Biogen Idec, one of the leading global biotechnology firms, has formally entered India by opening its first facility at Gurgaon near here today. The facility will serve as the headquarters of the company's recently established wholly-owned Indian subsidiary Biogen Idec Biotech India Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Gunther Winkler, senior vice-president strategic initiatives attended the event. The India entity is headed by Dr. Alpna Seth, a long-time veteran of the industry, who has been with Biogen Idec in the US for the past 9 years in various leadership roles spanning R&D to commercial, a release said here.

Speaking about the entry into India, James Mullen, president and CEO, Biogen Idec said, "Having a presence in India is part of the long-term strategy and vision for Biogen Idec. We expect to make significant investments in the country over the next few years and develop partnerships and collaborations. With this office we hope to better understand the opportunities here and eventually meet the needs of Indian patients."

Dr. Seth added, "India enjoys several benefits as a centre of drug development including a vast scientific talent pool, emerging biologics capabilities and particularly strong competencies in small molecules and new chemical entities. We look forward to not only forging R&D relationships with Indian companies, investigators and academic institutions but also integrating India into Biogen Idec's global clinical development plans."

Biogen Idec is a pioneer in biotechnology and the oldest independent biotechnology company in the world. Two blockbuster drugs Avonex and Mab Thera lead Biogen Idec's line up and the company currently has more than 20 products in clinical development addressing a variety of medical needs.