GlaxoSmithKline, the UK-based pharmaceuticals company, plans to channel $100m (£48.9m) by the end of next year into a new neuroscience research centre in China which will become pivotal to its global drug development efforts.

Ahead of GSK’s first presentation focused on its emerging neuroscience pipeline drug on Thursday, Moncef Slaoui, the chairman of research and development, has resolved to build a centre in Shanghai responsible for all the company’s work on neuro-degenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.