NIPER Raebareli and AstraZeneca India Clinical Research Partnership
The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Raebareli, and AstraZeneca India have entered into a partnership to strengthen India's clinical research capabilities and expand the country's participation in global clinical trials. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on October 14, 2026, in New Delhi in the presence of Shri Manoj Joshi, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
This collaboration aims to extend clinical trial capabilities beyond metropolitan areas by building a trained workforce and inspection-ready sites across 25 emerging research geographies throughout India. The initiative aligns with the Government of India's flagship Biopharma SHAKTI program, which targets establishing 1,000 clinical trial sites across the country to build a stronger biopharma ecosystem.
The partnership will begin by adopting 25 clinical trial sites, assessing their current capabilities, and providing targeted training and mentoring. The program will focus on strengthening documentation and support processes related to ethics, safety, and trial feasibility. The Department of Pharmaceuticals will provide direction and endorsement, ensuring alignment with national clinical research priorities.
AstraZeneca India will contribute clinical development expertise to design and deliver the program, engage both Indian and global faculty, and support participating sites through training, workshops, governance, and site-readiness activities. The initiative is designed as a scalable national model, starting with a proof-of-concept phase in oncology before potentially expanding to additional geographies and therapeutic areas.
Dr. Shubhini Saraf, Director of NIPER Raebareli, emphasized that the Centre of Excellence will provide a dedicated platform for structured training and certification in clinical research, combining academic and industry expertise to develop a skilled workforce. Shri Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President and Managing Director of AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited, noted that clinical research is central to bringing innovative medicines to patients and this collaboration aims to build a sustainable, high-quality research ecosystem in India.