Rockville, Maryland (PRWEB) November 14, 2014

Staff from the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) today welcomed a visiting delegation of community and business leaders from Montgomery County, Maryland to USP’s state-of-the-art laboratories in Hyderabad, India as part of an effort to strengthen connections with pharmaceutical and bio-tech organizations.

Visitors to the USP-India facility included Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett; Global LifeSci Development Corporation Executive Vice President Jonathan Genn; Montgomery College President Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard; Montgomery College Life Sciences Park Executive Director Martha A. Schoonmaker; Deputy Director of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development Sally Sternbach; Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen and President and CEO of the India-US World Affairs Institute Dr. Vinod Jain. The visit to USP-India is part of an effort by Montgomery County leaders and businesses to expand contacts with biotech and other high-tech organizations in India.

“We are happy to welcome this delegation from Montgomery County, where USP is headquartered, and we appreciate their interest in fostering economic development at home and abroad,” said USP Chief Executive Officer Ronald T. Piervincenzi, Ph.D. “The County’s efforts have helped USP further its mission to advance public health in Maryland and the United States by promoting access to quality medicines and foods, which increasingly include ingredients from global sources.”

USP-India is located in the IKP Knowledge Park in Hyderabad, a center for pharmaceutical and bio-tech manufacturing and research in India. In addition to showcasing USP’s laboratories and testing facilities, USP-India hosted meetings to introduce the Montgomery County delegation to leaders from other businesses located in the IKP Park.

Opened in 2005, the India site is USP’s first office and laboratory facility located outside of the United States. In 2011, USP completed a large-scale expansion project to increase capacity for analytical chemistry and collaborative testing. In addition to India, USP operates laboratories in São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; and at USP’s headquarters in Rockville, Md. (USA).

For more information or a list of attendees, contact mediarelations(at)usp(dot)org.

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USP – Global Expertise, Trusted Standards, Improved Health

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is a global health organization that improves lives through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods. USP’s standards are used worldwide. For more information about USP visit http://www.usp.org.