India, an increasingly important role in the Life Science Business
April 2007
India, an increasingly important role in the Life Science Business
Interview with Krishnan Nandu Nadabalan and Vimal Mehta
India, an increasingly important role in the Life Science Business
Fintan Walton, talks to Vimal Mehta and Krishnan ‘Nandu’ Nandabalan, Chairman and President and CEO, respectively, of BioXcel Corporation, about how the company is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the growing need for western and Indian healthcare companies to work with one another. The discussion covers why Indian healthcare companies are set to become major players in the global industry and the factors that gave rise to this.
Vimal describes how he sees the mentality of the Indian pharmaceutical industry shifting as it becomes both willing and able to develop innovative molecules in order to compete in a global market. With the risks involved in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, Nandu gives several reasons why India provides a good opportunity for drug development. India offers a larger pool of potential patients in addition to a well-established clinical infrastructure, an existing healthcare industry with high standards and a history of manufacturing. Capital is also available as a result of the dot.com software and services boom, but also from the Indian government which views biotechnology and pharmaceutical as the next big development area.
The interview also covers how BioXcel is set up to facilitate these partnerships and how its business solutions are aiming to provide it. Nandu explains how BioXcel has established facilities in the US and India, with the US office managing the corporate activities while the research, analysis and data mining takes place in India. This enables the organisation to combine the business experience of the west with the rich, emerging skills base in India.
About Vimal Mehta
Vimal D. Mehta, PhD, Chairman, is the co-founder of BioXcel Corporation. Before BioXcel, he was SVP of Global Business Development at Inpharmatica Ltd, a London-based biotech company specialising in drug discovery and informatics platform technologies. Prior to joining Inpharmatica, he held senior scientific and business development positions at CuraGen Corporation, a CT-based genomics and drug development company.
About Krishnan Nandabalan
Krishnan Nandabalan, PhD, President and CEO, is the co-founder of BioXcel Corporation. He has been an entrepreneur in establishing CuraGen (Group Leader, Functional Genomics), Genaissance (VP of Alliances/BD; Exec. Dir, Technology Systems) and Protometrix (Founder and Investor). He is also an inventor of nine published patents and over 100 filed patent applications and has published in leading scientific journals such as Science and Cell.
About BioXcel Corporation
With facilities in India and the US, BioXcel provides business services to pharma, biotechnology, diagnostics, and associated industries. The company works with clients to facilitate the early stages of deal making, while leaving the final negotiations and closing to its business development professionals. Services include business development, sales, in/out-licensing, competitive intelligence, market surveys and also dedicated teams for specific projects.
BioXcel use US/European executives to manage experienced professionals in India who work US/European business hours. The company provides extra business development bandwidth with a talented team at its service.
