Optra systems, a city-based Lifescience and healthcare imaging informatics company, has announced its partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), to jointly design and implement complete imaging software solution for the Life science and health care industry. Clients would include Pharma, Biotech and instrumentation companies as well as hospitals.

"Information generated by cutting edge biotech research is in both in the data format as well as the image format. While TCS would look after the data aspect, we will look at the imaging aspect," said Abhijeet Gholap, CEO and president, Optra, explaining the synergy behind the tie-up.

Gholap, who has an M.Tech with specialisation in bio-medical imaging from IIT Mumbai and has worked with Siemens Medical systems in the US, explained that a top-of -the-line pharmaceutical company spends an average of two billion dollars and seven years in order to launch a new drug in the market. "That's where we come in. We can help lower costs considerably," he said. Dr M Vidyasagar, executive vice-president for advanced technology, TCS said he was very excited about the partnership.

He said TCS has a very successful R&D program in the life sciences, and the partnership would help complement and extend TCS' internal capabilities in developing integrated in-silico platforms for drug discovery and development. With this partnership, the TCS' Co-Innovation Network (COIN), an ecosystem that promotes technology innovation, will expand its portfolio to include the healthcare industry.