Drug Repurposing
with a Purpose

In a career spanning 4 decades, worked in different spheres of Medical/ Clinical/ Biotech R&D leading medical/ clinical & regulatory departments of both Indian & MNC Pharma companies in India. Started with Phase 1 studies in 1983 and retired recently after leading global clinical studies for NCEs and Biologicals for a big Pharma. He was a member of several regulatory committees in India that framed guidelines for GCP, Bioequivalence, IPR, Phase I and Ethical Marketing of Pharmaceuticals etc. Profiled in a book by Tata McGraw Hill – “Thought Leaders” amongst 22 insightful leaders in India.

Karthik has a decade-long experience in AI/ML. He received the M.Tech. degree from IIT Madras, India, in 2011 and DSc. (Tech) from Aalto University, Finland in 2018. He was a Visiting Researcher with the Wireless Networking and Communications Group, The University of Texas at Austin in 2017. His research interests include signal processing, machine learning, drug discovery and repurposing, and convex optimization.

With over 32 years of extensive experience in pharmaceutical research and development, she has been a seasoned leader in product development, having successfully formulated and launched more than 300 products across diverse dosage forms. Her career includes significant roles as Head of Formulations R&D at two leading organizations, where she managed teams of 120 scientists, driving innovation and ensuring successful delivery of high-quality formulations.

A PhD from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, USA in Ovarian Cancer Research with over 7 years of experience in research and scientific writing. Possesses a distinctive combination of scientific expertise and project management skills, seamlessly integrated to deliver exceptional results. An accomplished scientist skilled in new product evaluation with a proven track record of delivering quality publications in high-impact international journals. Extensive experience in fostering cross-functional collaborations in multidisciplinary environments.

Dr. Chitra Bargaje is a senior Quality and Compliance expert with over 24 years of global experience in GCP and Pharmacovigilance (PV). She brings a strong quality-first mindset, built through extensive leadership of GVP/GCP compliance programs, regulatory inspections, and enterprise-wide quality systems across multiple geographies. She has a proven track record of designing, streamlining, and strengthening QMS frameworks to ensure sustained inspection readiness and regulatory adherence.

At Lupin, she was instrumental in transforming clinical research and PV quality processes and later led the global PV function, driving measurable improvements in compliance maturity and operational excellence. Her approach consistently integrates robust quality governance with practical, execution-focused solutions.

She comes on board from Feb 2026.

Chartered Accountant with an all-India rank and over 25 years of experience across manufacturing, R&D, and business finance. Has led plant finance and controllership functions at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, as well as R&D and business finance at Lupin Limited.

Expertise includes M&A and valuations, MIS, budgeting, planning and forecasting, commercial agreements, profit improvement initiatives, and strategic decision support for capex investments and third-party collaborations. Known for combining strong financial rigor with practical business insight to drive sustainable value creation.