The partnership seeks to combine AstraZeneca’s global scientific expertise with DLSU’s academic and research capabilities to create a platform where ideas can move from academic discovery to real-world healthcare applications.
At the center of the collaboration is the DLSU KIST Park, an innovation district accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) that aims to foster stronger linkages between industry and academe.
Innovation Hub
Through the KIST Park, students, faculty, and researchers will have opportunities to work directly with industry partners, while companies can tap into emerging talent and research-driven insights, the biopharmaceutical company said in a statement.
Under the agreement, AstraZeneca and DLSU will collaborate on research initiatives, internship and training programs, academic-industry engagements, and exploratory opportunities for operational presence within the innovation district.
The partnership comes as AstraZeneca marks its 50th year in the Philippines, while DLSU celebrates the golden jubilee of its university charter.
For AstraZeneca, the collaboration forms part of its broader push to build multi-stakeholder healthcare ecosystems aimed at improving patient outcomes.
“Healthcare transformation today requires more than innovation—it requires collaboration across sectors,” Lotis Ramin, country president of AstraZeneca Philippines, said in the statement.
“Through this partnership with De La Salle University, we are bringing together scientific expertise and emerging talent to create an environment where ideas can be developed and applied to real-world healthcare challenges,” she added.
Ramin said the partnership aims to accelerate innovation in areas such as non-communicable diseases, where earlier detection and more accessible care remain critical.
Shared goals
For DLSU, the collaboration strengthens its role in bridging academic research with industry engagement, ensuring that its students and faculty are equipped to contribute to real-world solutions.
DLSU President and Chancellor Br. Bernard S. Oca, FSC, said the collaboration strengthens the university’s role in connecting academic research with industry engagement.
“The DLSU KIST Park is a space where ideas are not only imagined, but realized,” Oca said.
“By bringing together academe, industry, and research, we hope to create an environment where innovation can move beyond theory and contribute meaningfully to society,” he added.
First partnership
The collaboration marks the first partnership in the Philippines between a global science-led biopharmaceutical company and a PEZA-accredited private university.
Both institutions said the initiative reflects a growing shift toward integrated and cross-sector approaches to healthcare innovation by linking research, talent development, and industry collaboration.
As AstraZeneca and DLSU begin implementing joint programs, the partnership is expected to help build a more connected healthcare innovation ecosystem capable of responding to the evolving needs of Filipino patients. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
