The new organisation will be called Daiichi Sankyo Life Science Research Centre in India (RCI). Based in Gurgaon, it “will play a key role in creating promising new drugs, especially in the area of low molecular weight infectious and inflammatory disease treatments” say Ranbaxy. The RCI will also continue to support the programmes of dengue and tuberculosis that Ranbaxy’s NDDR was working on in alliance with the Indian government.

Since October 2008, when the generic manufacturer, Ranbaxy, joined the Daiichi Sankyo Group, the companies have cooperated on R & D. Incorporating Ranbaxy’s NDDR into the global research function is expected to benefit the group by achieving more efficient global R & D and quicker results.

CEO and Managing Director of Ranbaxy, Mr Atul Sobti, said that “R & D of generics will get a sharper focus, as we are increasingly working on more complex and specialist areas”.

President & CEO of Daiichi Sankyo, Mr Joji Nakayama said that the transfer will strengthen the research capabilities of the Group “through the addition of talented researchers who offer a new perspective and have a wealth of imagination and experience”, adding that they expect “outstanding and innovative results based on the implementation of global research management throughout our highly diversified and global R & D structure”.

Ranbaxy has been a pioneer in India in the area of R & D. While its NDDR will now become an integral part of RCI, Ranbaxy will continue to independently develop and later commercialise the new anti-malarial drug, Arterolane + PQP, which is currently in Phase III trials. It will also explore the further development of late stage programmes developed by its NDDR in the last few years, including the development programmes in the GlaxoSmithKline collaboration.

Reference

Ranbaxy Latest News, Daiichi Sankyo and Ranbaxy to integrate new drug research and development system, 2 July 2010.