Life Sciences Alliance, an joint initiative formed between Austin Chemical Company Inc (USA), Suven Life Sciences, Shasun Chemicals and Innovasynth Technologies announced that it is in talks with world's two of the top five pharmaceutical companies for taking up outsourcing activity.

Venkat Jasti, managing director of Suven said that the Alliance was in an advanced stage of talks with the two companies and has made presentations. He said that the two companies are showing a lot of interest in the Alliance's capabilities and offerings. The facilities of the Alliance members are being visited by the representatives of the two companies. Jasti said that the facilities that the alliance has is meeting the expectations of the two global players.

B Sahu, chief executive officer and president of Innovasynth said that the big global pharma companies need to develop confidence in India. With India signing the WTO, increased participation between Indian pharma companies and those operating in other countries will be there.

Sri Mosur, vice-president of Global Business Development, Austin, said that it costs big pharma companies about US $ 900 million in developing a drug. And about 60 per cent of the research is carried out in the US, 30 per cent in Europe and about 10 per cent in Asia. He added, Asia has the ability to contribute towards innovation to speed up the drug discovery process. India can become a major R & D hub once the IPR regime begins.

Austin with its collaborative relationships in US, Europe, China, India and Japan supports technology development, clinical research services and manufacturing as well as allied pharmaceutical services that help in pharma drug development.

Suven has state of the art R & D centre recognized by DSIR and has world class manufacturing facilities and is in the business of pharmaceuticals and fine chemical intermediates for global life sciences companies.

Shasun Chemicals is a leading research and manufacturing solutions provider for the pharma and biotech industry. Its R & D centre is located in Chennai, and its products are sold in 40 countries across the world including all the major regulated markets. It has two bulk pharma manufacturing facilities at Pondicherry and Cuddalore. Shasun has interests in contract research and custom synthesis.

And Innovasynth Technologies caters to the needs of customers in knowledge based R & D activities with focus on custom synthesis, contract R & D and contract manufacturing. The company has identified 'nucleosides' as a niche area.

The Alliance has announced that it is organizing a three day symposium in Goa from April 29 to May 1, 2004, where there will be wide scope for Indian pharma companies to interact with experts and heads from global pharma industry.