Eli Lilly plans Asia R&D team

Eli Lilly & Company, the $11 billion US pharma major, is planning to appoint an Asia-specific global team to look at research and development opportunities in India and China.

The company, which has put India on its global R&D map as a very important location for its global strategies, has plans to in-license potential research products in biopharmaceuticals and vaccines in addition to conducting clinical research for new products and sourcing bulk drugs from the country.

The global team, headed by a senior official from the Indianapolis headquarters of the company, will be based in Hong Kong with a special task of exploring product and service outsourcing opportunities from India and China at a micro-level, said Rajiv Gulati, managing director, Eli Lilly & Company India.

Gulati, said at the sidelines of the launch of Lilly's breakthrough insulin therapy in Mumbai, that India has been positioned at par with developed markets by the parent company.

"This would result in giving priority to the country in terms of manufacturing and product outsourcing and even for new launches," he added.

Eli Lilly is also firming up plans with a for contract manufacturing and seeks to increase this number with time.