Bristol Myers CEO says India to have largest R&D presence outside US by 2025

Syngene International

27/02/2024 08:26

By Rishika  Sadam and Leroy  Leo
       HYDERABAD, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Bristol Myers Squibb
 BMY.N  aims to expand its research and development presence in
India and expects its newly inaugurated Hyderabad facility to
become its largest unit outside the U.S. by 2025, CEO
Christopher Boerner said on Tuesday. 
    The $100-million facility, inaugurated by Boerner on Monday,
is expected to employ over 1,500 employees and will be used to
enhance its drug development through the use of digital
technologies and artificial intelligence, he said in his keynote
speech at the BioAsia conference.
    Bristol Myers also operates a research and development
centre in Bengaluru in partnership with the Biocon Group's
Syngene International.
    The cancer-focused U.S. drugmaker is currently developing
next-generation cell therapies for autoimmune diseases such as
multiple sclerosis and plans to use AI technologies to
accelerate the development, Boerner said.
    The company plans to make these more widely available,
including in markets such as India, he added.
    Bristol Myers is yet to launch its cancer cell therapies
Abecma and Breyanzi in the country, but its other cancer drugs
such as nivolumab and ipilimumab are sold under the brand names
Opdyta and Yervoi.  
    A spokesperson for the company did not immediately respond
to Reuters request for comment on availability of Abecma and
Breyanzi in India.
    The company expects its top-selling drugs such as blood
thinner Eliquis and cancer immunotherapy Opdivo to lose patent
protection in key markets later this decade and announced a
string of deals late last year to restock its drug development
pipeline. 
            

 (Reporting by Leroy Leo and Rishika Sadam in Hyderabad; Editing
by Janane Venkatraman)
 ((Leroy.Dsouza@thomsonreuters.com ; https://twitter.com/LeroyLeo7;))