The Visakhapatnam-based Actimus Biosciences Private Limited (Actimus Bio), an independent contract research organization, having already invested $2.5 million in establishing a 52-bed Bioavailability and Bioequivalence study centre at Visakhapatnam is establishing an analytical laboratory in the same place with an investment of $5 million in next few months.

Actimus enjoys the first mover advantage by setting up its facility in Visakhapatnam, where there is availability of virgin volunteers, vast talent pool blended with the team's international marketing capabilities in the US and Japan. The company has already initiated talks with various leading hospitals in India particularly those in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Vellore, Michael Fernandes, CEO, Actimus, told Pharmabiz.

The company offers contract research-partnership services that help global pharmaceutical and biotech companies enhance their R&D success. It offers an extensive range of clinical services including study design, project management, medical safety monitoring, biostatistics, quality assurance auditing, regulatory submissions and scientific communications.

Actimus Biosciences, Zenitix, and Kanetra are PDI [Pharma Development Inc, Boston, USA] companies. PDI intends to accelerate the transition from invention to innovation and leverage time and cost efficiencies of the 'India Angle' towards innovation in drug development, he added.

Actimus is a DCGI-approved Bio analytical Bio equivalence unit. Zenitix is an advanced Bio-IT company involved in chem-informatics, natural product databases, pharmaceutical chemistry, and preclinical studies. Kanetra will cover clinical trials and clinical data management. It is in the planning stage.