GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited is expanding its clinical trial data management, analyses and reporting activities in India where it plans to double the headcount depending on business needs.
S Kalyanasundaram, managing director of GSK India and vice-president, South Asia, GSK International, told reporters that the activities being conducted by Clinical Data Management Centre, India and Biomedical Data Sciences India, both located in Bangalore, are poised for expansion.
CDMCI and BDSI currently has manpower strength of 64 and on Tuesday moved into a new facility which can staff around 120 people. The headcount would be scaled up to the optimum level depending on the needs of GSK worldwide and India, company officials said.
The activities in Bangalore began in 1990s as a centre for data entry for the company's global clinical activities, and now caters to data services for global clinical trials conducted by GSK.
"We have expanded our services to include activities in the life cycle management portfolios," CDMCI head Kwasi Amfo said.
Penny Clarke, who is in charge of BDSI Group, said it is one of the seven statistical and programming units of GSK worldwide. "We are looking for steady and measured growth rather than a big-bang approach...because we want to be successful."
Kalyanasundaram said with patent regime in place in India and GSK in the process of expanding high value-added activities here, the country is set to play a larger role for the parent company.
"GSK has identified India as one of the global hubs for clinical trials," he said. "We have also established a market research unit in India for European operations. With third party, we have also set up a packaging unit at Hyderabad."
GSK India officials said the company is awaiting regulatory approvals to conduct a clinical trial for roto virus vaccine involving 300 to 400 patients.
