SGS Life Science Services Announces Investment in New Life Science Services Facility in Mumbai, India
SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, announced today its plan to open a second Life Science Services facility in India. This announcement comes during Interphex Asia, a major trade conference for service providers to regional and global pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Asia.
SGS will open a second Indian analytical laboratory in Mumbai, fully operational by mid- 2012, to meet the booming local demand from large generic and multinational pharmaceutical companies. SGS, by developing a global key account strategy, has been able to better understand the need such companies have for their service partners to be in close proximity. This investment will establish a dedicated Life Science Services GMP laboratory, with the ability to provide a wide range of analytical development and quality control testing services. It encompasses the set-up of a flagship laboratory for new or expanded services in stability testing, Extractables & Leachables, analytical chemistry, and microbiology. In addition, SGS will make capital investments in state-of-the art instrumentation such as the latest generation of mass spectrometers and stability chambers to increase testing and sample storage capacities. The new facility is projected to be approximately 15,000 square feet and will initially generate 20 positions for highly trained scientific staff. SGS projects that the site will create up to 90 additional positions over five years.
“This investment is part of the three-year growth plan for SGS India and the Life Science Services division.”, said Anne Hays, Executive Vice President for SGS Life Science Services “With the growth of the pharmaceutical market in India, and specifically Mumbai, SGS takes this initiative to be in physically closer to our customers, while maintaining the quality we deliver, building our service offerings, and expanding our global network of laboratories.”
SGS began its Life Science Services operations from its current Chennai facility in 2005 to provide analytical support to the rapidly growing pharmaceutical industry in India. This laboratory is ISO 17025 and GMP certified. Additionally, the Chennai facility has achieved prequalified status from the WHO in early 2011 and is US-FDA registered and inspected.
With 17 laboratories offering contract analytical and bioanalytical services, SGS leverages its strong global network to deliver harmonized solutions to large pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. In addition to testing services for the bio/pharmaceutical market, SGS also provides clinical trial management (Phase I to IV) and services encompassing clinical pharmacology studies, data management, pharmacovigilance and regulatory consultancy.
The SGS Group is the global leader and innovator in inspection, verification, testing and certification services. Founded in 1878, SGS is recognized as the global benchmark in quality and integrity. With more than 64'000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1'250 offices and laboratories around the world.