Spotlight on Asia

Abbott Nutrition recently announced the opening of the Abbott Nutrition Asia-Pacific Research and Development Center at the Biopolis in Singapore. Experienced Abbott scientists at the Center will lead research and clinical trials in topics such as food and sensory science, clinical nutrition science, novel ingredient evaluation and cognition science. It will enable Abbott scientists to tailor new ingredients, products and flavors and packages to Asian tastes and preferences.

Also at the Biopolis in Singapore, Abbott opened its first pharmaceutical research and development site in Southeast Asia where it will conduct stability studies, including studies on active pharmaceutical ingredients and novel formulations, to support global regulatory requirements for new pharmaceutical products. The work done at the laboratory will enable Abbott to accelerate the development of innovative investigational medicines and potentially deliver new treatments to patients faster in areas such as neuroscience and cancer.

In addition, Abbott Nutrition opened a new, state-of-the-art product manufacturing facility in Singapore to meet increasing demand for nutritional products throughout Asia. Abbott Manufacturing Singapore (AMS), Abbott's first nutrition plant in Asia, will reduce product delivery time and increase product availability for customers in Asia.

Abbott has approximately 8,000 employees in Asia with operations in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

• Abbott's Commitment to Nutrition Research and Development
• Abbott's Commitment to Quality and Safety
• Citizenship

To learn more about Abbott's operations in specific Asian countries, please click here.

 

Abbott's Commitment to Nutrition Research and Development

Abbott has an 80-year tradition of advancing nutrition science. Abbott's nutrition research and development efforts focus on innovative solutions encompassing every life stage – from ensuring babies have a strong start to addressing the unique dietary needs of patients with serious illnesses.

Abbott is a world leader in delivering world-class nutrition products with significant advances in formulation and technology. In fact, in addition to developing the first infant formula Similac, Abbott created the first medical nutritional with Ensure. Abbott introduced the first diabetic nutritional with Glucerna, the first critical care nutritional with Oxepa and Prosure, the first therapeutic nutritional specially designed for cancer.

Dedicated R&D staff: Abbott Nutrition employs more than 400 scientists and engineers in the United States, Europe and Asia. The staff has advanced degrees in fields such as nutrition and food science, chemistry, biology and engineering. Many Abbott scientists have published important discoveries explaining the impact of nutrition interventions on overall patient health.

Scientific leadership: Abbott Nutrition scientists work on a variety of programs, including product development, clinical studies in human nutrition, and package development. Among other innovations, Abbott scientists have pioneered:

• Infant formulas containing unique nutrient and ingredient blends that help advance the development of infants' eyes, brains, bones and immune systems and specially designed formulas to meet the unique dietary needs of premature and low-birth-weight babies
• Therapeutic nutrition products designed to meet the unique dietary needs of patients with serious illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, lung disease and kidney disease
• Safe, easy-to-use and award-winning food packages
• Novel ingredient processing techniques
• Widely-used analytical test methods

Abbott's Commitment to Quality and Safety

Abbott is a global quality leader with a proven track record of safety. Abbott Manufacturing Singapore employs world-class process controls and practices consistent with those used in all of Abbott's facilities around the world.

• Ingredient and product safety: Abbott ensures that its products meet international safety standards. Abbott's infant and follow-on formulas are produced with high-quality milk and milk protein sourced

  Product quality and integrity are tested at every stage of production. Each batch of product undergoes 1,500 quality checks before it is released for sale.

  from top-quality suppliers in Europe and New Zealand.
• Supplier qualification and monitoring: Abbott suppliers must meet applicable local regulatory requirements and undergo a rigorous qualification process before Abbott purchases ingredients from them. Prior to use, the company assesses each lot of ingredients to ensure compliance with Abbott's purity and identity specifications.
• Advanced laboratories: Abbott Manufacturing Singapore houses state-of-the-art microbiology, analytical and sampling laboratories. Abbott keeps a record of every test conducted on its products.
• Staff training: Abbott Manufacturing Singapore employees receive extensive training on safety and quality protocols, as well as Abbott's values and philosophy.
  • The facility offered more than 7,000 training sessions in 2008.
  • Of the plant's 300 employees, 50 are solely devoted to quality assurance.
• Testing: Product quality and integrity are tested at every stage – from selection and approval of ingredients throughout production – and at regular intervals during a product's shelf life. This testing includes significant ingredient and microbacterial analysis. Each batch of product undergoes 1,500 quality checks before it is released for sale.
• State-of-the-art manufacturing: Abbott Manufacturing Singapore is fully certified according to Good Manufacturing Practices and shares best practices with Abbott plants around the world.
• The same product quality: Abbott products made in Singapore contain the same high-quality ingredients and undergo the same testing standards as Abbott products made anywhere else in the world.
• Compliance with quality measures: Abbott meets or exceeds applicable local regulatory requirements, as well as quality guidelines and protocols issued by numerous international authorities including the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Citizenship

Abbott is proud to support the Giao Diem Pediatric Nutritional Supplement Program. Here, children receive daily nutrition supplements, including multivitamins and locally produced soymilk. Global citizenship is an integral part of Abbott's mission to improve people's lives in Asia and around the world. Responsible citizenship is critical to Abbott's long-term competitiveness, and is reflected in how it conducts business as a global company, protects the environment and builds healthier communities. Abbott sponsors Tokyo-based Crossroads Institute, providing advanced training for physicians throughout the region on interventional cardiology procedures. In Singapore, Abbott is implementing several initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its operations, including programs to conserve water and use environmentally responsible building practices at Abbott Manufacturing Singapore. In China, the Abbott Fund supported the creation of the Institute for Nutrition Science at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center to strengthen pediatric nutrition through health care staff training, clinical research, and school-based education and community outreach. In India, the Abbott Fund has invested more than $6 million since 2001 to support children affected by HIV/AIDS through community-based programs. In Vietnam, Abbott and the Abbott Fund are helping to address pediatric malnutrition in rural areas through expansion of nutrition education and supplement programs for school children, training and community education. Abbott and the Abbott Fund have provided about $20 million in disaster relief and humanitarian aid across Asia since 2006. Recognition China: Named 2006 and 2007 "Best Foreign Investment Company" by the Huangpu District. Hong Kong: Won the "Caring Company Award" from the Hong Kong Council of Social Service every year from 2003-2008. Korea: Named 2008 "Best Foreign Corporation" in Korea by the Korea Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice. Taiwan: Golden Merchant Award for Outstanding Foreign Firms by the General Chamber of Commerce.