Despite all the talk drug developers conducting trials overseas has garnered, just 212 trials--two percent of the worldwide total--were being conducted in India in 2007, according to research group RNCOS. However, as more companies look to conduct low-cost clinical trials in India, that number is expected to surge to 5 percent by 2012. Biopharma is attracted by easier clinical trial recruitment, lower labor costs, a rich talent pool and the government's tax incentives to drugmakers. This will cause every major drug developer and research organization to set up operations in India in the coming years.
"According to our analysis, India is one of the most economical destinations for conducting global clinical trials. Companies can save a substantial amount in India on both staff and utilities," the group finds. In addition, "companies can cut up to 30 to 40 percent time required to complete various phases of clinical trials choosing India as the outsourcing destination."
- see RNCOS' release
- read this report for more