Program partners with government hospitals to strengthen drug development in the country

Roche Pharma India, world’s leading biopharmaceutical company today announced the launch of its Clinical Trial Excellence project in India with an objective to strengthen the capabilities of public health institutions to do clinical trials and drug research in the country. This will also enable these government hospitals to become the Centres of Excellence for Clinical Research in the country and move up the value chain.

Kalyan Singh Super Specialty Cancer Institute (KSSSCI) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh became the first institute to partner with Roche in this initiative.  KSSSCI is a 750-bedded state-of-the-art cancer center by the Uttar Pradesh government and is deeply involved in cancer research and education.

In the first phase of this program, Roche aims to partner with 10 Government Hospitals to drive excellence in clinical research by boosting their existing capabilities for conducting clinical trials as per global standards.  Solutions to enable this include training of the research team, process development or enhancement, and digitization of dossier submission and review by Ethics Committee, paving the way for more high quality clinical research focussing on innovative treatments and patient safety.

Roche has engaged Quinary Clinical Research, a Clinical Research Organisation (CRO), to implement the project in India through gap assessment, facilitating upskilling activities through knowledge sharing, training and workshops for strengthening capabilities required for conducting world-class clinical trials.

India has 17% of the global population, 20% of global disease burden, and is one of the largest providers of trained nurses and experienced physicians worldwide. However, less than 1.4% of global clinical trials are conducted in the country. This is one of the key reasons why innovative drugs are often launched with a delay in India, despite it being a key market with large volumes of patients waiting to be treated.

Mr. V Simpson Emmanuel, MD & CEO of Roche Pharma India, said, “We are truly excited about establishing a collaborative partnership with UP’s KSSSCI and other such government institutions across the country as we embark on our mission to strengthen the public healthcare infrastructure. This collaboration positions us as knowledge partners, enabling the integration of cutting-edge clinical and digital skills. Our collective initiative is geared towards propelling the healthcare sector forward while also enhancing healthcare throughout India. This initiative is in line with the government’s recently launched Research and Development (R&D) policy, aiming to bolster healthcare infrastructure while enhancing the skills and capabilities of healthcare professionals. With enhanced skills and capabilities, India will be better positioned to conduct clinical trials for disease prevalent in its population and improve access to medicines.”

Dr. Viraj Suvarna, Chief Medical Officer, Roche Pharma India highlighted, “Such initiatives represent a commendable stride towards advancing the healthcare sector. Upskilling of clinical trial capabilities will help India’s public health institutions to conduct world class research and help patients in India gain access to innovative products from across the globe within the aegis of these public institutions. Patients will not have to travel abroad to seek treatment for unmet medical needs.”

Prof Radha Krishna Dhiman, Director, KSSSCI said, “We are delighted to partner with Roche Pharma India in this endeavour.  It will further equip KSSSCI, a young institute, by setting the highest standards to conduct trials more effectively while enhancing  the academic prowess of our team and significantly contributing towards research and development. It is in line with our vision to  have a positive impact on the entire healthcare ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh.”

The expansion of global clinical trials in India will promote inclusive research by involving a more diverse range of participants in clinical research, benefiting the sizable Indian population. Additionally, it will also equip government centers to conduct clinical trials more efficiently, both locally and globally, further enhancing India’s role in healthcare research and development.