The Department of Biotechnology is making concerted efforts to encourage animal health initiatives to give a boost to animal biotech units in their R&D efforts in developing diagnostic kits, according to Prof. G Padmanabhan, former director Indian Institute of Science and a member of the committee of the National Biotech Policy. He said that the DBT was working closely with the National Dairy Development Board to ascertain drawbacks in animal health research.

"India's agrarian economy offers a huge potential for animal healthcare products including diagnostics which need to be modernised. The country has a huge market for this and hence indigenous development of kits and drugs is vital to make animal health more affordable as it is accessed by the farming community in the country," stated Prof. G Padmanabhan during his address as the chief guest of the 10th year celebrations of the Bangalore-based Animal Biotech (B) Pvt. Ltd. The company has been seriously into research on diagnostic kits for poultry and cattle.

Animal Biotech, which is into research and production of branded feed products and unbranded supplements in bulk, is also engaged in bio-feed supplements for shrimps. The company markets its range of products through ABT Corporation headed by Amreshwar Rao.

The primary focus of the company is diagnostic kits and it is also aggressively pursuing its research to scale up efforts of diagnostic kits from lab to production and market commercialisation.

Prof. S Krishnaswamy, managing director, Animal Biotech stated that the animal health biotech market is yet another expanding field and although efforts to develop the diagnostic kits for veterinary use have started in laboratories, commercialisation of the product is seen as major task to be achieved.

During its 10th anniversary celebrations, Animal Biotech went on to launch 'Boston Biologicals' which will operate as a separate entity dedicated for human health drugs. The company will focus on research of immuno-therapy, immuno-modulation and immuno-chemicals. It will also undertake advanced research in drug delivery and tissue targeting in Bangalore.

The Bangalore facility will work on three drugs for disease segments of cancer, diabetes and arthritis, stated Dr. P Manivasakam, director, Boston Biologicals who was here in India from Boston to oversee the opening of the new facility. Efforts are on to hire scientists for its research programme. At a later stage, the company will also develop monoclonal antibodies for diagnostic, therapy and research purposes.

The initial investment made by the company is Rs 50 lakh, which was generated from equity partners, venture capitalists and angle funding initiatives. Dr. Manivasakam informed that Boston, being the biotech hub in the US, had several small successful research outfits dedicated for development of drugs for critical diseases. His intention was to replicate the success at Boston to Bangalore which is the Biotech capital of the India.

The company has appointed Prof. G Padmanabhan, former director Indian Institute of Science as its scientific advisor.