Lodha has recently closed a deal with Encube Ethicals, an integrated pharmaceutical company dedicated to topical products, to develop a nearly 100,000 sq. ft. flagship R&D ‘Centre of Excellence’ at Palava. The project is part of the Lodha Lifesciences Hub, which is spread across 25 acres and is Mumbai’s first systematically developed life sciences cluster. Expected to complete by 2023, this strategic partnership will further provide a host of job opportunities in the city. The project will be carried out in two phases, with the first phase being delivered by next year. Encube Ethicals plans to have 250 R&D-related jobs in the first building itself. Despite the presence of the majority of Indian life sciences companies’ headquarters in Mumbai, the desired R&D ecosystem had not been developed yet in MMR, given the lack of quality and compliant spaces, and infrastructure.  Contact: Lodha E-mail: enquiries@lodhagroup.comTel: 022-6773 7373Website: www.lodhagroup.in