As the Indian life sciences industry is on the threshold of a new era of growth which promises an innovation driven bio-econo my, BioAsia 2015, the 12 edition of Global Bio Business forum being held at Hyderabad International Convention Center (HICC) from February 2 to 4, 2015, will be exploring the new opportunities emerging in this transitional phase of the life sciences & health care industries.
This year’s BioAsia will be keeping a track of the trends in the digital era of the life sciences industry in the country. In order to attract pharma, biotechnology and healthcare industries, BioAsia 2015 has forged partnerships with leading pharmacy associations, corporates and academia. It would act as a catalyst to showcase the Indian industry potential and add to the momentum of the ‘Make In India’ campaign of the government of India.
"The theme ' New Era of Life Sciences' is symbolic of the opportunities thrown open in a period of transition in India. The event is designed to offer the right opportunities to catch the right notes and develop the right strategies to succeed in emerging markets like India. It would contribute to the overall economic growth of the country",said Shakthi M Nagappan, CEO of BioAsia.
Over the years, BioAsia has emerged as an unparalleled industry platform with a relevant business outlook to the lifesciences industry and BioAsia 2015 seeks to enhance, enrich and encourage newer innovations, path-breaking discoveries and effective solutions in the industry by offering a vibrant global platform for convergence of the key stakeholders - biotech & biopharma companies, research institutions, investors, service-providers, policy-makers, regulators and analysts.
The current edition – BioAsia 2015 will include conferences and expert sessions, CEO conclave & workshops on following topics - ‘Drug Discovery and India’s Innovation Pipeline’, ‘Digital Health and Healthcare IT’, ‘Clinical Research’, ‘Supply Chain and Logistics', ‘Rapid Diagnostics’ ‘Medical Electronics and Devices’ and ‘Public Health & Access’ along with international tradeshow, networking receptions, BioAsia connect & BioPark visits.
The 12th edition of BioAsia 2015 is organised by the Federation of Asian Biotech Association [FABA] and the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) with the support of State Government and the Government of India. Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Biotech Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), TiE-Hyderabad, Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Indian Medical Association (IMA), FICCI – Food 360, Association of Contract Research Organisations (ACRO), Aurigene Discovert, Invest India and India Brand Equity Foundation among other organizations have all come together to organize this mega event.
What’s new in BioAsia 2015?
The global life sciences industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The cost cutting measures by the governments in the health sector the world over is putting pressure on the drug industry also to cut down expenses. As corollary to this the industry is fast embracing partnerships, easing out non-core activities and growing into specialized segments.
The Big Pharma is shifting focus to developing economies, most distinctly to Asian countries like India and China. The Indian life sciences industry is fast entering a new era of growth and positivity, promising extraordinary growth and an innovation driven bioeconomy. Hence the event will focus on creating avenues where technology can aid healthcare in a way that it will not only solve the problems but also make solutions affordable for all.
This years’ conference also will be much larger not only in terms of attendees but also in terms of the number of conferences that will take innovation to the next level. BioAsia 2015 will have 40 plus sessions by more than 60 eminent speakers. More than 700 delegates from over 50 countries are expected to participate. Hence along with the introduction of an upcoming and utmost relevant theme – Digital Healthcare, this year’s conference will be a much larger forum.
Digital Healthcare – the theme
Digital Healthcare, a new feature of the 12th edition of BioAsia, will focus on healthcare and bring together senior medical practitioners to discuss challenges and opportunities in healthcare. Envisaging a Digital India, the Government of India has been working towards the use of technological interventions to improve healthcare, security and also to build smart cities.
In terms of health, India has a rich pool of patient and disease information, which if profiled can open up infinite breakthroughs and affordable healthcare solutions. As a step contributing to the Digital India initiative, BioAsia 2015 will be hosting a Digital Health and Healthcare IT Conference on February 4 bringing together leaders in the field of digital health and explore advancements in IT sector for improving healthcare. In partnership with Indian Medical Association and TiE Hyderabad, the platform will enable technology professionals, entrepreneurs, investors and medical practitioners amongst others to interact, present ideas, explore solutions and improve healthcare.
Though digital healthcare is witnessing tremendous traction within the startup community, there is a need to create a sustained and streamlined ecosystem to assist them and bringing in the necessary ICT elements as the support strength. Further, with the increasing use of mobile phones, doctors are using mHealth apps to engage with patients in their day today practices. Under this backdrop, the conference this year also includes tracks that connect technology solutions for a better healthcare system.
Discussions in BioAsia 2015
Under the apt theme of “New Era of Life Sciences”, BioAsia 2015 will have different tracks (sub-conferences) and satellite events. With the support of BIRAC and Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and also industries like Aurigene, GVK Bio, Jubilant, etc. the event will feature a Drug Discovery Conference aimed at showcasing India’s innovative pipeline. Despite a highly competitive environment, Indian companies have been successful in creating a very interesting portfolio of drug candidates and are fast moving up the value chain. The event will have discussions on the areas like doing more with less, collaborations, external R&D, new areas, funding, etc and will have senior leaders from industry and academia sharing their experiences.
The event will have a clinical research conference in partnership with ACRO, wherein the discussions will focus on the way forward, if India has to regain its position as the global clinical trials hub. The event will discuss the challenges pertaining to clinical research in India and how it is being perceived worldwide. It would cover the latest updates on the Indian regulatory, biosimilars, bioequivalence studies and detailed discussions on the clinical trial approval process, its simplification without compromising the review process.
A public health and access conference will also be organized in partnership with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and will focus on various aspects of the prevention and management of NCDs. The ‘Rapid Diagnostics –Today & Beyond conference’ will feature expertise from diverse perspectives including topics ranging from the analysis of existing knowledge and the future of rapid diagnostic and POC Tests in health care.
The event will also feature a conference on supply chain and logistics, co-organized by Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India.
As companies look to penetrating the market locally and supply to global markets, an agile, customized and cost-efficient supply chain is of paramount importance. The event will be a government-business platform to focus on the challenges and need a radical overhaul from the current state.
Besides these, BioAsia 2015 will also host a number of satellite events to create an enriching experience for the participants like the international trade show, BioAsia Connect (A Dedicated B2B portal will enable participants to create their personal three-day schedule of private one-on-one meetings with the potential counterparts), Networking Receptions, Biopark Visit, CEO Conclave, etc. PricewaterhouseCoopers will be the overall knowledge partner for BioAsia 2015.
On Make in India
Since its inception in 2004, BioAsia has been committed to fulfilling its core objective of serving as a global conclave to facilitate business in the pharmaceuticals and biotech sectors in India. Today, it is widely accepted as a catalyst for the life sciences industry since it provides a critical platform for B2B meetings helping in speedy resolution of key issues that affect the industry and sets the overall agenda. Over 200 LoIs, bilateral cooperation agreements and MoUs have been signed through BioAsia.
The conference has been able to garner about Rs 13,736 crore (US$ 2.3 billion) trade and investments up to this time. More than 20 knowledge papers have been released post the success of the past editions and more than 11,700 B2B, B2R and R2R meetings have realized. Moreover BioAsia has helped over 20 new initiatives, announcements and projects to get launched. Continuing its role as a catalyst for the Indian life science industry, the organizers are confident that BioAsia2015 will add momentum to ‘Make In India’ initiative of Government of India.
Overall BioAsia 2015 provides tremendous opportunities for all sections of the industry. “BioAsia has truly evolved to become the right platform for industries and academia to discuss and understand the current trends of life sciences industry globally. We hope that the participants will take-away new perspectives/ insights from industry leaders, experts discussing the worlds’ best practices at the forum, while being able to connect with partnership / collaborative prospects at the event,” says Nagappan.