St. John's Research Institute (SJRI), Bangalore is organising a two-day event on TB diagnostics in India on August 25-26 for biotech students to stimulate industry/biotech engagement in TB diagnostics innovations in India sponsored by McGill University & Global Health Strategies.

Eminent speakers in the two-day seminar included Anu Acharya, Ocimum Biosolutions, Hyderabad, Ramnik Ahuja, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tanjore Balganesh, AstraZeneca, Bangalore, Steven Buchsbaum, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA, Sanjeev Chaudhry, SRL, India, Vir S Chauhan, ICGEB, New Delhi, Anand Daniel, Accel Partners, Bangalore and Satya Dash, Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises, India.

The event aims to convene under one roof industry leaders, innovative thinkers, researchers, funders, TB controllers and policy makers, to stimulate increased industry/biotech engagement in diagnostic innovations that can help TB control in India and elsewhere.

It will also focus on topics such as market size for TB diagnostics, IVD market analysis and value chain, target product profiles and market needs, frugal innovation and affordable diagnostics, intellectual property issues, regulation of diagnostics, sources of funding, prize models, business models for engaging private sector, scientific obstacles for R&D, barriers to innovation in India, improving academia-industry relations, and role of emerging economies and BRICS in the next wave of TB innovations.

The event will be conducted in collaboration with the technical partners Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), India & Stop TB Partnership and industry partners Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) & Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The DOTS in India is a great public health accomplishment, and the undiagnosed and poorly managed TB continues to fuel the epidemic. Recognizing these challenges, the Government of India has set an ambitious goal of providing universal access to quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the country. Innovative tools and delivery systems in both the public and private sectors are critical for reaching this goal.

India has the potential to solve the TB problem with home-grown solutions. Just as Indian pharma and biotech companies revolutionized access to high-quality, affordable AIDS drugs and hepatitis vaccines through generic production, Indian diagnostic companies could also become the world's hub for high-quality generic diagnostics. Indian industry must move to genuine innovation in both product development as well as delivery. This will require permissive policies, enhanced funding, and greater collaboration between government, donors, researchers and the private industry.