DIA Addresses Growing Biopharmaceutical Market with New Office in India

DIA Addresses Growing Biopharmaceutical Market with New Office in India

HORSHAM, PA, USA—April 16, 2008—The biopharmaceutical industry in India is predicted to reach the $1 billion mark by 2010.  That's up from $30 million in 2002, $60 million in 2003 and more than $100 million in 2006.  That rapid growth is precisely why the Drug Information Association (DIA) has developed a strategy to establish and nurture a presence in India.  Chief among the components of that plan are the opening of a DIA office in Mumbai, the creation of a Provisional Advisory Council of India and the launch of the previously announced 1st Indian Regulatory Conference to be held April 28-29 in Mumbai, India.  

New Office Serves As Region's Hub for DIA Resources

As of April 2008, DIA officially opened the doors to its new office in Mumbai.  "The statistics are incredible," says Linda McGoldrick, DIA's Worldwide Executive Director. "More than 15 percent of the world's clinical trials are expected to be conducted in India by 2011. The industry's meteoric rise in this emerging region creates a significant need for DIA's credible international forum that is precedent-setting. We bring together industry, academia, regulators and patient organizations to provide ongoing training for professionals on regulations, clinical practices and safety standards that will impact the approval of drugs developed in India for the global market. DIA is the premier organization bringing together thought leaders to discuss these issues in global drug development."

DIA's Indian office is the fourth global location for the association.  DIA also has offices in Horsham, Pennsylvania, USA (Headquarters), in Basel, Switzerland, and in Tokyo, Japan.

Advisory Council to Focus on Members, Volunteers and Programming

In conjunction with the new office move, DIA has established a provisional Advisory Council of India (ACI).  Dr. Nandkumar K. Chodankar, President of the API Division, Watson Pharmaceuticals, has been named as the ACI chairperson.  To date, the ACI is comprised of 13 members who represent industry, academia, and government agencies.

According to McGoldrick, the provisional ACI will play an important role in the early planning stages of DIA initiatives in India and will focus particularly on building membership and volunteer networks and advising on the region's educational needs for training programs and conferences.

Indian Presence Fosters Education in the Region

Not only do the new office and ACI provide the reach and expertise of a global resource to the Indian marketplace, but these developments will also help DIA foster training and educational opportunities in the region.

In the past two years, DIA has held successful meetings on clinical drug development in India, both of which addressed current solid scientific research in India pertaining to global development of drugs and biologics.

Ron Fitzmartin, President of DIA's Board of Directors, added that this comprehensive outreach to the Indian marketplace is a natural one for DIA.

"The interest in this region is global," he notes. "So many of our existing North American, European, and Japanese members are looking at India as an important region in drug development. Our presence there means we can help our membership around the globe understand the evolving Indian pharmaceutical landscape while also providing impartial training forums and multidisciplinary perspectives for the growing number of Indian drug development professionals."

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About the Drug Information Association (DIA)
The Drug Information Association serves more than 30,000 professionals in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and regulatory industries worldwide. Through its domestic and international meetings, training courses, workshops and webinars, DIA provides a neutral global forum for the exchange of information critical to the advancement of the drug discovery and lifecycle management processes. Headquartered in Horsham, PA, USA, and with offices in Basel, Switzerland, Tokyo, Japan, and Mumbai, India,  the Association is led by its volunteer-based Board of Directors and executive management team. For more information, visit www.diahome.org [1] or call 215-442-6100.