Takeda opens innovation centre in Bengaluru
Global biopharmaceutical giant Takeda opens its first Asian Innovation Capability Centre in Bengaluru to speed-up drug discovery and development
Global biopharmaceutical company Takeda has launched an innovation capability centre (ICC) in Bengaluru, India, joining existing facilities in Slovakia and Mexico.
The Bengaluru ICC will focus on leveraging data, digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate research and development (R&D), ultimately aiming to deliver life-transforming treatments to patients.
Specifically, the centre will focus on AI-driven drug discovery, mobile health applications, software as a medical device, and AI-powered plasma donor information management. Blockchain technology will be used for supply chain tracking and tracing, while data science and visualisation will support data-driven decision-making.
In addition, Takeda will develop some large language models (LLMs) in-house and tap existing trained models for data sets. It has also partnered with Microsoft and Amazon Web Services in its “cloud-first” strategy, while supercomputing will play a key role in drug discovery efforts. Furthermore, it will adopt digital twins to improve lab transfer product yield and productivity.
“India was a natural choice for Takeda’s first ICC in Asia,” said Tilak Banerjee, head of Takeda ICC India, at the centre’s inauguration. “This strategic commitment will generate new jobs and further the company’s global mission of delivering life-transforming treatments.”
Takeda, founded in 1781 in Osaka, Japan, operates in about 80 countries. The company established a commercial presence in India 13 years ago in Gurugram, currently employing around 200 people. The new ICC builds on this existing presence, going beyond a digital transformation hub to develop a strong pipeline of biopharmaceutical products.
“The use of data and digital innovation strengthens our ability to deliver pharmaceuticals more efficiently and accelerate speed to market,” said Gabriele Ricci, chief data and technology officer at Takeda. “We intend to combine science, AI, generative AI and robotics to fulfil our vision.”
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At the core of all data-driven digital activities are issues related to cyber security. Takeda prioritises ethical AI practices, implementing auditable systems and employing a digital trust officer to oversee data management.
The ICC plans to recruit about 750 software engineers, data and AI experts, and scientists by the end of the year. Takeda said it’s committed to investing in and nurturing local talent to drive innovation and develop new patient treatments.
“The India ICC will drive large-scale digital transformation across the value chain, from R&D to manufacturing, benefiting stakeholders including healthcare providers and plasma donors,” added Sanjay Patel, global head for innovation capability solutions and services at Takeda’s data, digital and technology organisation.
Bengaluru was selected for its vibrant innovation ecosystem, supportive government policies such as the Karnataka Biotechnology Policy 2024-2029, and access to a highly skilled talent pool.
Karnataka is home to over 500 global capability centres, accounting for about 35% of the workforce employed by similar facilities in India.
