| Source: Official Release |
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Global rise for India’s leading biotech company |
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| Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (“Avesthagen”), India’s leading healthcare technology group focused on the convergence between pharmaceuticals, food and preventive personalized medicine has further globalized its Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Committee with the addition of Dr. Barry J. Furr, former Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research at AstraZeneca (UK) and Dr. Simon Best, Founder and Chairman of Ardana Plc. (UK). Headquartered in Bangalore, India, Avesthagen employs 200 people worldwide and is active across life sciences sectors with businesses ranging from (Bio) Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics to Nutraceuticals and Agbiotechnology. Avesthagen offers a unique, synergistic and flexible innovative business approach for discovery through collaborative research thanks to its ability to attract a wide range of strategic partners. In 2005 Avesthagen established multiple joint ventures with international as well as Indian partners. Avesthagen formed alliances with AstraZeneca (genomics and metabolomics for infectious diseases), Novartis (molecular biology), BioMérieux (cancers, emerging pathogens and infectious diseases diagnostics), Nestle and Itochu (nutraceuticals), University of Minnesota (obesity control), TNO (nutrigenomics), CCBR (diagnostics and nutraceuticals), Cipla (biopharmaceuticals), Imperial College London and Cambridge University (population genetics study and infectious diseases programs), amongst others. Research communities created around specific tools, products or market segments are a trademark of Avesthagen that excels in discovery and early stage development and ties-up for scale-up, manufacturing and distribution. The current financial year is characterized by high activity in new solutions and product launches in all business units. The markets served by the Group are all global in their nature and alliances in research, development and marketing will continue to be an essential part of its strategy. With increasing commitments for its clients and strategic investors and an unmatched business model in place, Avesthagen is programmed for success. The financial performance of the company has been profitable and revenues have shown exponential growth. Avesthagen’s iconic Scientific Advisory Committee comprising world-renowned scientists met during December 19-21, 2005 under the chairmanship of Prof. Jacques Weil, Director, CNRS-IBMP, France. The following Scientific Advisory Committee members highlighted the accomplishments and challenges for the future growth of the company. Prof. Jacques Weil, Director, CNRS-IBMP, France To continuously increase sales and alliances in key markets calls for a more significant local presence and additional state-of-the-art facilities. The implementation of its growth plan is an important milestone for the Company as the organization becomes more global and a leader in several fields. The challenges to scale-up its current platforms to pilot and large-scale manufacturing will be achieved through internal resources and acquisitions. The growth strategy of Avesthagen envisages both organic as well as inorganic growth through acquisition of companies or businesses that fit well with its business units and strategy. * * * * * Professor Barry Furr was Chief Scientist and Head of Project Evaluation at AstraZeneca and a member of the Senior R&D Management Team. He has a successful track record both in endocrinology and discovering and bringing anticancer drugs to market. He has sat on committees for the MRC, BBSRC and Wellcome Trust and advises an international venture capital fund on scientific investments. Professor Furr is also a former Chairman and General Secretary of the Society for Endocrinology and former Chairman of its business arm, Bioscientifica. Professor Furr is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Institute of Biology and serves on the Council of the Biosciences Federation and the Academy of Medical Sciences. He was awarded the Society for Drug Research Drug Discovery Prize and the Society for Endocrinology Jubilee Medal for services to Endocrinology and the Order of the British Empire for services to cancer research. He hold an honorary chair at the University of Manchester and is a fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge. About Dr. Simon Best Dr. Simon Best is the Founder and Chairman of Ardana Plc, UK. He is Chairman-elect of the UK BioIndustry Association, Chairman of the Edinburgh University Technology Fund, non-Executive Chairman of Neuro3D, Director of the Doyle Foundation and the Hebrides Ensemble. Dr. Best served as a Governor of the Food and Agriculture Section of the World Economic Forum (WEF) from 1994-98. In 1999 he was nominated by the WEF as a Global Leader of Tomorrow and in 2000 as a Technology Pioneer of the Year. In September 1999, he was nominated as “Science and Technology Venturer of the Year” by the Financial Times. Dr. Best has previously served as a member of Special Advisory Groups on Intellectual Property and Biotechnology for the World Bank. In September 2001, he was appointed to the Board of ICRISAT, which is responsible for the improvement of staple crops for the world’s poorest farmers in the semi-arid tropics. In 2003, he was asked to Chair ICRISAT’s Audit Committee and he has recently been elected as incoming Chairman of ICRISAT’s Board commending April 2006. Dr Best is an Industry Adviser to BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH), spun out of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates and Rockefeller Foundations. BVGH is developing new resource mobilisation models to harness the biotechnology industry’s R/D capabilities to develop new health solutions for the developing world. About Avesthagen: Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt Ltd is India’s leading Healthcare Technology Group focused on the convergence between food and pharmaceuticals and the development of preventive and potentially personalised medicine. Avesthagen has built and continues to build an integrated, systems biology approach of capabilities, infrastructure and technology that allows for and facilitates ‘cross talk’ between numerous disciplines, leading to innovative solutions and flexibility. The business model of the company is to combine IP & product development for long term sustainable revenue generation and value addition, with R&D services and collaborative research programmes for/with other parties to generate an early revenue stream and market focus. Avesthagen intends to partner at every stage in the value chain with appropriate partners, both public and private, for access to and exchange of technology and expertise, financial support, access to facilities, infrastructure and distribution channels and to leverage the ‘India advantage’ for the mutual benefit of Avesthagen as well as for its partners. For Avesthagen on the web: www.avesthagen.com For Further Information: Manan Bhatt, Corporate Communications, Avesthagen, | |
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