Novo Nordisk to outsource 33% of diabetes R&D to India

Alok Sharma
Posted: Saturday, Feb 16, 2008 at 0011 hrs IST
Updated: Saturday, Feb 16, 2008 at 0030 hrs IST

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New Delhi, Feb 15: Considering the diabetes burden in the country, Denmark-based insulin producer Novo Nordisk is planning to outsource about one-third of its global research and development activities to the country over the next three years. The insulin maker, which spends around $1.5 billion annually in R&D activities across the globe, would invest "heavily" in India besides trebling headcount in the country from 600 to 2,000 by 2012.

The company is also looking to collaborate with domestic firms for development of new molecules and plans to introduce three new anti-diabetic products in India within three years. Novo Nordisk has about 60% market share in the Rs 375-crore domestic insulin market and it is growing at a rate of 20% per annum.

Novo Nordisk is also working on developing a database of diabetics in the country and has launched mobile clinics in Bangalore and New Delhi. The mobile vans, besides diagnosing the disorder in and around the two cities free of cost, would build a database to understand the disease better, senior vice-president of Novo Nordisk, Jesper Hoiland, said.

"India is a key territory for the company and we would shift around 30% of our R&D work to India. The company is also carrying out clinical trials for its modern insulin at several locations in India," Hoiland said. When asked if the company plans to set up a manufacturing unit in India, vice-president international operations Novo Nordisk Sanjeev Shishoo said, "We have tied up with Ahmedabad-based drug maker Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. They would set up a dedicated formulation and packaging facility to make insulin for us."

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