Bengaluru, May 30 (IANS): Leading British-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca on Thursday opened a development operations centre in this tech hub to support clinical research in India.

"The centre will support the development of our innovative medicines and hosts clinical trial experts focused on core therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardio-vascular, renal and metabolism, and respiratory," said the city-based Indian arm of the company in a statement here.

British Deputy High Commissioner Richard Homer, who flagged off the centre, said the facility would cement the company's position as a leading initiator of clinical studies in the country.

The centre will employ 30 clinical research experts to handle 20 studies in 150 sites across the country.

"The centre will focus on managing studies, support the global clinical drug development and the local business with clinical data and evidence," said the statement.

"We are expanding our operations to lead clinical research due to the high skills of Indian experts, improved regulation and approval timelines," said the bio-pharma's senior regional director Melissa Grady on the occasion.

The development operations team of experts has grown to 33 from seven in 2015, handling 20 clinical trials in 150 sites across the country.

"The new site will advance science in our core therapeutic areas to develop new ways to treat patients and address the unmet medical needs in non-communicable diseases," said AztraZeneca Pharma India Managing Director Gagandeep Singh Bedi.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Sweden in April 2018, the company announced $90 million (Rs 630 crore) additional investment in India over five years.