Healthcare products' contribution to the biotechnology sector is likely to touch 40 per cent in the coming years, according to a sector report on biotechnology prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The report further points out that the production of therapeutic recombinant proteins alone is likely to attract an investment of around Rs.200 crore during the next five years.

The report points out that there are opportunities for taking up production facilities for interferons, insulin, human growth hormones, G-CSF, GM-CSF, eryhtropoietin, blood factors VIII and IX, urokinase to name a few among other specialized areas. The report also mentions that there exist opportunities for fresh investment in setting up facilities for fractionation of blood and blood products into cellular and non cellular components and sensitized immunoglobulins. Special secondary metabolites like anti-obesity compounds, hypo-lipidmic compounds, immuno modulators and tissue rejection inhibitors also offer opportunities for investments.

The FICCI report however discounts the opportunities in the antibiotic sector. It claims that the future investment are not bright in the area of antibiotics owing to core competencies of companies in other Asian countries besides policies of some countries to push their products globally.

The report is to be presented by FICCI at the Third India-EU Business Summit in Copenhagen. FICCI is chairing a special session on biotechnology at the summit.