It has been reported that GlaxoSmithKline intends to spend $40 million this year on its new facility in Shanghai, China which is expected to become one of the drug major’s largest research centres globally.

China Daily reports that the company aims to recruit 50 to 100 top international scientists each year for ten years and quotes Amy Huang, president of GSK operations on the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, as saying that “China will not only be famous as the world's factory, but also attract (global attention) to its R&D for the pharmaceutical industry". The Shanghai facility will focus on neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, the news agency added.

Shanghai has become an exceedingly popular location for pharmaceutical firms of late. Novartis announced last November that it will spend $100 million on a facility there and Eli Lilly is spending a similar amount to set up a research centre there, China Daily adds.