Clinical research major Quintiles' increased focus on India is not merely driven by the cost factor alone, with disease prevalence and availability of qualified investigators also playing a key role, a top company official has said.

“Fundamentally, our interest and that of our customers in doing research in India is not driven by a mere cost advantage, but rather by a need to ensure we include a country and population that has one of the highest burden of diseases in the world,” Mr Amar Kureishi, Vice-President, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Strategic Drug Development, Quintiles Asia Pacific told Business Line.

“The company also looks at diseases that are endemic to the region and one that is seeing the emergence of various lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer and obesity,” he added.

Quintiles conducts clinical trials on behalf of its bio-pharma customers in over 60 countries with the specific country chosen through close collaboration with its customers.
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