Launch of a New National Consortium to Advance Clinical Research and Innovation for Singapore

• A new national consortium – the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS) – has been officially launched by the Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung on 6 April 2022

• CRIS brings together five key national R&D, clinical translation and service initiatives that will advance clinical research and innovation for Singapore, and establish important capabilities for a future-ready healthcare system

In 2000, the Government launched the biomedical sciences initiative to build the biomedical industry as the fourth pillar of the economy. This has led to peaks of scientific excellence, robust infrastructure, a pipeline for talent for biomedical research, and translation of discoveries into tangible capabilities and commercial enterprises.

Leveraging these developments to advance healthcare capabilities and create economic value for Singapore, the Consortium for Clinical Research and Innovation, Singapore (CRIS) has been established to bring together five key national R&D, clinical translation and service initiatives that are under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health.

These are:

1. Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI)

2. National Health Innovation Centre, Singapore (NHIC)

3. Advanced Cell Therapy and Research Institute, Singapore (ACTRIS)

4. Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE)

5. Singapore Translational Cancer Consortium (STCC)

Refer to Annex 1 for more information about each initiative.

“As Singapore’s basic science capabilities and talent base have begun to mature, and as our research initiatives find footing to deliver impact, it is timely to bring them under one roof. Together as CRIS, we seek to ensure a unity of mission across our programmes, synergise our capabilities, scientific resources and industry engagement. This way, we stay relevant and aligned to the needs of Singapore patients, healthcare system and researchers, and build long-term sustainability for these efforts,” said Dr Danny Soon, Chief Executive Officer of CRIS and Executive Director of SCRI.

At the CRIS official launch ceremony held on 6 April 2022, two of CRIS’s initiatives – ACTRIS and SCRI – announced the following partnerships:

1. ACTRIS and NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has jointly launched a professional certification course on the principles and practice of cell therapy. This course is the first of its kind in Asia and will equip healthcare professionals and biomedical personnel with the necessary training and knowledge in immuno-therapeutics. Refer to Annex 2 for more details.

2. SCRI will be partnering a local health-tech company Oncoshot to leverage its technology which has the potential to significantly enhance the initiation, screening and enrolment of patients into oncology trials conducted at public healthcare institutions. Refer to Annex 3 for more details.

Moving ahead, CRIS aims to build networks and collaborations for regional clinical trials, perform cost-effectiveness assessments for healthcare interventions, and foster industry engagement to fulfil the CRIS Vision – “to nurture and build cutting edge capabilities and innovation in clinical research and translation for Singapore”.

CRIS Chairman, Professor John Lim said: “With Singapore pivoting to a Healthier SG strategy, focusing on community and preventive care, CRIS will support MOH’s and national priorities by identifying impactful health-tech innovation through NHIC, supporting preventive health through appropriate implementation of precision medicine at PRECISE, gleaning a good understanding of cost-effectiveness in cancer and cell therapies at STCC and ACTRIS, and promoting an efficient environment for relevant clinical trials through SCRI. In this way, CRIS aims to keep Singapore at the forefront of clinical and translational research innovation, while actively advancing the sustainability, affordability and quality of Singapore’s healthcare system.”