Syngene International, an integrated research, development and manufacturing services company, has extended its ongoing research collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb through the end of 2030, and will expand the breadth of drug discovery research conducted, including chemistry, biology, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, as well as translational medicine research and pharmaceutical development.
 
The extension will include a 40% increase in the number of scientists and the addition of a new 50,000 sq.-ft. dedicated lab space.
 
Jonathan Hunt, MD and CEO, Syngene International Ltd., said, “For more than twenty years we have considered our work with Bristol Myers Squibb to set the benchmark for integrated research collaborations and are delighted with our joint commitment to extend this collaboration until at least the end of the decade, as well as expand our focus to new areas of science. I have every confidence that together we will continue to deliver science that will improve the lives of patients around the world.”
 
Gregory Vite, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Bristol Myers Squibb, said, “We greatly value our collaboration with Syngene International and are proud to extend and expand our work together. The dedicated facilities and scientific team at Syngene play an important role in helping us realize our vision to transform patients’ lives through science.”
 
The collaboration dates back to 1998 and Syngene’s first dedicated R&D Center, the Biocon BMS Research and Development Center (BBRC), fully commissioned in 2009. The BBRC has become a major strategic R&D site for BMS that provides integrated services and covers drug discovery and development research activities in the various therapeutic areas including cardiovascular, fibrosis, immunology and oncology. About 500 Syngene scientists currently work in the center as part of BMS’ global research team.