Glenmark Research Centre is where an Indian generics company began its bet on original drug discovery. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals set up its new chemical entity (NCE) research centre in Navi Mumbai in 2000, at a time when most Indian drugmakers focused only on copying off-patent medicines. That bet received its clearest validation in July 2025, when the company’s innovation arm licensed ISB 2001, a trispecific antibody for multiple myeloma, to AbbVie in one of the largest out-licensing deals by an India-linked drug discovery programme. The research centre sits at Plot A-607 in the TTC Industrial Area, MIDC Mahape, Navi Mumbai. It is a corporate R&D facility, not a public service centre, and it works on medicines in Glenmark’s focus areas of respiratory disease, dermatology, and oncology.
| Quick Facts | Details |
| Name | Glenmark Research Centre (Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) |
| Address | Plot No. A-607, T.T.C. Industrial Area, MIDC, Thane–Belapur Road, Mahape, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400709, India |
| Pin code note | Listings also show 400701, 400705, and 400710 |
| Parent company | Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (incorporated 18 November 1977) |
| Corporate office | Glenmark House, B.D. Sawant Marg, Chakala, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400099 |
| Chairman & Managing Director | Glenn Saldanha (MD since 2001) |
| NCE research centre set up | 2000, Navi Mumbai |
| Sister biologics centre | Switzerland, established 2006 |
| Innovation arm | Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI), formed January 2024 |
| Therapy focus | Respiratory, dermatology, oncology |
| Track record (company figures) | 10+ out-licensing deals; 16+ molecules taken into clinical development |
| Landmark deal | ISB 2001 licensed to AbbVie (July 2025) |
| Future target | One IND (investigational new drug) filing a year from FY27 |
| Other listed facilities | Clinical research unit (bioavailability/bioequivalence studies) at Mahape; bioanalytical centre at MIDC Taloja |
| Phone (as listed) | 022-6772 0000 |
| Public access | Restricted corporate R&D facility |
| Nearest railway stations | Ghansoli and Koparkhairane (Trans-Harbour Line) |
| Nearest airports | Navi Mumbai International Airport; Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, roughly 20 km |
| Time zone | IST, UTC+5:30 (no daylight saving) |
| Official website | glenmarkpharma.com |
Why a Generics Company Built a Discovery Lab
For decades, India’s patent law protected only manufacturing processes, not the medicines themselves. Indian companies could legally make their own versions of drugs patented elsewhere, which built a large generics industry. India committed to introducing product patents from 2005 under its World Trade Organization obligations, which meant copying newly patented medicines would no longer be possible.
Glenn Saldanha, who became Glenmark’s managing director in 2001, has said this change was why he invested in original drug discovery instead of relying only on generics. Glenmark set up its drug discovery division ahead of the new law, focusing on oncology, dermatology, and respiratory disease.
Key Milestones
- 1977: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals incorporated
- 2000: NCE research centre established in Navi Mumbai
- 2004: First out-licensing of a new chemical entity
- 2006: First biologics (NBE) research centre opens in Switzerland
- 2011: Glenmark’s BEAT® antibody platform developed
- 2021: ISB 880 out-licensed to Almirall
- 2023: OX40 antibody portfolio out-licensed to Astria Therapeutics
- January 2024: Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI) formed
- July 2025: ISB 2001 licensed to AbbVie
- From FY27: Targeting one IND filing every year
Location: TTC Industrial Area, Mahape
The Thane–Belapur (TTC) Industrial Area is one of Maharashtra’s largest industrial belts. It runs along Thane–Belapur Road in Navi Mumbai and is home to many pharmaceutical, chemical, and IT companies. Mahape is part of this belt.
- By train: Ghansoli and Koparkhairane stations on the Trans-Harbour Line (Thane–Vashi/Panvel) are the nearest. A short auto or company shuttle covers the rest.
- By road: Thane–Belapur Road connects Mahape to Thane, Vashi, and Belapur.
- From Mumbai city: Via the Eastern Express Highway to Thane, or the Sion–Panvel route via Vashi.
- By air: The new Navi Mumbai International Airport at Ulwe, or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, roughly 20 km away.
Visitors: As a corporate research facility, the centre is not open to the public. Visits are by appointment only, for business partners, interview candidates, and invited guests.
Research Areas
A drug discovery centre brings together several scientific disciplines. At Glenmark, the work includes:
Small-Molecule Discovery
The Navi Mumbai centre is Glenmark’s hub for small-molecule research, now under the IGI umbrella. Discovery teams generally include:
- Medicinal chemistry: Designing and making new molecules
- Biology and pharmacology: Testing how molecules act on disease targets
- DMPK (drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics): Studying how the body absorbs, processes, and removes a drug
- Safety assessment: Early studies to identify potential toxicity
Specialty and Respiratory Products
Glenmark has developed its own respiratory and dermatology products. One example is RYALTRIS, its proprietary nasal spray for allergic rhinitis, which combines an antihistamine and a corticosteroid.
Clinical and Bioanalytical Research
Regulatory lists show:
- A clinical research unit at MIDC Mahape for bioavailability and bioequivalence (BA/BE) studies, which check how a medicine is absorbed compared with a reference product
- A bioanalytical centre at MIDC Taloja, which measures drug levels in clinical samples
Biologics (Through the Swiss Centre)
Antibody discovery, including the BEAT® platform for bispecific and multispecific antibodies, came from Glenmark’s Swiss research centre, now part of IGI.
Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI)
In January 2024, Glenmark and its subsidiary Ichnos Sciences combined their oncology discovery work into Ichnos Glenmark Innovation. IGI brings together:
- Clinical development headquarters in New York
- A biologics research centre in Lausanne, Switzerland
- Glenmark’s small-molecule research centre in Navi Mumbai, India
IGI’s pipeline focuses on multispecific antibodies for cancer, including:
- ISB 2001 (ABBV-2001): A CD38 × BCMA × CD3 trispecific T-cell engager for multiple myeloma, licensed to AbbVie
- ISB 2301: A multispecific immune cell activator for solid tumours
What an Out-Licensing Deal Means
Glenmark’s strategy relies on out-licensing, where it develops a promising drug candidate and then licenses it to a larger company to complete development and bring it to market. These deals usually include:
- An upfront payment, paid when the deal is signed
- Milestone payments, paid when the drug reaches agreed stages such as clinical trial results, approvals, or sales targets
- Royalties, a percentage of sales if the drug is approved and sold
In the AbbVie–ISB 2001 deal, AbbVie gained rights in major markets including North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China, while Glenmark kept rights in emerging markets including India. Reports put the upfront payment at about US$700 million, with further milestones and royalties possible. Most drug candidates never reach approval, so milestone figures represent potential rather than guaranteed income.
Careers at Glenmark Research
The research centre employs chemists, biologists, pharmacologists, analytical scientists, formulation scientists, clinical research staff, regulatory specialists, and support teams.
Tips for applicants:
- Apply through Glenmark’s official careers website or verified job portals.
- Highlight lab skills and relevant projects, such as synthesis, assay development, analytical techniques, or GLP/GCP experience.
- Expect technical interviews that test both theory and hands-on knowledge.
- Beware of fake job offers. Genuine pharmaceutical companies don’t charge fees for interviews or jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the address of Glenmark Research Centre?
A: Plot No. A-607, T.T.C. Industrial Area, MIDC, Mahape, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400709.
Q2. When was Glenmark Research Centre established?
A: Glenmark set up its new chemical entity research centre in Navi Mumbai in 2000.
Q3. What does Glenmark Research Centre work on?
A: Drug discovery and development, with a focus on respiratory, dermatology, and oncology.
Q4. What is Ichnos Glenmark Innovation?
A: IGI is Glenmark’s oncology innovation arm, formed in January 2024, combining research centres in Navi Mumbai and Switzerland with clinical operations in New York.
Q5. What is ISB 2001?
A: A trispecific antibody for multiple myeloma, developed by IGI and licensed to AbbVie in July 2025.
Q6. Does Glenmark have research centres outside India?
A: Yes. Its biologics research centre is in Switzerland, established in 2006.
Q7. Can the public visit Glenmark Research Centre?
A: No. It is a corporate research facility, and visits are by appointment only.
Q8. Who leads Glenmark Pharmaceuticals?
A: Glenn Saldanha is Chairman and Managing Director.
Q9. Which railway station is nearest to Glenmark Research Centre?
A: Ghansoli and Koparkhairane stations on the Trans-Harbour Line.
Q10. How can I apply for a job at Glenmark Research Centre?
A: Apply through Glenmark’s official careers website or verified job portals.
