The recent initiatives taken by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) through Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), for igniting new ideas in biotechnology as well as the scheme to develop affordable healthcare technologies and products will give a further push to the growing biotech sector of India.
BIRAC is the DBTs inter-face agency for supporting industry-academia interaction serving as a single window for the emerging biotech industry in the country.
BIG scheme
The Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) scheme for igniting new ideas in biotechnology launched by BIRAC will help potential entrepreneurs from academia, start-ups or an incubatee (researchers, PhDs, medical degree holders, biomedical engineering graduates) who have an exciting idea which may be in the nascent and planning stage and there is an unmet need for mentorship and initial funding.
The main aim of the scheme is to establish and validate proof of concept and also to enable creation of spin-offs. The scheme is for high level of innovation in the biotechnology sector and it supports only up-to proof-of-concept stage.
Biotechnology start-ups/entrepreneurs or incubatee; students, academician and scientists (research institute/university/public, not for profit organization, private funded) with an exciting idea which may be in the nascent and planning stage are eligible for the scheme.
BIRAC will issue a national call for BIG scheme at least two times each year. The scheme would be implemented through partners called the BIG Partners, across the country. Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Bangalore; Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), New Delhi; and IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad are the current BIG Partners.
A unique initiative of the government to promote the growth of biotechnology industry in India, the BIRAC will also help establish connectivity with professional and institutional networks and provide financial support for mid-level, quality innovation targeted at affordable solutions and product development.
Affordable healthcare technologies
DBT has also invited proposals from R&D companies in the country to develop affordable healthcare technologies and products having translational attributes and commercialization capability, especially in the thematic areas of diagnostics for infectious disease and allergy, biomedical devices, vaccines etc.
The DBT is conducting this programme under its Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) which is a government partnership programme with industry for support on a cost sharing basis for development of novel and high risk futuristic technologies mainly for viability gap funding and enhancing existing R&D capacities of start-ups and SMEs in key areas of national importance and public good.
BIPP has so far executed more than 75 industry partnership agreements for projects focusing on affordable healthcare technologies; food security and energy related needs of the country and also in the area of scale up, biosimilars, vaccines, therapeutics etc.
The DBT's attempt in this direction comes in the wake of it recognizing the importance of supporting development of technologies and products for health care with a view to reduce cost, increase their availability, accessibility and affordability for the society at large.
The attempt to develop affordable health care technologies and products is being announced to accentuate the need of such technologies and make an effort to contribute towards fostering the development of affordable healthcare technologies and products having translational attributes and commercialization capability. The proposal may be submitted for any stage of research and development, from pre-proof-of-concept to validation of established technologies.
Thematic areas of the present programme include diagnostics for infectious disease and allergy which is aimed at development of point of care and public health or environment related in vitro diagnostics.
Another thematic area is biomedical devices for novel and innovative technologies addressing health problems and aiming at improving quality of life.
Technologies may include ventilators, haemostatic and lifesaving devices, paediatric devices, imaging and monitoring devices or guided interventions, prosthesis, catheter, stents, infant warmer, drug delivery devices, radiological devices/ product, implants, advanced biomaterials, wound therapies, and devices used for infection control, tele-health technologies etc.
The other thematic area is vaccines. Novel, improved and affordable vaccines for HIV, TB, malaria, dengue, multivalent influenza, helicobacter pylori, cancer, hepatitis viruses, typhoid, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, intramuscular polio. Single dose vaccines with long lasting protection, Novel Adjuvants, Immunomodulators, room temperature tolerant and improved vaccine delivery mechanisms.
Small Business Innovation Research Initiative
The DBT's Small Business Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI), an innovative scheme to promote research and development (R&D) in small and medium size biotech companies in the country, has also received tremendous response. The department has assisted more than 100 companies under the scheme so far.
The DBT has funded a total of 98 companies under the programme till January 10, 2012 through 17 batches and the process for the 18 th batch of companies for funding is going on in the DBT.
SBIRI was launched by the government for funding early stage, pre-proof of concept research in the field of biotech under the National Biotechnology Development Strategy. The scheme provides early stage funding to enable scientists in private industries for high risk, innovative and ready-to commercialisation product proposals.
The scheme aims to strengthen existing private units with in-house innovative R&D and to create opportunities for starting up technology-based or knowledge-based businesses in biotechnology and to stimulate technological innovation and product commercialization. The department also uses the scheme to support public-private partnership model between industry and public funded institutions.
Some of the companies which have availed the scheme successfully included ABL Biotechnologies, Chennai; Virchow Biotech, Hyderabad; Actis Biologics, Mumbai; Ara Healthcare, Gurgaon; Bejo Sheetal Seeds, Jalna; Reliance Life Sciences, Navi Mumbai. Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad; Bharat Serum and Vaccines, Mumbai; Bharavi Laboratories, Bengaluru; Stempeutics Research, Bengaluru; and Bhat Bio-Tech India, Bengaluru in collaboration with National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi.
Other companies which have availed the scheme successfully are Customised Technologies, Bengaluru; Yashraj Biotechnology, Navi Mumbai; Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ahmedabad; Excel Matrix Biological Devices, Hyderabad in collaboration with National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi; Frontier Lifeline, Chennai; Healthline, Bengaluru; Hydrolina Biotech, Chennai; IMGENEX India, Bhubaneswar in collaboration with Institute of life Sciences, Bhubaneswar; Labland Biotech, Mysore; and Lead Invent Technologies, New Delhi in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.
Funds utilisation
In the meanwhile setting a new benchmark for all the departments at the Centre, DBT was successful in utilizing over 90 per cent of funds allocated to it during the last Five Year Plan period and implemented most of the initiatives proposed for the period.
Against the proposed amount of Rs.900 crore, the DBT got Rs.675 crore during the year of 2007-08. Later it was revised at Rs.683 crore and the department was able to spend Rs.618 crore, which was 90.48 per cent of the allocation. During 2008-09, the spending was Rs.879 crore which was 99.77 per cent of the actual allocation of Rs.879 crore. The actual expenditure during 2009-10 was Rs.882.77 crore, against the revised allocation of Rs.900 crore, at the rate of 98.11 per cent.
The department was given Rs.1200 crore during 2010-11 and it spent Rs.1121.48 crore, that was 93.65 per cent of the allocation. Likewise, during 2011-12, the department sought Rs.1600 crore and was given Rs.1350 crore as per the revised estimates. It spent Rs.983 crore by February itself, according to the figures given by the department.
The good performance of the department has come in for praise by the Parliamentary committee attached to the Ministry also. “The figures are indicative of effective financial planning and robust monitoring of expenditure by the Department. The Committee commends the excellent financial performance made by the Department and hopes that the Department would even better this performance in the XII Five Year Plan,” the report of the panel said.
Backed up by the claim of implementing most of the initiatives proposed during the 11th Plan period, the DBT is pressing for a three-fold increase in the allocation for the 12th Five Year Plan for which the final documents are being made.
“Considering the maximal utilization of allocations and implementation trends of the department, increasing needs of bio-industrial development and clearly focused programmes for 12th Plan, the working group of the Planning Commission has recommended an investment of Rs.17887.81 crore for 2012-2017 at the rate of three-fold fold increase over 11th plan allocation,” a senior official of the DBT said.
Overall implementation of proposals of 11th Plan aligned to strategies formulated in the National Biotechnology Development Strategy, 2007 has brought about paradigm shift in the ways and means biotechnology programmes and projects formulated and supported. Strong beginning has been made to create an ecosystem of innovation in biotechnology. More than 90 per cent of the initiatives committed have been implemented, the official said.