US co plans project to set up testing facilities for new drugs

Gandhinagar, Oct 6 (UNI) The US-based Creative Choice Group today said it has drawn up an ambitious plan to create a 'Silicon Valley' for drug discovery that would help in bringing down the costs and time involved in testing of new drugs.

''The project will be taken up either in Maharashtra or Gujarat, and the initial investment could go upto 150 million dollars, which will be mostly on equipment,'' said Dilip Barot, CEO of the group at a press meet here.

He said the laborataries that would come up in the facility could carry out testing on rodents, other animals and also other toxicity tests.

He said pharma companies can set up stores there and the discoveries can have joint patents.

Parleys are on with scientists, R&D people of various companies and Phd scholars for their involvement in the project, said Mr Barot.

Codes of ethics will also be drawn up to ensure secrecy and no-poaching of employess, he added.

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