Sowing the seeds of innovation to improve dairy productivity in India
case study
April 2018
Sowing the seeds of innovation to improve dairy productivity in India
The story of a leading global animal health company’s trust in Sapience’s capabilities to conduct their breakthrough clinical studies in India
Introduction
One of the world’s top three animal health companies, well-known for its high quality products, R&D efforts and deep customer intimacy with global animal protein producers, needed to evaluate the drug delivery options for a product that significantly improves dairy productivity.
The company decided that India would be the ideal place for them to run clinical studies on one of their latest innovations – molecules to boost productivity in the dairy sector. The company’s R&D work is structured in four stages, starting with basic research and external innovation, early development, late development and registration and, finally, providing in-depth technical support for product use in the target species. The India-specific clinical study was a part of the in-depth product development work.
The aim of the study was to support a decision on the use of the product in the target species under emerging market conditions, which can be vastly different from a developed market’s animal husbandry practices. Consequently, the company was looking for Indian partners with the required knowledge, skills, and experience to match their global standards. They needed a partner who could understand and work within their stringent R&D processes and protocols.
Following the completion of an extensive global due diligence, Sapience was chosen to run the clinical study in India – from site selection and investigator engagement to completing and submitting the study reports.
IMPACT
Kick starting the R&D efforts in India
The first step was to understand the research goals and objectives of the study; the next step was to choose a project site that shared the scientific approach to getting a new product for use on the farm.
Once the goals were established and the site identified, Sapience and the company created the protocols and commercial contracts for the research and execution of the study. The documentation was vetted out at every stage with all other stakeholders, such as the company’s Indian office, the site management, and the investigator.
Since the R&D involved molecular innovations in boosting productivity across India, the site needed to have a large number of both cattle and buffaloes. The study also required a wide range of production – from professionally run farms with livestock of highest productivity to the smallholder single-animal farmer. Sapience accomplished identifying and finalising these sites within a record 2-months’ time. Highly qualified research professionals were brought on board to conduct the study according to protocols with the selected animals, ensuring that the study requirements seamlessly integrated into the farming practices.
Steadily progressing towards desired results
The trial is underway, with more than 400 animals recruited into the study within 6 months. Sapience is also responsible supervising the execution of the trials at all the farms. The team has set up a camp office in the rural hinterlands of India to help the site’s management effectively capture animal data on an everyday basis, collate, and provide the data in real-time to the company for their verification and interim analysis. At the end of the study, Sapience will prepare the reports of these studies with the investigators, after an analysis of all the results.
Result Areas
Strategic Planning & Development
Market Access
Product Registration