Biotechnology has proved to be one of the fastest growing sectors in India and is expected to play a dominant role in shaping the country’s rapidly developing economy. The sector has been in the forefront in combating life threatening diseases, reduce energy crisis and food scarcity which are among the serious challenges globally.

These issues which also hamper the country have led the biotech sector to advance its research and development capabilities and bring to the fore, novel solutions like newer drugs and advanced technologies to handle shortage of fuel and food.

The sector which offers employment to 100, 000 people, has the potential to increase it to six to seven times in the coming years. It is optimally poised to deliver higher growth and introduce new products in 2013 which is seen as a year of immense possibilities.

The fact biotechnology industry is on the forefront of scientific research is evident from the slew of initiatives that have been taking place in the last few months in Karnataka. These include design and marketing of the molecular diagnostic platform ‘Syndrome Evaluation System’ (SES) by XCyton Diagnostics, building a state-of-the-art R&D centre in Bengaluru for develop bio-therapeutic drugs and devices including, drug loaded devices by Strides Arcolab’s biotech subsidiary Stelis Biopharma, development of TrialPedia, a clinical trial analytics by Indegene, devising clinical genomics interpretation and reporting platform by Strand Genomcis and an exclusive licensing agreement for co-development and commercialization of ADXS-HPV, a novel cancer immunotherapy for the treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical cancer in women for India and key emerging markets by Biocon and Advaxis Inc, a leader in developing the next generation of cancer immune-therapies. A landmark development in Bengaluru was the launch of affordable and convenient   CANMAb  to treat  HER2-positive breast cancer.

Bengaluru has been the hub for all the biotech developments and the industry here has gained considerable traction in terms of offering these products to the global market by revolutionizing the cost competitiveness in comparison to any global player, said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson Vision Group on Biotechnology, government of Karnataka and the CMD Biocon Ltd.

Indian biotech landscape
“Indian biotech comes of age and it is gratifying that it is now a $7.5 billion sector. The sector is set to touch $100 billion by 2025. Specifically with reference to bio-pharma, we see the growth contributors would be vaccines. One - third of the global children are inoculated with vaccines from India. Emerging markets are proving to be the hub of biosimilar and biological manufacture and India will take a lead in the same, said Shaw.

In India, the biotechnology sector has been recognized as one of the fastest growing knowledge- based industries. The country is at the threshold of global developments and assumes significant role with its technical manpower but what is needed is valuable expertise,” said Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

In this regard, DBT would continue to support basic research and bring in the linkages. The strategy of 2013 would be to increase collaborations and this was the only way to support the basic research being carried out in the country. In fact, DBT will support all partnerships for high quality standards in science and technology. Although our investment is small, we can be the rudder ensuring the direction and provide the connection with our teams in the department, he added.

Last year, DBT unveiled the Biotech Strategy 2013 to enable industry further emphasise its significance in the global market.

India has a huge intellectual capital and should now look at the National Institute of Health (NIH) funding mechanism. For instance, NIH has provided 46,000 grants valued at $30 billion making the US way ahead in the area of funding. In South East Asia , Tamasek in Singapore has increased its funding from a mere $1 billion to $200 billion making it the ninth largest sovereign fund globally, said David Wetherell, President and COO, Burrill Healthcare Venture and Private Equity Funds, USA who was present at Bangalore India Bio 2013 last year.

“India needs to take a cue from this and gear up to create an evergreen funding model. By encouraging innovation and start-ups, there will be increase in job opportunities. There is no reason why India cannot do this. The country will need optimal government intervention and embark on a partnership mode to harness much of its strengths will viable funding models. Based on its strengths in information technology (IT), India can offer bioinformatics solutions to the world.

At present bioinformatics solutions for drug discovery and synthetic biology is crucial and India can take a lead. But here the government needs to be a catalyst and draw up short-term and long-term plans, pointed out the Burrill Healthcare Venture chief.

Bengaluru, the hub of biotechnology
Karnataka plays a crucial role in the biotech success story of India. The state accounts for over 50 per cent of the 400 biotech companies in India.  It has also chipped in 50 per cent of the Rs.28,500 crore ($5 billion) generated by Indian biotech in 2012-13 contributed by the vaccines, diagnostics, drug delivery devices, biosimilars and bio fuels.

The biotech companies in Bengaluru have the potential to strike it high and continue to sustain a global presence. While the city is the second largest IT hub after Silicon Valley, the current prospects of biotech sector could see it strike success too, said Karnataka secretary for IT, BT and ST, Srivatsa Krishna.

In Karnataka, its capital Bengaluru offers excellent opportunity for the germination of business concepts. The is a conductive research atmosphere and the presence of the scientific centres such as the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). Indian Institute of Science to NCBS and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) along with a platform for huge convergence of information technology and biotechnology create an natural eco-system for scientific advances, said Shaw.

A peek into developments in 2014

• On January 8, 2014, NCBS-Max Planck Lipid Center, a joint initiative of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bengaluru and the Max Planck Centre for Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany reinstated its commitment to continue its work on lipids including genetic models of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
• On January 10, Biocon Academy, a one-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence for Advanced Learning in Applied Bio-Sciences, commenced its flagship program the ‘Biocon KGI Certificate Program in Biosciences’ in collaboration with Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, California. The 16-week, full-time program is being conducted by renowned faculty from KGI and Biocon Academy. The program’s broad-based international curriculum encompasses R&D, production as per GMP, quality assurance, regulatory, product development and professional skills, which will enhance the career prospects for fresh biotech graduates as well experienced biotechnologists.
• On January 18, 2014, Biocon transformed the cancer therapy space with the manufacture of  an affordable  novel biosimilar  trastuzumab under the brand name ‘CANMAb’ to treat HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in India.  It recognizes the company  as one of the leading Indian oncology companies since it offered  BioMAb EGFR for head & neck cancer in 2006 in the county  which benefited over 5,500 patients till date.
• On January 23,2014, Biocon and Advaxis Inc entered into a partnership to enable development of ADXS–HPV a novel immunotherapy to combat cervical cancer in women.
• On July 28, GE Healthcare and Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC), a multi-disciplinary R&D centre of IIT Chennai entered into a three-year collaborative research and development agreement for innovating a range of disruptive and affordable healthcare solutions.
• On February 5, US pharma major Baxter collaborated to open the Baxter Global Research Centre Baxter Global Research Centre in the Syngene campus at the Biocon Park. Here both Syngene and Baxter would pursue research efforts to develop parenteral therapeutics like high quality and affordable versions of IV Fluids for dialysis, nutraceuticals and hemophilia.

Bengaluru also has witnessed a host of philanthropic activities. Shaw too has invested in the Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Centre to give a fillip to research of oncology and personalized medicine. There is also a GANIT Labs ,a genome sequencing and translational genomics Centre. The two latest initiatives by techno-entrepreneurs from Infosys are : creation of Pratiksha Trust formed by Infosys Executive Vice-Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan and his wife Sudha Gopalakrishnan will invest Rs. 225 crore to set a Brain Research Centre in the campus of IIsc. Another Infosys employee Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and former CEO of Infosys and Chairman-  UIDAI and his wife Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson, Arghyaman have donated a mobile mammography breast cancer screening unit.