J&J starts R&D center in India to gain faster access to new compounds

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Pharmaceutical Research and Development has set up a research facility for late-phase new chemical entity (NCE) in Mumbai, India.

The Mumbai centre is part of its global development programme for new drugs. Apart from late-phase new chemical entity (NCE) research  analytical and pharmaceutical development center (APDC) at Mulund in North Mumbai, will also undertake pre-production testing, said J&J’s Dr Paul Stoffels, Global Head, Pharmaceutical R&D, addressing media persons from the US.

Paul Stoffels, Global head, Pharmaceutical R&D, said, “India’s deep pool of top scientific talent was a key factor in making this investment decision. As a global company, we look at attracting the best researchers from around the world, wherever they exist – it is an important competitive factor for us. India’s young and highly educated workforce will serve us very well in the future.”

The Mumbai centre would look at potential new treatments for tuberculosis, a late-stage HIV compound and a number of products designed to treat multi-drug-resistant bacteria, he said.

Late-phase NCE testing is the most important and technically exacting  phase in the pharmaceutical process, he added. J&J’s open-innovation research model helps faster access to compounds and moves away from the classical pharma model of having it all under one roof. Today, the science is matched with the medical need, he said.

The centre will house between 150 and 300 people. J&J has spent around $9 million (Rs 45 crore) for the facility.

The India centre has been part of most of J&J’s global trials, said Ms Lilly Lee, J&J’s Senior Vie-President and Head of Pharmaceutical R&D, Asia. The J&J group has two other research clusters in the US and Europe.

Last week, Johnson & Johnson announced the opening of its Asia R&D headquarters in Shanghai. That, combined with this new facility, creates a critical mass capability in the region, allowing an end-to-end approach to drug development, and the coordinating centre for Asia was recently opened in Shanghai.

Johnson & Johnson Ltd. is a manufacturer of healthcare products, selling more than 100 different products in the consumer, pharmaceutical and professional markets. J&J has recently completed 50 years of operations in India.