Company Watch

Lotus Academy to begin specialized pharma courses by March 2010

Usha Sharma - Mumbai

Bangalore - based three year old clinical research organization Lotus Clinical Research Academy (LCRA) has taken a quantum initiative in pharmaceutical education. The company is introducing a few new courses in the pharma formulation development, stability studies and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) development by March 2010.

While sharing details of the new course, Sudhir Pai, Managing Director, LCRA said, "At present we are in talks with few big sized domestic companies as well as with MNCs and expect it will get over by before February 2010. We will be starting our first batch of pharma course from March 2010 with 15 students. However we haven't begun enrollment procedures as we are awaiting deals with pharma companies."

It is engaged in providing training, consulting, research and analytical services for the clinical research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. LCRA offers industry partnerships and collaborations in the areas corporate training, clinical data management, pharmacovigilance, site monitoring and bio-analytical services.

LCRA is raising funds for organic growth and it is in the process of finalization with private equity firms. "We have identified few companies and currently discussions are ongoing on funding and it will get over by March 2010. For the phase I we are looking to raise near about Rs 15 crore for setting up four new centers at Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and New Delhi as well as utilizing funds for labs expansion, software updation and license etc but all activity will be in place after we get funds in hand."

In the new centers LCRA will be beginning with two full time courses on Clinical Research and Data Management with an annual fee of Rupees two lakh and one lakh respectively. Explaining the fees variation Pai said, "In the Clinical Research course, we are sending practitioners to clinical trial sites and they will be provided practical training there whereas, in Data Management course students will get a live project within the campus. "

He further continued saying, “At present we are providing training to trainers and it takes almost four-six months. We have different parameters for admission like personal interview and some courses need entrance exams. For the first year we have planned a batch of 60 students which will increase in future as per need."

u.sharma@expressindia.com