3M Drug Delivery Systems Grows Partnerships in Asia

ST. PAUL, Minn., April 15 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- 3M Drug Delivery Systems recently advanced its participation in the Asian market with a sponsorship of the Asia Pharma R&D Leaders 2010 event, held March 4 and 5 in Shanghai, China. The event, organized by Global Leaders Institute, the leading life science event producer in China, brings together leading pharmaceutical industry professionals, policymakers, and academics to discuss Asia's role in the manufacturing, research and development of today's drug and biotech innovations, as well as opportunities for future growth.

3M Drug Delivery Systems is playing an active role in the growth of the pharmaceutical industry in Asia, with its recent construction of a new laboratory facility at the 3M Singapore site in Yishun. The laboratory is 3M Drug Delivery Systems' first contract research and development facility in the Asia Pacific region dedicated to pharmaceutical product development. The country's infrastructure makes it an ideal hub for 3M's Asia Pacific customers and Singapore's scientific talent pool adds to the site's appeal. The Singapore lab will develop products in both the inhalation and transdermal drug delivery categories, bringing 3M's innovative inhalers and patches to pharmaceutical customers and patients in the Asia Pacific region.

Research conducted at the Singapore facility will contribute to 3M Drug Delivery Systems' growing capabilities and product portfolio. Since its invention of the metered-dose inhaler (MDI) 50 years ago, the company has remained a pioneer in the technology and now offers a full suite of MDI development and manufacturing capabilities and components, including the 3M(TM) Integrated Dose by Dose Counter. Additional technologies are available to improve patient experiences and help ensure the technical success of clients' products.

Other recent offerings in inhalation include the 3M(TM) Taper Dry Powder Inhaler, which stores API on a microstructured carrier tape, virtually eliminating the need for lactose or complex powder formulations as well as 3M Conix(TM) Dry Powder Inhaler, which uses reverse-flow cyclone technology to enable a patient's inhalation to efficiently aerosolize the drug. The company has also recently introduced two new inhaler components, the 3M(TM) Face Seal Valve, which eliminates the need to prime an inhaler, and 3M(TM) Plasma Coating Technology, which provides protection from degradation, deposition and corrosion.

In addition to its inhalation and transdermal technologies, the company also offers a portfolio of TLR-based vaccine adjuvants, as well as services in Transdermal components, packaging films and manufacturing. In addition to its Singapore laboratory, the company has research facilities in the US and the UK, as well as manufacturing sites in the US, UK, and South America.

For more information, visit http://www.3M.com/dds .

About 3M Drug Delivery Systems

3M Drug Delivery Systems partners with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to develop pharmaceuticals using 3M's inhalation or transdermal drug delivery technology. 3M offers a full range of feasibility, development and manufacturing capabilities combined with regulatory guidance to help bring products to market. In-house resources, including toxicology, regulatory expertise, quality assurance, operations, and marketed product support, are available for each step of the development and commercialization process. This depth of resources is one reason why more than 50 percent of all metered-dose inhalers worldwide and 80 percent of all transdermal systems in the United States utilize 3M drug delivery technology. For more information, please visit http://www.3M.com/dds or call 1-800-643-8086.

About 3M Health Care

3M Health Care, one of 3M's six major business segments, provides world- class innovative products and services to help health care professionals improve the practice, delivery and outcome of patient care in medical, oral care, drug delivery and health information markets.

3M is a trademark of 3M Company.

About Global Leaders Institute

Global Leaders Institute is the producer and organizer of top-level business events. We focus on the development and operation of the strategic, market leading business conference. We focus on the specialty spirit and professional attainment. We focus on value creation for our client. We provide 60 annual conferences across energy, finance, transportation, life science, real estate, telecom and media, etc. each year. For more information, please visit http://www.globaleaders.com .

    For further information, please contact:

     Michael Gugala
     Karwoski & Courage
     Tel:   +1-612-342-9604
     Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Global Leaders Institute