NN-CAS Foundation

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Founding: CAS was founded in Beijing on 1st November 1949 on the basis of the former Academia Sinica (Central Academy of Sciences) and Peiping Academy of Sciences.

Status: CAS is a leading academic institution and comprehensive research and development center in natural science, technological science and high-tech innovation in China.

President: Prof. Dr-Ing Lu Yongxiang

Organization: Under CAS there are five Academic Divisions,108 scientific research institutes, over 200 science and technology enterprises, and more than 20 supporting units including one university, one graduate school and five documentation and information centers. They are distributed over various parts of the country. 12 branches of CAS were established in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hefei, Changchun, Shenyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, Lanzhou and Xinjiang.

Staff: CAS has a total staff of over 58,000, of whom 39,000 are scientific personnel according to 2000 figures.

2007-03-04

Novo Nordisk and the Chinese Academy of Sciences establish research foundation in China

Novo Nordisk and the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) today signed an agreement that establishes a joint research foundation in China. The aim of Novo Nordisk-Chinese Academy of Science Research Foundation (NN-CAS Foundation) is to fund or co-fund activities of common interest within the fields of diabetes and biopharmaceuticals including related disciplines and technologies such as protein chemistry, immunology, inflammation, toxicology, oncology, endocrinology and drug delivery.

“We look forward to a fruitful cooperation with Novo Nordisk,” says Professor Zhu Chen, CAS Vice President and Chair Person of the NN-CAS Foundation. “Chinese and Danish scientists share a history of excellent collaborations which the new foundation will further strengthen. Novo Nordisk is well recognised in China for its major role in preventing and treating diabetes. We are very pleased to collaborate with Novo Nordisk and believe the collaboration will be of great benefit to both parties.”

In January 2002, Novo Nordisk established a world class R&D centre in Beijing, which is the first R&D centre in China established by international bio-pharmaceutical companies. After five years of R&D activities in China, Novo Nordisk decided to cooperate with CAS and fund 2,000,000 US dollars in supporting research in diabetes and biopharmaceuticals.

“This cooperation illustrates the great attention Novo Nordisk pays to China as well as our long-term commitment to help in further developing the Chinese healthcare system” says Dr Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk. He also emphasises that Novo Nordisk will continue to launch new products in China and increase the company’s R&D presence in the country.