PLIVA Research (India) Private Limited, a subsidiary of Croatia-based PLIVA Group, is expecting to start its operations at its new research facility at Goa by May 2006. The facility is to conduct bio-equivalence, bio-availability and pharmaco-kinetics studies for the company's in-house developed products. The facility is likely to be formally inaugurated in April, Dr Hemant Kumar Jajoo, acting managing director, Pliva Research (India), told Pharmabiz.

PLIVA is investing to the tune of about Rs 20 crore in the research facility. This year, PLIVA will hire about 50 personnel and will probably double the head count in 2007-2008. The company has completed construction of the research centre in Goa. Although pharmaceutical product development will be the company's ultimate objective, the initial focus will be on performing bio-equivalence, pharmaco-kinetic studies for the company's in-house products.

PLIVA is a global generics company celebrating 85 years of successful pharmaceuticals experience and is currently the leading pharmaceutical company based in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Distinguishing itself from its generic pharmaceutical competitors, PLIVA is one of few companies with a strong scientific development base - built upon innovative science. With nearly forty years since its first FDA approval and as the originator of azithromycin, PLIVA has a strong history in both the highly demanding and rigorous, quality and regulatory environments of the USA and Western Europe. PLIVA's manufacturing facilities are all FDA and /or MHRA approved and are concentrated in the cost competitive countries of CEE.

Through its traditional Research and Development base, in-house development and manufacturing capabilities, PLIVA is able to provide a broad range of generic pharmaceutical products on a large number of markets worldwide. PLIVA develops, manufactures and markets both final dosage form generic pharmaceutical products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), with products ranging from over-the-counter, commodity to value-added generics, biosimilars and cytostatics.