The commencement ceremony for WuXi AppTec's Central China headquarters is held in Optics Valley on March 2. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Construction on WuXi AppTec's Central China headquarters started on March 2 at the Biolake in East Lake High-tech Development Zone (Optics Valley of China) in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Representatives from the company and the zone participated in the commencement ceremony.

WuXi AppTec provides a full range of integrated new drug R&D and production services for the global biopharmaceutical industry. Its open-access platform is enabling more than 4,100 collaborators from more than 30 countries to improve the health of those in need.

WuXi AppTec's Wuhan base is the first new drug R&D service platform to settle in Optics Valley's Biolake. It boasts a 40,000-square-meter R&D site and a scientific research team of more than 2,300 people.

Yang Qing, co-CEO of WuXi AppTec, introduced that the new headquarters will expand production capacity and improve upon the efficiency of the original Wuhan base. It will build a world-leading medicinal chemistry and emerging chemical technology platform to bring more new and effective drugs to patients.

Wang Xiangwang addresses the ceremony on March 2. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Wang Xiangwang, secretary of the Party working committee of the zone, addressed the ceremony. He said that the life health industry is one of Optics Valley's pillar industries and a core industry in the province's Optics Valley sci-tech innovation corridor.

It is hoped that WuXi AppTec will help build the world's top artificial intelligence chemistry platform in the zone and develop more blockbuster products, Wang said.

Optics Valley will continue to improve its business environment and support companies to start businesses in the zone, Wang added.