Amgen opens subsidiary in India

Amgen, the world's largest biotechnology company, has entered India by opening a wholly owned subsidiary Amgen Technology in Mumbai.

The Indian arm of the US biotech major, started a few weeks ago, will initially focus on clinical development and trials of Amgen's drugs, working with contract research organisations (CROs) in India and East Asia.

Amgen is in the process of forming alliances with domestic companies to support its R&D operations, including preclinical development, data management support and statistical programming, said Mary Klen, associate director, Amgen.

However, she declined to say the investment Amgen plans to make in India.

The $14.3 billion company, which invests over $2 billion in R&D every year, has about 26 molecules in the phase I to III stage for the treatment of cancer, asthma, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, pain management, rheumatoid arthritis, CVD and a host of other therapeutic areas.

Amgen plans to launch its products in the domestic market, either directly or through partners. The company is also talking to the domestic firms for collaborations.

"It is our expectation that successfully developed products will be available commercially to patients in India and East Asia, either from Amgen or from an Amgen licensee, as the company is committed to only conducting clinical studies in countries where there is the reasonable expectation that Amgen or an Amgen partner will commercialise the medicine under investigation," she said.

Amgen has also started a subsidiary Amgen (Asia) Ltd in Hong Kong this year. Its entry into India and Hong Kong are part of its plans to tap the drug development opportunities in the Asian region. Amgen's Hong Kong office will act as a regional hub for operations in East Asia, encompassing Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Started in 1980 as a pioneer in developing biotech drugs, Amgen employs more than 18,000 professionals including over 8000 scientists worldwide and has strategic partnerships and alliances with over 100 companies.