Syngene, Biocon’s contract research arm, has collaborated with Baxter to pursue its research efforts to develop parenteral therapeutics like high quality and affordable versions of IV Fluids for dialysis, nutraceuticals and haemophilia. The facility located within the sprawling 90 acres of the Biocon Park in the Bommasandra Industrial Area in Bengaluru will house 100 scientists of multi -disciplinary talent.
The two companies have now established the Baxter Global Research Centre which took more than a year to be constructed. While the investments into setting up the facility has been from both the companies, the effort is seen as a strategic global fit as international companies are seen to collaborate with India biopharma majors to get the best of research.
Syngene has been a pioneer in the contract research in India and is also recognized as the largest in Asia.
“Our team will closely work with Baxter scientists to engage in a wide range of research covering on product, analytical and pre-clinical evaluation in parenteral nutrition and renal therapy. We will also look at not just IV fluids but also formulations and good manufacturing practices (GMP) besides work to share the competencies of Baxter,” stated Jean-Luc Butel, corporate vice president and president-International, Baxter, at a press conclave.
“The capability of scientific expertise in India and the need to understand the domestic market, were the primary reasons to set base here. The objective is to maximize the cost advantage and access to innovation by blending the expertise of talent from Biocon’s Syngene,” he added.
“Our focus in research has been driven by the partnership model. The scale and scope of activities signal the strategic nature of the collaborations and also reflect our capabilities to offer a broad based complimentary integrated research development services. We are also setting a Stability Centre which indicates the intent to support global companies to advance their goals in India,” stated Dr Peter Bains, director, Syngene International.
“We already have a strength of 2,300 scientific personnel while 2,000 of these constitute the key of research talent, the remaining 300 are the support scientists,” said Dr Manoj Nerurkar, COO, Syngene International.
According to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the research centre will be a significant step towards enabling the objective of collaborate research in India.
The advanced facility was inaugurated here today by Union Minister for health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, in the presence of Karnataka Minister of Health & Family Welfare U T Khader, Karnataka Minister for IT, BT & ST S R Patil, secretary, Dept. of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India Keshav Desiraju, and Karnataka secretary, Dept. of IT, BT & ST, Srivatsa Krishna.