SHL Medical AG

11/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/09/2026 02:48

Southeast Asia’s different paths to injectable drug delivery

Across Southeast Asia, differences in manufacturing capabilities and commercial demand are shaping opportunities for injectable drug delivery.

Eight of the world's top ten major pharmaceutical companies have regional headquarters in Singapore.1 Across the border, Malaysia has built a medical device manufacturing base known for precision engineering and skilled talent.2,3

These neighboring markets show how differently Southeast Asia's pharmaceutical industry is developing. For drug makers, the differences can influence where to establish partnerships and which delivery formats make commercial sense.

At CPHI Milan 2026, SHL Medical's Sharon Liu joined a panel to discuss the region's pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery landscape. Reflecting on the discussion, she highlighted three observations about the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Southeast Asian markets are developing different strengths

Singapore's concentration of multinational pharmaceutical companies and research institutions connects the region to global drug development pipelines. Sharon noted that its international pharmaceutical network gives companies access to research partnerships and established industry expertise.

Malaysia brings other strengths. Sharon highlighted its skilled workforce and established medical device industry as the reasons companies look there to expand or diversify production. The Malaysian Investment Development Authority describes a supply chain that runs from component manufacturing through assembly and sterilization to distribution.2

These differences highlight the range of expertise available across Southeast Asia. For pharmaceutical companies, understanding each market's strengths can help identify relevant partnerships and assess opportunities for injectable therapy development and commercialization.

Autoinjector adoption depends on a viable development and commercial strategy

Injectable therapies in Southeast Asia are supplied as vials, pre-filled syringes, and autoinjectors, with market conditions influencing the choice of delivery format.

Sharon observed that some pharmaceutical companies in the region have established experience in generics and biosimilars, while developing the additional expertise and partnerships needed for combination product development.

For these companies, the opportunity for autoinjectors may extend beyond their domestic markets. A biosimilar developer with an established PFS product may consider an autoinjector presentation for international commercialization, where pricing and competitive expectations differ.

That changes the investment decision. Sales volumes in a single domestic market may not be enough to justify the investment in a new delivery format. A broader international strategy with access to additional markets, however, can change that calculation.

Sharon also noted that the intended markets influence a product's development and commercialization strategy. Established device platforms and access to regulatory, fill-finish, and commercial manufacturing expertise can help meet different market requirements without having to build every capability in-house.

SHL Medical highlighted how regional manufacturing strengths, commercial strategies, and patient needs shape injectable drug delivery in Southeast Asia.

Device design for Southeast Asian patients goes beyond translation

Sharon's third observation concerned differences in language, health literacy, and familiarity with injection devices across Southeast Asian markets.

Chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease create long-term treatment needs across the region.4 For therapies administered at home, device design and patient understanding carry particular weight.

Grip design, activation force, operating steps, and visual or audible feedback all influence usability, especially when dexterity, eyesight, or experience with self-injection varies. Sharon also highlighted how patients across Southeast Asian markets may interpret visual instructions differently. On-device markings, symbols, and illustrations that are familiar in one market may not be understood in the same way in another.

For drug makers introducing self-injection therapies across several markets, this raises a practical design question. How much of an established device and its packaging can stay consistent, and what needs to be adapted for the intended patients?

Existing human factors evidence can answer part of that question, provided it adequately represents the intended users and use environments. Some needs may be addressed through localized labeling or patient education. Others may require additional usability evaluation or changes to the device's user interface.

Addressing these needs early helps avoid late-stage design changes and allows market-specific labeling, regulatory requirements, and packaging configurations to be considered before commercial launch.

From regional opportunity to combination product development

Southeast Asia's pharmaceutical development is creating different opportunities across innovation, manufacturing, and treatment delivery. Some companies are expanding their production networks, while others are building combination product capabilities or preparing established therapies for new markets.

Through our ongoing development activities in Southeast Asia and experience supporting commercially approved combination products globally, SHL Medical has encountered the technical and commercial decisions behind these different paths. That experience applies directly to the choices facing pharmaceutical companies in the region, from selecting an appropriate injection format to determining which existing platform evidence, development capabilities, and manufacturing partnerships can support commercialization.

References

  1. Singapore Economic Development Board. (2025). How Singapore is a launchpad to growth for global biotech and pharmaceutical companies. https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/business-insights/insights/how-singapore-is-a-launchpad-to-growth-for-global-biotech-and-pharmaceutical-companies.html

  1. Malaysian Investment Development Authority. (2025). Malaysia powers medical device supply chains. https://www.mida.gov.my/malaysia-powers-medical-device-supply-chains/

  1. Malaysian Investment Development Authority. (2026). Emerging trends shaping the future of Malaysia's medical device industry: Unlocking new investment opportunities. https://www.mida.gov.my/emerging-trends-shaping-the-future-of-malaysias-medical-device-industry-unlocking-new-investment-opportunities/

  1. ASEAN Secretariat. (2024). ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Policy Brief No. 5 (2024): Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle in ASEAN. https://theaseanmagazine.asean.org/article/asean-socio-cultural-community-policy-brief-no-5-2024-promoting-a-healthy-lifestyle-in-asean/

About Sharon Liu: Supporting the future of rare disease innovation

Sharon Liu is the Head of Customer Success at SHL Medical. She brings extensive experience in medical device development and commercial partnerships across Asia-Pacific, having managed key accounts in the region and led cross-functional development projects from initial design through commercial readiness.

SHL Medical AG published this content on November 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on November 09, 2026 at 08:48 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]