ClavystBio, a company established by CLA Real Estate Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek, today announced its launch to accelerate the commercialisation of life sciences discoveries and innovation from Singapore.

The life sciences sector is set to be a key driver of Singapore's future economy. Deep commitment to public research and training has resulted in a rich source of technologies and scientific talent, and today the sector employs 25,000 workers and contributes to about a fifth of the country's manufacturing GDP.

ClavystBio will build on this momentum by supporting early-stage companies, starting with the emerging areas of cell and gene therapy, biomarkers and digital health. To help companies address the lengthy and complex challenges involved in bringing novel solutions to market, ClavystBio introduces an integrated and synergistic approach through these three pillars:

• Collaborate – Create programmes with private and public partners to develop industry and market expertise, drive intellectual property translation and ensure commercial success.
• Venture – Champion early-stage companies and catalyse new start-ups by providing investment and working with them to secure leadership talent, access resources, and connect with strategic partners and follow-on investors.
• Build – Develop a purpose-built innovation district with collaborative life sciences infrastructure and specialised facilities, together with a vibrant community of academic, investor, start-up, industry, and professional partners supporting all stages of company growth.

ClavystBio has already begun delivering on its mission to accelerate life sciences innovation in Singapore by making US$220 million in investment commitments to six early-stage companies and three venture partners to date^[1]. ClavystBio will continue to actively evaluate investment opportunities and explore initiatives to commercialise life sciences innovation from Singapore.

Leadership Team

ClavystBio is led by Chief Executive Officer, Dr Christopher Laing, who is transitioning from his role as Vice Dean, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Duke-NUS Medical School. 

"Ecosystem-building emphasises connectivity and access to talent and resources, which makes Singapore an attractive place for life sciences companies to start and grow. Our unique model brings funding, partnerships and an optimal physical environment to life sciences companies, so that they can accelerate their pathway to commercialisation and help benefit end-users or patients more quickly," said Dr Laing.

ClavystBio is guided by a Board of Directors made up of global industry leaders with collective expertise spanning life sciences, real estate, investment, and entrepreneurship^[2]. The Board is chaired by Dr Fidah Alsagoff, Joint Head of the Enterprise Development Group (Singapore) and Head of Life Sciences, Temasek.

Commenting on the launch, Dr Alsagoff, said: "As a long-term investor in the life sciences field, Temasek is committed to deploying patient capital to catalyse innovative solutions that will improve the well-being of current and future generations. We have observed a burgeoning number of early-stage life sciences commercialisation opportunities and companies in Singapore over the past decade, and see potential for an accelerated pathway to catapult these companies to global success. ClavystBio is well-positioned to fulfil a critical need in the life sciences ecosystem and create a sustainable pipeline of investible opportunities."

Leveraging Accelerated Growth in the Life Sciences Sector

In the past two years, heightened global focus on health security has accelerated the growth of the life sciences sector. Prevailing megatrends such as the emerging global middle income, rapidly ageing population and rising chronic disease burden will drive increased biomedical spending in the next decade. The biopharmaceutical market is projected to reach US$65 billion by 2026^[3].

Mr Wong Kan Seng, Chairman of CLA Real Estate Holdings, said: "Bench to bedside innovations are increasingly prominent in Singapore, paving the way for us to build a world-class life sciences ecosystem. With ClavystBio supporting the acceleration of research discoveries into treatments and cures, there will be a significant boon to life sciences infrastructure opportunities in Singapore. This will help deliver greater and more sustained value to the economy and society."