ProCitius Research of Sanmar Speciality Chemicals has signed a chemistry services contract with BioFocus DPI, the service division of Galápagos NV of Belgium.
“We are delighted to collaborate with BioFocus DPI. We believe that the target
discovery and drug discovery services of BioFocus DPI would be well complemented by the chemistry research skills of ProCitius, enabling this partnership to deliver immense value to life sciences companies.”
Murli Ramachandran,
Managing Director, Sanmar Speciality Chemicals Ltd.
“These strategic outsourcing agreements with CiVentiChem and Sanmar complement our acquisition of DPI’s drug discovery operations. Our in-house therapeutic programs and the continuing growth of BioFocus DPI demand ever increasing chemistry resources, and this is a timely move to ensure sufficient, cost-effective capacity moving forward .”
Onno van de Stolpe,
CEO of Galápagos.
BioFocus DPI, the service division of Galápagos NV, a genomics-based drug discovery company, has signed chemistry collaborations with ProCitius, a division of Sanmar Speciality Chemicals Limited in Chennai and Indus BioSciences, a subsidiary of CiVentiChem LLC in Hyderabad, both providers of integrated chemistry services to life sciences companies.
Both companies will carry out chemistry services for the Discovery Products division of BioFocus DPI, with an additional option to provide support for client projects conducted by the BioFocus DPI Medicinal Chemistry division.
India offers world-class chemistry capabilities with a very large resource pool of qualified chemists. Many pharmaceutical, agrochemical and biotechnology companies either have established their own facilities in India, or outsourced part of their chemistry to India-based contract research organizations. This outsourcing enables BioFocus DPI and its partners to benefit from the excellent cost-effective chemistry services available on the Indian sub-continent, while also enabling its clients to outsource work into Indus BioSciences and Sanmar under the expert management of BioFocus DPI scientists.
ProCitius Research, the research arm of Sanmar Speciality Chemicals Ltd, offers world class services in contract research and custom synthesis. The division, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities has an impressive track record with major pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers in Europe and the United States of America.
About Galápagos
Galápagos is a publicly traded, genomics-based drug discovery company that has drug discovery programs based on proprietary, novel targets in bone and joint diseases - osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Galápagos offers a full suite of target-to-drug discovery products and services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies through its division BioFocus DPI, encompassing target discovery and drug discovery services through to delivery of pre-clinical candidates.
In addition, BioFocus DPI provides adenoviral reagents for rapid identification and validation of novel drug targets and compound libraries for drug screening. Galápagos operates facilities in seven countries, with global headquarters in Mechelen, Belgium.
About CiVentiChem
CiVentiChem is a rapidly growing CRO company offering medicinal chemistry and custom synthesis services in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and through its subsidiary Indus BioSciences, located in Hyderabad, India.
ProCitius Research is all set to start- up activities at the TICEL Bio Park, Chennai, a unit of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO), operational since November 2004. It is situated in Taramani, close to the IT corridor. TICEL Bio Park has world class infrastructure for Biotech Research and Development, implemented in 5 acres of land at a capital outlay of Rs. 625 million (US$ 12.5 million). It has now achieved 88% occupancy with national and international clients. ProCitius Research has occupied the entire 5th fl oor at TICEL to meet its growth plans. The project has been planned in two phases. In the fi rst phase, ProCitius has planned for laboratories with 32 fume hoods and an exclusive wing earmarked for biology services. Commencement of operations is expected around January 2007.
Dr Koteshwar Rao’s paper included in
Top-50 Most Cited Articles
One of the papers presented by Dr Koteshwar Rao, Chief Executive, ProCitius Research, Sanmar Speciality Chemicals, has recently been recognised
in the “Top-50 most cited articles” as published in Bio-organic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2003-2006. This journal is rated one of the best international journals in medicinal chemistry.
An award ceremony was held at the ACS (American Chemical Society) National Meeting held in San Francisco on 10 September 2006.
Elsevier, the publishers, are responsible for the publication of organic and inorganic chemistry journals, including fi ve Tetrahedron journals. It is a matter of pride and honour for Koteshwar Rao and The Sanmar Group in particular that his paper has received this acclaim.
World HR Congress honours Sarada Jagan
At the World HR Congress 2006, a book, India’s Greatest HR Professionals, was released. The book, conceived and written by Dr R L Bhatia, CEO, Fun and Joy at Work, featured Sarada Jagan, Chief Executive - HR, as one of the top HR professionals. Sarada was also presented with a citation. An earlier report in Matrix inadvertently omitted mentioning the release of the book at the World HR Congress.
Water Problem near Mettur
P S Jayaraman, Managing Director of Chemplast handing over a cheque to K Ganesa Sankar, Assistant Engineer, Panchayat Union, Nangavalli (received on behalf of D Mutha Gounder, Commissioner, Panchayat Union, Nangavalli) towards the construction of three overhead tanks. Also seen are: M Murugan, Councillor (extreme left), K Thamaraiselvan, President, Gonoor Village Panchayat and K Parthasarathy, Assistant Vice President - Personnel, Chemplast Sanmar Limited (extreme right).
P S Jayaraman, Managing Director, Chemplast Sanmar Limited, participated in the silver jubilee celebrations of the Vaidheeswara Vidya Mandir Matriculation School celebrations held at Mettur on 7 August 2006 . In an effort to solve the scarcity of drinking water at the Gonoor Panchayat, close to Mettur, Chemplast Sanmar gave a cheque for Rs 6.5 lakh to construct three water tanks. P S Jayaraman handed over the cheque to K Ganesa Sankar, Assistant Engineer, Panchayat Union, Nangavalli. V Ranganathan, Chief Executive - Operations, Chemplast Sanmar, T AN Thenappan, Vice President - Operations, Chemplast Sanmar and K Parthasarathy, Assistant Vice President - Personnel, Chemplast Sanmar, were also present at the function.
Chemplast team assists CMC
When a chlorine leak from the tonner was reported by Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, on 29 June 2006, the Chemplast team comprising R Chandrasekar, AGM - Safety & Environment, Plant III, Mettur, along with other operators rushed to help in response to a call from CMC. it was brought to control by providing an adapter in co-ordination with M/s Chemfab team and the cylinder was safely despatched to Chemfab Alkalies, Pondicherry,The CMC management expressed their thanks to the Chemplast team for its timely response to arrest a critical leakage problem.
A success story written over 25 years, a testimony to innovation, safety and excellence in service - that’s BS&B Safety Systems (India) Limited.
The Silver Jubilee celebrations were held at Karapakkam on 5 July 2006. The overseas visitors from BS&B included, Timothy D Kenneally, Dr Joseph Izzo, Geoff Brazier and John Smallwood.
R Venkataramani, Executive Director, Sanmar Engineering Corporation Limited, Timothy D Kenneally and Vijay Sankar, Deputy Chairman, The Sanmar Group.
John Smallwood, BS&B, Asia Pacific, N Sankar, K S Narayanan, Dr. Joseph Izzo, BS&B, Ireland, and Geoff Brazier, BS&B, USA, look on as Timothy D Kenneally, President BS&B Safety Systems LLC USA, lights the lamp.