The Mumbai-based Claims Pvt Ltd, a clinical research organization providing safety and efficacy testing services for cosmeceuticals, dermaceutical and OTC products, will soon offer clinical trial services in dermatology for pharmaceutical companies in collaboration with the Nasik-based Sujata Birla Hospital.

The company, which commenced its operations in May 2008 by acquiring the facilities from a joint venture clinical research company, has signed an agreement with Sujata Birla Hospital last month for conducting clinical trials for pharmaceutical firms. The company currently targets to initiate six studies within next two months, according to R B Mohile, promoter and director, Claims Pvt Ltd. He informed that the company is talks with some of the big pharma firms in India along with a couple of foreign players for the projects.

"As per the agreement, the Sujata Biral Hospital will provide the infrastructure and the dermatologist in the hospital will be the principal investigator for our clinical trials. Our role is to provide expertise for execution of trials and to maintain the protocol as per international standards. With this, we will have our Claims clinical research centre in the hospital soon," said Mohile. The company may invest around Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, if the facility needs some particular testing equipment, he added.

The company is expected to conduct three to four studies in dermatology at a time in the new research centre, each one with duration of topically one year. Claims, which has clients from cosmetic, consumer products and pharma industry, is also planning to offer its services for systematic sensorial evaluation of hair care and skin care products, which will be useful for hospitals and pharmaceutical firms in the segment, revealed Mohile.

The company is currently handling around 10 projects, from local and overseas sponsors in the area of safety and efficacy evaluation of skin, hair and OTC products. The company commenced its operation last month by acquiring facility from Dermexpert India - a joint venture company of Paris-based Dermexpert company and the Maharashtra-based Kaya which was liquidated last year. Claims have upgraded the facility from an 800 sq ft area to a 2300 sq ft area with an overall investment of Rs four crore.

Claims is currently working on projects for cosmeceuticals industry to substantiate specific claims of its clients through systematic product evaluation in a product range of ant-aging, skin lightening, moisturizers, anti-wrinkle, anti-acne, products for treatment of under-eye puffiness and dark circles etc.