Syngene International, one of Asia’s largest R&D-focused CROs, has announced the establishment in Bangalore, India, of an integrated, multi-disciplinary drug discovery and development center for Amgen. This center, named Syngene Amgen R&D Center (SARC), will be Syngene’s fourth such exclusive R&D center. Syngene already operates dedicated R&D centers for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Abbott Nutrition and Baxter.

The state-of-the-art dedicated center will be staffed by a team of more than 100 highly qualified Syngene scientists, working in close association with Amgen researchers around the world on the discovery and development of innovative medicines.

In addition to being customized to meet Amgen's functional requirements, the facility complies with the highest regulatory standards. Its design includes a range of environmentally-friendly features and flexible layouts, and is configured to minimize solvent and effluent waste with a strong emphasis on laboratory safety and “green” chemistry.

Commenting on the Syngene Amgen R&D Center, Jonathan Hunt, chief executive officer, Syngene International, said, "We are delighted to announce the establishment of our dedicated R&D center for Amgen. Bringing together into one place, the range of activities we conduct on behalf of Amgen indicates the strategic nature of our relationship and also reflects the ability of Syngene’s scientific teams to deliver world-class science towards our partners’ R&D programs in both biotechnology and small molecule medicines.”

Syngene has partnered with Amgen in a variety of discovery and development projects. With the establishment of SARC, this association now extends into a multi-discipline collaboration spanning capabilities in medicinal and process chemistry, biologics, bioprocess, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, bioanalytical research, and pharmaceutical development.