Quality, Technology and Knowledge are the three engines that drive the Hyderabad-based Vimta Labs, one of the largest research and testing organisations. According to its promoters, the company's vision is to be seen as an Indian organisation with a global perspective that has created an integrated, quality-driven, customer-sensitive research and testing organisation, which is the most comprehensive of its kind across the globe.

According to Dr Vasireddi, CMD of the labs, now the principal focus is on water, food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and the health sector. The company is assisting pharma firms in developing generic drugs by undertaking clinical research and bio-equivalence studies. The other areas of clinical research include pre-clinical toxicology studies.

Opening the lab in Visakhapatnam, Dr Vasireddi said the lab there was equipped with fully automated testing devices and trained personnel to offer a wide range of tests in bio-chemistry, haematology, serology and immunoassay. Special tests such as cancer markers, cardiac markers and fertility hormones could be conducted there. "As a social responsibility, we are going to conduct all tests related to detection of HIV infection and for monitoring anti-retroviral therapy (CD 4 and CD 8) at nominal prices," he said.

VLL has franchise centres at Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Nagpur, Rajamundry and Visakhapatnam. It proposes to set up franchise centres at 25 more places.