HYDERABAD: Bharat Biotech has drawn up plans to set up a Rs 20 crore clinical research organisation (CRO) in Bangalore. The company, which recently tied up with pharma major Wyeth for supplying Haemophilus Influenzae-B (HIB) vaccines, is also gearing up for the launch of its indigenous typhoid vaccine.

"Setting up a CRO would make sense for as our company has a host of biotech products in pipeline. This apart, we are also expecting a great deal of outsourcing work since the CRO would be of international standards," Mr Krishna Ella, CMD, Bharat Biotech, told ET.

The company is in talks with the Bangalore-based Vaidehi Institute of Medical Research for setting up the CRO, which would have an independent status. The unit would be funded by both equity and debt component.

As outsourcing budgets have grown to about $12 billion worldwide, so have the CROs worldwide. The plan comes after the company sewed the deal with Wyeth. It has procured about 5 lakh doses of HIB vaccine in April for meeting its global needs.

"Undertaking contract work for Wyeth is a prestige issue for us as none of the international pharma majors have so far outsourced from Indian firms," Mr Ella said.