The expanding economies of Asia and Central and South America are providing fertile ground for middle-market pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies looking to grow. While multinationals fill their innovation pipelines in North America, branded and generic producers alike are extending their real estate footprints to reach new markets in Asia and South America, according to JLL’s fourth annual Life Sciences Outlook Report.
“The challenge to stay nimble and respond to sales and manufacturing opportunities is shaping life sciences industry expansion in emerging economies around the world,” said Roger Humphrey, Executive Managing Director and lead of JLL’s Life Sciences group. “Those who can quickly secure sites and the right real estate in new markets will have a competitive advantage for years to come.”
JLL’s 2015 Life Sciences Outlook Report reviews the most promising global clusters, analyzes global trends and ranks the top U.S. life sciences clusters. The chart below shows the leading emerging life sciences clusters around the world (click to enlarge):
Global Competition For Innovation Heats Up
The U.S. and Europe contend with competition from increasingly innovative emerging markets. Europe faces economic challenges and cuts to research funding in most major markets. And it is falling behind the U.S. and Asia in patent development. After a dip in life sciences patent applications in 2012, the U.S. slightly outpaced Japan in 2013 as a world leader in life sciences innovation.
However, Korea and China are steadily encroaching on the U.S. as innovation hubs. They are investing heavily in research parks to expand their life sciences sector. China is also attracting investment and operations from some major global companies spurring domestic start-ups.
“Countries in Asia are rapidly maturing as markets for drugs and biological medicines, but establishing new operations requires some caution,” advised Humphrey. “Market dynamics and processes are considerably different in China or India, for example, than in the U.S. and Europe. And cultural differences require sensitivity in workplace and real estate strategies.”
