The Karnataka government in its efforts to become a global destination for pharma industry has now attracted an investment from Canada as the British Columbia-based SignalChem Lifesciences opens its advanced research centre for drug discovery at Doddaballapur Industrial Area in the outskirts of Bengaluru. Although this is part of the British Columbia’s technology and life sciences’ sector to help companies enter India, for Karnataka it is second company after the Ontario-based Apotex Research Centre which set base in 2004 at the Bommasandra Industrial Area.

While Apotex has a globally audited production plant with an annual capacity of 8 billion dosage forms for wide range of therapeutic categories, drug testing and clinical evaluation, Signal Chem focus is discovery and development of drug candidates against kinase targets using a personalised medicine approach. The new centre will identify the cause of auto-immune diseases like cancer, inflammation or central nervous system disorders in patients and convert these early discoveries into drugs for global use. Besides it would also address diseases in different parts of the world to boost its therapy offerings and increase its intellectual property. Details of the investment were not disclosed.

Dr Akash Mathur, chief business officer, SignalChem who was earlier with the Bengaluru based Tata Conglomerate Advinus Therapeutics, said that cancer, inflammation or central nervous system disorders impact populations world-wide and the R&D centre in India was a key part of its plan to address these diseases.

“SignalChem Lifesciences’ expansion into the Indian market is great news for both the company and those working in BC’s technology and life sciences sector. It will spur the job opportunities,”  said Christy Clark, premier of British Columbia who was in India as part of the trade expansion efforts.

“Our province’s bio-pharmaceutical sector is one of the fastest growing in Canada,” said Amirk Virk, Minister for Advance Education in Province of British Columbia accompanying Clark.

Located in Richmond province of British Columbia, SignalChem was set up in 2004. In 2012, it expanded its team strength to around 30 employees. Currently its facility employees 50 Canadians nationally and 95 people world-wide.

Trade missions are a critical part of British Columbia’s strategy to diversify its international partners and secure new investment, propel economic activity and job creation. The region’s bio-pharmaceutical cluster is the 7th largest in North America.

This year Karnataka allotted 50 acres at the Vemgal Industrial Area, Kolar near Bengaluru to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for a Greenfield formulation development unit, costing Rs.994 crore.

“Our  role is to facilitate investments and the state is open to woo global companies”, stated KA Jayananda, managing director, Karnataka Udyog Mitra.

According to GG Gurudatta, pharma consultant, chief executive officer, & director, Estima Pharma, Karnataka has the right environment for research and access to scientists because it houses IISc, NCBS, inStem C-Camp and JNCASR. Besides closure of AstraZeneca Research and Accelrys in Bengaluru further propels employment avenues at the new facility.