In order to become a leading player in biotechnology, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, India's largest pharmaceutical company, is moving into the area of biotech research. The company has committed R&D investments to the tune of $50-60 million this year.

The company is on the lookout for research alliances in biotechnology and has identified medicinal and process chemistry, biological screening, pre-clinical development, early clinical development as its main areas of focus.

In biotech research, the company envisages forming committed alliances, co-marketing as well as exploring in-licensing agreements with other global pharma and biotech companies.

"The biotech segment has seen dramatic growth in India over the past five years," a company official said.

"More than 80 biotech products have been approved worldwide, and the global market for biopharmaceuticals is slated to grow to $ 28.6 billion by 2004.

According to the company officials, Ranbaxy provides a perfect platform for biotech research as it already has the expertise in multiple disciplines that will provide the crucial inputs that are key to success.

These include medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, bioanalysis and toxicology, process R&D, patents, medical and commercial inputs, high throughput screening, target protein production and so on.

Company officials say that Ranbaxy's foray into biotechnology will go a long way in the enhancement of early drug discovery.

"Partnering with Ranbaxy for biotech research can provide cost-effective drug discovery, speedy candidate selection, diversity in formulation development and platform technology in the area of oral controlled release delivery systems, efficient pre-clinical development and early clinical development," said the official.

Ranbaxy is also accelerating its initiatives in New Drug Discovery Research and Novel Drug Delivery Systems as has already patented four technology platforms -- Gastro Retentive, Aero Gel, Multi-Particulate and Modified Matrix Delivery Systems.

The company is forging into alliances in the areas of NDDR, Novel Drug Delivery System and process chemistry.

The company has outlined major expansion plans for its R&D centre and has decided to double its research centre to around 40,000 square feet.

It intends to spend 6 per cent of its turnover on R&D. This makes it the largest investor in R&D in the pharmaceutical industry.

The early drug discovery group at Ranbaxy exploits molecular biology and biotechnological tools for rational drug discovery, said company officials.

The company has divided its R&D products strategy into three areas -- generics, specialty products and New Chemical Entities.