MAHE and Novo Nordisk GBS expand collaboration in pharmacometrics

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and Novo Nordisk Global Business Services (GBS) have expanded their collaboration in pharmacometrics, a specialised scientific discipline that applies data, modelling and simulation to support drug development and clinical decision-making.

Under the collaboration, Novo Nordisk GBS will provide financial support of ₹1.75 crore over five years to enhance specialised talent development, research capacity and advanced infrastructure in quantitative drug development.

As drug discovery and development become increasingly data-driven, pharmacometrics has emerged as a critical discipline for optimising clinical trial design, understanding treatment responses across patient populations and enabling informed decisions throughout the drug development lifecycle.

A major component of the collaboration is the establishment of an advanced pharmacometrics computing facility at the Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MCOPS), Manipal. The facility will strengthen research, training and scientific collaboration in quantitative drug development while providing researchers with access to advanced computational resources. The initiative will also support one full-time PhD scholar and one post-doctoral fellow every year.

In addition, MCOPS will introduce four to six specialised learning modules under the theme ‘Innovation for quantitative drug development’. The curriculum will include model-informed drug development, systems modelling approaches and translational frameworks for emerging therapeutic modalities, including cell and gene therapies and multi-specific therapies.

Quoting John Dawber, Vice President and Managing Director of Novo Nordisk GBS, a media statement said: “India has become an increasingly important part of Novo Nordisk’s global value creation engine, and our GBS in Bengaluru continues to play an extensive role across our value chain. Through this collaboration with MAHE, we aim to build the next layer of specialised capability in pharmacometrics and quantitative sciences, which is not only essential for India but also connects with our global teams and strengthens our support for R&D across Novo Nordisk. This collaboration brings together exceptional talent, strong academic partnerships and real business challenges so that the work undertaken here delivers meaningful value for our colleagues, the wider Novo Nordisk GBS ecosystem and, ultimately, patients around the world.”

Sharath K Rao, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE, said: “This collaboration marks an important milestone in advancing research and training in one of the fastest-growing areas of pharmaceutical sciences. By combining academic excellence with industry expertise, we will strengthen India’s capabilities in pharmacometrics, create opportunities for cutting-edge research and prepare the next generation of scientists to contribute to global drug development.”

Through this expanded collaboration, MAHE and Novo Nordisk GBS aim to build a strong ecosystem for pharmacometrics research, accelerate innovation in quantitative drug development and contribute to improving healthcare outcomes globally, the statement added.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.