Novo Nordisk Global Business Services (GBS) has strengthened its partnership with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) to accelerate the growth of pharmacometrics in India. As part of the renewed collaboration, Novo Nordisk GBS will invest ₹1.75 crore over the next five years to support talent development, research initiatives and advanced infrastructure in quantitative drug development, reflecting the growing importance of data-driven approaches in modern pharmaceutical research.
A key feature of the partnership is the creation of a dedicated pharmacometrics computing facility at MAHE. The new centre will serve as a hub for research, education and collaboration in model-informed drug development and clinical pharmacology. The programme will also sponsor one full-time PhD scholar and one postdoctoral fellow each year, helping create a skilled workforce capable of advancing quantitative drug development and improving the design and evaluation of clinical trials.
The collaboration will further introduce four to six specialised academic modules under the theme “Innovation for Quantitative Drug Development.” These courses will focus on areas such as Model-Informed Drug Development (MIDD), systems modelling, translational science and emerging therapeutic approaches, including cell and gene therapies as well as multi-specific therapies. By integrating real-world pharmaceutical challenges with advanced quantitative methodologies, the initiative aims to equip researchers and students with expertise that is increasingly sought after across the global life sciences industry.
John Dawber, Vice President and Managing Director of Novo Nordisk Global Business Services, said India has become a critical contributor to the company’s global operations, with its Bengaluru GBS centre playing an important role across the value chain. He said the expanded partnership with MAHE is designed to strengthen specialised capabilities in pharmacometrics and quantitative sciences while connecting Indian talent with global research and development programmes to create value for the organisation and patients worldwide.
Dr. Sharath K. Rao, Vice Chancellor of MAHE, described the collaboration as a significant step towards advancing education and research in one of the pharmaceutical industry’s fastest-growing scientific disciplines. He said the partnership combines academic expertise with industry experience to strengthen India’s research capabilities while preparing future scientists for global drug development.
Henrik Agersø, Senior Director of Pharmacometrics at Novo Nordisk Global R&D, said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to expanding quantitative science and evidence-based drug development. He noted that as obesity research moves beyond weight-loss outcomes, there is increasing focus on understanding changes in body composition across therapies. The collaboration aims to develop reproducible modelling frameworks based on published scientific evidence to generate meaningful insights while enhancing model-informed research capabilities.
Dr. Srinivas Mutalik, Principal of MCOPS, and Dr. Surulivel Rajan, Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at MCOPS, said the partnership will provide students and researchers with access to specialised training, advanced computational infrastructure and practical exposure to modern drug development methodologies. They added that the initiative will strengthen MAHE’s research ecosystem while preparing highly skilled professionals to address evolving challenges in pharmacometrics and quantitative drug development.
The programme is being implemented under NovoSPARC (Strategic Partnership with Academic and Research Centres), Novo Nordisk GBS’s academic collaboration platform that promotes research, innovation and talent development through partnerships with leading academic institutions, further reinforcing India’s role in the company’s global research and quantitative science network.