Team Blitz India
BRISTOL Myers Squibb (BMS), a Bio pharmaceutical company, is set to amplify its footprint in India with ambitions to fortify its research and development endeavors, affirmed CEO Christopher Boerner.
Boerner unveiled the company’s vision during the inauguration of its state-of-the-art Hyderabad facility, projected to be its largest unit outside the US by 2025, encompassing an investment of $100 million.
The Hyderabad facility is slated to accommodate over 1,500 professionals, harnessing the potential of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to propel drug development, as elucidated in his keynote address at the BioAsia conference.
In tandem with its Hyderabad venture, Bristol Myers operates a research and development centre in Bengaluru in collaboration with Biocon Group’s (BION.NS) Syngene International. The Indian arm is actively engaged in 17 clinical trials spanning therapies targeting cancer, blood disorders, and cardiovascular ailments, among others.
While Bristol Myers is yet to introduce its cancer cell therapies Abecma and Breyanzi to the Indian market, its repertoire includes other formidable cancer drugs such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, marketed under the brand names Opdyta and Yervoi.
Boerner also disclosed the company’s strides in developing next-generation cell therapies for autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, emphasising plans to leverage AI technologies to expedite development and broaden accessibility, including within markets like India. With anticipation of patent expirations for flagship drugs such as the blood thinner Eliquis and cancer immunotherapy Opdivo in key markets later this decade, Bristol Myers pivoted its strategy last year, embarking on a series of deals to replenish its drug development pipeline.
