Drug Company Eli Lilly Outsources Clinical Data To India

U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly & Co. is outsourcing a range of clinical data management services to Tata Consultancy Services, which has built a facility near New Delhi dedicated to Lilly work.

Lilly's deal with TCS is the latest proof of India's top outsourcers moving well beyond the basic tech and call center services for which they're best known. Other countries also are stepping up to attract high-level life sciences work. Earlier this month, drugmaker Novartis disclosed plans to build a $100 million research and development center in China.

TCS didn't disclose the value of the multiyear deal. The company will provide services including data management, statistical analysis, and medical writing. TCS employs about 2,700 people in its life sciences practice, which accounts for about 4% of the company's total sales. Its services range from running clinical trials to doing HIPAA compliance projects.

The outsourcing decision goes beyond cost cutting; it includes "gaining access to a global talent pool, increasing flexibility and scalability of our resources, and maintaining a global workflow that is operational 24 hours a day," Steve Ruberg, group director for global medical information sciences at Lilly, said in a statement.