Headlines: Minister moots Pharma Tie-ups with CIS
Source: The Hindu

The Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, E. V. K. S. Elangovan, said Indian pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers were keen to step in as joint venture partners and have manufacturing tie-ups with countries that constitute the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

He was addressing participants after inaugurating the Indo-CIS Health Summit, organised here on Friday by the Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export Promotion Council (CHEMEXCIL).

Cost-effective

Indian pharma companies could trade and invest in CIS countries for mutual benefit. He felt the CIS countries would have cost benefits if they sourced their requirements from India.
He pointed out world prices were five to 20 times higher than Indian prices. India today was one of the most cost-effective health care destinations in the world.
In the last five years, the number of patients visiting India for treatment increased from 10,000 to one lakh per annum.

India could also provide expertise in setting up medical systems and infrastructure for CIS countries.

Boosting ties

India produced nearly 8.5 per cent of world's drug requirements in terms of volume and the pharma industry here was valued at $5 billion, growing at 14 per cent, he said.

During 2003-2004, pharma exports to CIS countries were about Rs.945 crores, which constituted 20 per cent of Indian exports to that region.

Mr. Elangovan said the Government launched the Focus CIS Programme in April 2003, to enhance bilateral economic ties with those countries.

Satish Wagh, Chairman, CHEMEXCIL, said its exports during 2003-2004 were $5,745 million, of which drugs and pharmaceuticals accounted for $3,113 million

Headlines: Ocimum Biosolutions Signs Letter of Intent To Acquire MWG Microarray Assets Source: Company Website
Ebersberg, Indianapolis, Hyderabad - 25th February 2005

Ocimum Biosolutions, a leading provider of laboratory information management systems (LIMS), bioinformatics solutions and contract research headquartered in Hyderabad, India, has signed a LOI to acquire core assets of MWG Biotech AG’s (Ebersberg, Germany, ISIN DE0007300105) “Genomic Diagnosis” microarray business.

In the framework of the purchase Ocimum will take over the microarray know how, expertise and assets of the microarray business line, including inventory and stock. MWG Biotech’s former “Genomic Diagnosis” employees are not part of the transaction.

Financial details were not disclosed.

“This transaction ensures that customers of MWG Biotech’s microarrays and microarray services will continue to receive competent high quality products and services based on a strong bioinformatics backbone. We are happy that our innovative microarray line will now be further developed in the market by Ocimum”, says Dr. Wolfgang Pieken, Speaker of the Management Board of MWG Biotech AG.

Ocimum’s President Subash Lingareddy said that “This acquisition when completed would be consistent with our strategy to become an integrated genomics company providing innovative wet lab research tools, bio-IT solutions and contract research services to the Pharma and Biotech industries. We will also have immediate access to over 300 customers of MWG GD business and a proven technology platform.”

About MWG Biotech AG

MWG Biotech AG (www.THE-MWG.com) is an international provider of DNA sequencing and DNA/siRNA synthesis services for academic and industrial research with production sites in Germany, the US, and India. With products and services in consistently high quality the company creates the platform for success in the life sciences today and for a better life tomorrow. In late 2004 the Company initiated the transition from a diversified genomics products and services provider with four business units to its new focus on core genomics services for the research and diagnostic market. The business lines Genomic Diagnosis (microarrays) and Genomic Technology (lab automation) were successfully divested so that the products and services of both lines are now continued and further developed in the market by strong, established companies that are experts in their respective fields.

About Ocimum Biosolutions

Ocimum Biosolutions(www.ocimumbio.com) is a BioIT and Contract Research and Development Company with competencies in LIMS, Bioinformatics, Genomics Tools and custom contract research services, with operations in USA and India with support from partners in Europe and Canada.

Ocimum provides key, ready to use reliable, cost-effective software solutions for the biotech/pharma industry with a suite of products such as Biotracker™, Toxchek™, Pharmatracker™, Genchek™, OptGene™, Nutrabase™, Genowiz™ and iRNAchek™, and an array of custom services including Microarray Data mining and Analysis, Algorithm development, Gene identification, Biological Database creation and manipulation, and tools for image analysis. Ocimum’s lab in Indianapolis provides contract research services including DNA extraction, GMO testing, Gene Synthesis, Fermentation, SNP analysis and ELISA based testing.

For more information on Ocimum Biosolutions visit www.ocimumbio.com or contact bdm@ocimumbio.com.