Gleneagles Hospital partners with HKUMed to launch Clinical Trials Centre to advance medical research and healthcare outcomes
Officiating the unveiling ceremony of Gleneagles Clinical Trials Centre are Professor Chak-sing Lau, Dean of Medicine, HKU (second from left); Dr Kenneth Tsang, Chief Executive Officer, Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong (second from right); Professor Wai-keung Leung, Chief Director, HKU Clinical Trials Centre (first from left) and Mr Henry Yau, Managing Director, Gleneagles Clinical Trials Centre (first from right)
(19 September 2024 – Hong Kong) Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong (Gleneagles) launched its Clinical Trials Centre today, marking an important step in its commitment to further advancing medical research and patient care. Co-managed by Gleneagles and the University of Hong Kong Clinical Trials Centre (HKU-CTC) of the LKS Faculty of Medicine of HKU (HKUMed), Gleneagles Clinical Trials Centre (Gleneagles CTC or the Centre) provides a platform for innovative discovery across the clinical research ecosystem, complying with high ethical standards of human research and relevant regulations.
As the city’s first private hospital operating a clinical trials centre in partnership with HKUMed, Gleneagles will leverage and implement innovative solutions developed by the HKU-CTC including its digital cloud platform for clinical trials institution management. The Centre will facilitate various types of clinical research and studies on treatments, procedures, drugs, vaccines, medical devices and more. Initially focusing on oncology, the Centre is currently engaged in clinical trials of novel drugs for treating different cancer types including colorectal cancer and biliary tract cancer. The Centre will also explore expansion into other specialties, as it develops.
Professor Chak-sing Lau, Dean of Medicine of HKU, emphasised the pivotal role of Gleneagles CTC, stating, “This initiative is key to advancing medical research and improving patient outcomes in Hong Kong. With HKUMed’s profound expertise in conducting various types of clinical trials and research across healthcare sectors in Hong Kong and Mainland China, we are poised to position the city as a global hub for health and medical innovations.”
“The National 14th Five-Year Plan underscores the Country’s commitment to making Hong Kong an international innovation centre,” added Professor Lau. “Our collaboration with Gleneagles exemplifies the critical blend of clinical care and rigorous research, accelerating the development of cutting-edge treatments. Together, we are transforming scientific advancements into real-world applications, ultimately benefiting more patients and the wider community.”
Dr Kenneth Tsang, Chief Executive Officer of Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, said, “As one of the research sites of HKUMed, Gleneagles aspires to go beyond providing high-quality and personalised care for patients, but also to foster a culture of innovative discovery through our commitment to driving cutting-edge clinical trials to advance treatment and evidence-based care. The launch of Gleneagles CTC reinforces our strong partnership with HKUMed. It also brings us in line with the Government’s policy direction to develop Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub. Through our Centre, we look forward to achieving more impactful clinical research outcomes which will in turn bring innovative treatments and new hope for more patients.”
To enhance collaboration in clinical trials with institutions in Mainland China, particularly those in the Greater Bay Area, Gleneagles is also planning to pursue accreditation as a nationally recognised clinical trial institute by the National Medical Products Administration of China. This accreditation will further strengthen its role in the region's medical research landscape.