Governor Bev Perdue Participates in Ascletis Ground Breaking Ceremony


Event highlights first major investor-backed drug development company operating in U.S. and China.

RTP, N.C. AND HANGZHOU, CHINA – Gov. Bev Perdue was joined yesterday by Zhejiang Province officials and Jinzi J. Wu, Ph.D., president and CEO of Ascletis, for a ground breaking of the company’s headquarters at Hangzhou Hi-Tech Industry Development Zone in Zhejiang Province, China.  The global specialty therapeutics company that works to discover and develop new treatments for cancer and infectious diseases is jointly headquartered in Research Triangle Park.  Ascletis is the first major Chinese-investor backed drug development company to operate both in North Carolina and China.

“The focus of my trip is the same priority I pursue every day: jobs,” Gov. Perdue said. “Ascletis serves as a new business model and acts as the first of many collaborations between Zhejiang and North Carolina that will increase jobs and investment.  This precedent-setting event brings together the best life sciences and investment opportunities from North Carolina and China to create global economic cooperation.”

The ground breaking follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Salt Lake City on July 16, 2011, between Gov. Perdue and Mr. Zhao Hongzhu, Zhejiang Province Party Secretary, to promote economic growth, encourage business development and trade between North Carolina and Zhejiang Province.

“I am honored to have Secretary Zhao and Governor Perdue join me in celebrating the start of our new headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.  I believe this integrated R&D and manufacturing headquarters will help Ascletis reach its strategic goals and deliver innovative medicines to our patients,” said Dr. Wu.  “I could not have reached this achievement without the support from the provincial and local government, particularly Hangzhou Hi-Tech Industry Development Zone, as well as the financial backing and support of my dedicated partner, Mr. Jinxing Qi.  I am looking forward to building and growing an enterprise that can create effective therapies to combat life-threatening medical conditions affecting people in China, the United States, and worldwide.”

Dr. Wu resides in Chapel Hill, N.C.  Prior to founding Ascletis, Dr. Wu was vice president, HIV drug discovery performance unit and head of infectious disease (ID) Discovery DMPK at GlaxoSmithKline.

The ground breaking event is part of Gov. Perdue’s economic development mission to Asia that concludes on October 25th.