With the fourth edition of Bangalore Bio 2004 coming up, the State's biotech sector is expected to witness a substantial progress. The state's biotech sector, which has seen several positive developments beginning from Bangalore Genei's takeover by the Chennai-based Sanmar Group, Biocon Limited's launch of the country's first-ever biotech Initial Public Offer (IPO) or Strand Genomics foray with Avadis into the global market and Avestha Gengraine Technologies' discovery-based biotech activities to Xcyton's new product launches followed by Bhat Biotech's ISO certification and GangaGen's bacteriophage research findings for drug resistant antibiotics, during in the last one year, it continues to be at the leadership position in the country biotech segment.

The Biotech Park which is expected to be ready by next year and the State Government is also working out modalities to offer soft loans for start-ups.

There are 100-odd companies in the State. But the core biotech companies are only seven, which are Biocon Limited, Avesthagen, Bangalore Genei, GangaGen Technologies, Bhat Biotech, XCyton and Strand Genomics. "We will endeavour to not only maintain the leadership position but multiply the growth many times over," said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson Vision Group on Biotechnology, government of Karnataka.

According to a section of biotech industry analysts, Karnataka has the right mix of talent and technology for biotechnology to have a dominant position like the other knowledge-driven industry, information technology (IT). "Almost every company seems to have got on the right track to explore opportunities in the domestic and international market. In fact, the biotech sector in the State has now entered the growth phase," said Shaw.

The State is recognised for its scientific resources. Lucrative business areas like Contract Research Organisations (CRO), Research Process Outsourcing (RPO) and Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) have helped the sector to net gains, point out a section of scientists at the Indian Institute of Science.

The Association for Biotechnology Led Entrepreneurs (ABLE) in its report on the Biotechnology market in the country stated that while companies in South India have contributed 39 percent of the total national biotech turnover, Karnataka's enterprises, Biocon and Wipro Healthcare are ranked among the top five players in the country. Biocon is number one while Wipro is number three after Panacea Biotech.