AstraZeneca Investing ₱7 Billion to Boost PH Healthcare, Build First Pharma Innovation Hub

AstraZeneca, the multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology giant, is investing ₱7 billion to strengthen healthcare in the Philippines and establish the country’s first Pharma Innovation Hub, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between AstraZeneca Philippines Country President Lotis Ramin and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Tereso O. Panga, and witnessed by DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque, who also chairs the PEZA Board. (Photo: PEZA Facebook)

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on August 19, 2025, between AstraZeneca Philippines Country President Lotis Ramin and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Tereso O. Panga.

The signing was witnessed by DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque, who also chairs the PEZA Board.

AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish firm, is known for its prescription drug portfolio in oncology, cardiovascular, renal & metabolism, respiratory & immunology, and rare diseases.

It also co-developed with the University of Oxford the COVID-19 vaccine Covishield (Vaxzevria), which played a major role in the global pandemic response.

The ₱7-billion investment, to be rolled out over the next three years, will advance scientific innovation in the local healthcare system using a multi-stakeholder approach aimed at driving long-term sector growth.

“By integrating global medical knowledge and pioneering technologies, this collaborative effort aims to set a new benchmark for healthcare innovation and accessibility across the Philippines.

This bold step positions the country as a future leader and emerging center of healthcare innovation in the region,” Ramin said.

The first initiative under the hub will be an Oncology Innovation Center, modeled after AstraZeneca’s hub in the United Kingdom.

The center will use artificial intelligence for early cancer detection, expand patient-support systems, strengthen healthcare workforce capacity, and promote evidence-based policy development.

The hub will also connect the Philippines to AstraZeneca’s global A. Catalyst Network, which links more than 25 innovation hubs worldwide to share expertise and technology.

The network unites entrepreneurs, startups, academics, governments, healthcare institutions, and other industries under a common goal: accelerating innovation to deliver better and more equitable health outcomes.

DTI Secretary Roque stressed that the partnership reflects President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s goal of making medicines more affordable and accessible while positioning the Philippines as a hub for research, digital health, and medical investments.

“The Pharma Innovation Hub shows what we can achieve when global expertise meets local commitment,” Roque said.

Under the MOU, PEZA will help AstraZeneca identify strategic ecozone locations, assist with regulatory processes, and connect the firm with support industries and potential joint venture partners.

PEZA Director General Panga added that the project is part of the agency’s plan to establish more Pharma Zones nationwide.

“We want to attract more companies engaged in development, manufacturing, and research in the medical field to create a value chain that will help lower the cost of medicines for Filipinos. This has been a call of the President that we have embraced and are bringing to fruition," Panga said.

"With AstraZeneca’s entry, we are taking another momentous step toward this shared objective,” he added.

The MOU also outlines initiatives for AstraZeneca to support the Philippines’ investment promotion drive through business forums, investment briefings, business-to-business matchmaking, and international delegations to attract both local and foreign healthcare investments.

According to DTI data, the pharmaceutical sector is among the Philippines’ fastest-growing industries, with more than 14 multinational firms operating in the country.

Under PEZA, over 50 pharmaceutical and medical device companies—including Terumo Philippines, Merck Business Solutions, JMS Healthcare, and Royale Life Pharma—are currently operating in ecozones nationwide.