Lotus Labs is scouting for alliances with companies having expertise in bio analytical studies either in India or abroad. The company has started talking to prospective bio-analytical units but is still looking for a wider selection before finalizing its tie-up, which is expected to be through by the year-end.
The company is already booked with assignments for the next six months. "Our pipeline of projects is both interesting and comprehensive. The look-out for tie-ups comes in as a part of our business strategy and we are looking for partners who can complement our business in bio-analytical studies, Sudhir Pai, managing director, told Pharmabiz.
Over the last six years since its inception in Bangalore, the company has already conducted 1,000 studies. Its facilities have been inspected by US FDA, EU and WHO and more than a third of its business is from the US and European Union.
As part of the Activis Group, which is the fourth largest generic pharma major in the world, Lotus Labs, three months ago moved into a state-of-the-art facility in Bangalore.
At the new facility, which spread over an area of 60,000 sq. ft., accommodates its corporate office, facilities like bio-analytical unit, clinical lab and stability studies wing. It has also increased the number of LCMS/MS equipment from 6 to 9 and will augment it to 14 over a period of six months. There are also 250 beds at the facility. The company invested around Rs 10 crore for the same.
The expansion in terms of infrastructure and personnel has strengthened the overall capability of the company. This has led Lotus to give a boost to its global operations and expand its territories in phase II and phase III trails, stated Sudhir Pai, who will be will be stepping down as managing director and taking over as director, commercial with effect from November 1, 2006.
The company will also have a new managing director, Dr Saral Thangam from November 1, 2006 who has been promoted from the position of Chief Operating Officer, Lotus Labs.
Lotus Labs's forte is in bio-equivalence studies and has also commenced carrying out stability assessment. Currently, the company is among the top three CROs with Lamba and Vimta also being present in the bio-equivalence studies space.
After the acquisition by Actavis, Lotus Labs increased its manpower to over 350 with postgraduates in pharmacy and analytical chemistry manning the operations.