ALTANA Pharma Establishes Pharmaceutical Research Institute in India

ALTANA Pharma AG, Konstanz, Germany, has opened a state-ofthe- art pharmaceutical research institute in Mumbai, India. A scientifi c institute, the ALTANA Pharma's new Institute for Chemical and Clinical Research is part of the international pharmaceutical research network of ALTANA Pharma Group.

The institute consists of medicinal chemistry and clinical operations and data management units. In addition, it has an information management department that provides IT services including regional IT for the company's Asia-Pacifi c subsidiaries. The company has invested a total of €10 million so far and intends to invest an additional €5 million till the end of 2007.

The 18 laboratories will house up to 150 employees and synthesize up to 3000 topquality pharmaceutical compounds annually, develop advanced intermediate products, building blocks and new routes of synthesis when the facility becomes fully operational.



Medicinal chemistry is set to play an important role in early drug development. The goal is to develop and synthesize novel chemical compounds. Eighteen state-of-theart laboratories will add to the worldwide synthesizing capacity of ALTANA Pharma. The clinical operations division will participate actively in multinational clinical trials and is responsible for data management of worldwide clinical trials.

Many reasons prompted ALTANA Pharma to set up shop in India. Ulrich Thibaut, PhD, member of the Board of ALTANA Pharma AG, says: "We chose India because it has a great potential for innovation and is already a top international player in the pharmaceutical sector. India is well on the way to becoming one of the leading nations in the fi eld of knowledge-based industries. Furthermore, it not only features highly qualifi ed scientists with competitive salaries, but also good working conditions and infrastructural support. The different cultural traditions offer new exciting perspectives on pharmaceutical research. Given this strategic relevance we expect our site in Mumbai to make a signifi cant contribution to our international research operations."

The establishment of the facility is signifi cant to the company as a whole. Antal Hajos, PhD, managing director of ALTANA Pharma's new Institute for Chemical and Clinical Research, says: "Establishing the institute in Mumbai not only enlarges capacities but also facilitates access to new talents and experiences. The Mumbai region features top academic institutions and a highly qualifi ed workforce. Thus, the new institute will not only contribute towards scientifi c excellence, but due to the widespread cultural and educational background of the people working here also add solid experience and valuable new perspectives to our global organization."

The company set foot on Indian soil in 2001 with the establishment of a Department of Clinical Research and a Data Management Center and is home to Zydus ALTANA Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture between ALTANA Pharma and Zydue Cadila. The company may explore the idea of biochemical testing in the future.