Sai Life Sciences, a Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CRO-CDMO), presented a midterm report on its organizational transformative initiative, Sai Nxt. Envisaged as a 4-year program from 2019 to 2023 with an investment target of US $150 million, Sai Nxt has enabled a transformation in the company's capabilities across three core areas: (1) People & Culture (2) Processes & Automation (3) Infrastructure & Scientific Capabilities.

According to the CEO & Managing Director of Sai Life Sciences, Krishna Kanumuri, said, "At the halfway mark of Sai Nxt, we have completed two-thirds of our committed investment. More importantly, it has augmented our ability to serve the needs of global pharma and biotech innovators with speed, compliance and dependability." 

Guided by the insights and feedback from its innovator customers, Sai Life Sciences has expanded its R&D and manufacturing facilities, deepened scientific and technological capabilities, strengthened automation and data systems, and raised the bar for safety, quality and customer focus.

Growth in scientific depth and scale: The company's expansion into Boston and Manchester has enabled it to access some of the finest pharmaceutical talents globally and strengthened its ability to solve complex scientific challenges. The simultaneous growth in its India team has brought in niche capabilities and NCE experience.

Expansion in technology platforms and capabilities: The company has augmented its capabilities across various technologies including high-content screening (HCS), PROTACS, particle sciences & engineering, highly potent APIs, scale-up of flow processes, amidites, peptides, and more.

Fully integrated discovery and development campus, built for speed: The company has consolidated all its India R&D capabilities into a 13-acre integrated campus in Hyderabad with over 1200 scientists. The campus houses integrated discovery (chemistry, biology and DMPK/ tox), early & late phase development, comprehensive analytical capabilities, process safety, technology platforms, early phase supplies, and technology transfer. The co-location of cross-functional teams on the same site, combined with streamlined processes and automation, helps faster resolution of technical issues and improves speed.

Global delivery model for biology and process chemistry: To provide its customers an optimal solution in terms of talent, speed, and cost-efficiency, the company has created specialized global R&D teams in Boston (Biology) and Manchester (Process Development) with proven ability to solve complex scientific challenges. Complementing the strong track record of handling complex projects by the India team, allows customers the choice to begin their project in Boston or Manchester, following which projects are seamlessly tech transferred to Hyderabad for greater throughput or scale-up, as needed. This model is enabled by unified global teams supported by matching infrastructure and processes across all sites.

New state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities: The company has added 172 KL API & intermediate manufacturing capacity, four clean rooms, at its Bidar manufacturing campus. It is on course to adding highly potent API and amidites capabilities by end-2021, an additional 200 KL manufacturing capacity and a dedicated facility for companion animal health products by end-2022. With this expansion, 80% of the installed capacity will be under 5 years old, and 60% under 3 years old. All new production facilities have state-of-the-art automation, data systems and safety features housed in ergonomically designed multi-purpose production blocks.