initiatives by facilitating business forums, investment briefings, business-to-business match-making sessions, and international delegations. These efforts are designed to attract both local and foreign investors to healthcare-related investments in the country.
PEZA will reciprocate by helping AstraZeneca identify viable locations for its healthcare projects within ecozones, providing guidance on regulatory requirements, and linking the company with support industries and potential joint venture partners.
"The pharma innovation hub shows what we can achieve when global expertise meets local commitment," said DTI Secretary Cristina Roque. "This partnership with AstraZeneca and PEZA is a big step toward President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s goal of making medicines more affordable and accessible, while also laying the foundation for the Philippines to become a hub for research, digital health, and new medical investments."
Strategic Healthcare Development
PEZA Director General Panga emphasized that the hub is part of the agency's broader plan to establish more medical-centered ecozones. "We want to attract more companies that are into development, manufacturing and research in the medical field in order to create a value chain that will lead to the lowering of cost of medicines for Filipinos," Panga stated.
The pharmaceutical sector represents one of the Philippines' fastest-growing industries, with more than 14 multinational companies currently operating in the country. This new innovation hub is expected to further accelerate growth in the sector while improving healthcare accessibility for Filipino patients.
The initiative reflects the Department of Trade and Industry's commitment to linking trade, industry, and healthcare for the benefit of the Filipino people, representing a comprehensive approach to healthcare infrastructure development that combines economic growth with improved patient care.
