Developments in Bio-informatics will help drive discoveries

• Training,  revamp  of  University  system,  Promote  Translation  of  Academicre search, Promoting Bio-Entrepreneurship will accelerate the industry growth

 

• Synthetic  Biotechnology  has  tremendous  potential,  affordable  gene  sequencing can play a major role in the Food, Energy, fragrance & Flavors

Bangalore India Bio 2013 (BIB 2013)

India’s premier Biotech Show organised by the department of Information Technology, Bio-Technology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka and the Vision Group on Biotechnology, featured a session to analyse and discuss the ABLE report “Indian biotechnology: The roadmap to the next decade and beyond.” The report was released in the inauguration function of the 13 th edition of Bangalore INDIA BIO today.

The session, was chaired by Dr. Vijay Chandru – Chairman & CEO, Strand Life
Sciences.

The report was presented by Dr. Satya Dash –  Strategic Alliance & Partnership Consultant, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. He said, “various interactions such as the present gathering between industry, academia, internal meetings and workshops has helped in the making for such an important document. Various challenges facing our nation, mirrors the needs and requirements of the world as well as the need for a reduced dependence on fossil fuels, environmental remediation, development in agrobiotechnology are areas for which Life sciences and BioTechnology would provide sustainable solutions, this can be achieved by combined knowledge on Biology, IT, Engineering to improve aspects such as Drug development, Agriculture development, R & D’s etc.”

He said, “India has grown from a $500mn industry to a $5bn industry from 2003 to 2012. ABLE has recognized that our country has Key-components to support this industry due to our current knowledge and progress in Bio-similars, Vaccines, BioManufacturing, IP registration increases, Stem cells, Medical devices and diagnostics, Synthetic and Systems Biology, Agri-Biotechnology, Industrial Biotechnology on Green chemistry are all both areas that are expanding and progressing. The report also highlighted some of the challenges that the Industry faces are Regulatory systems, Lack of Infrastructure for start-up and SME companies, Restricted Access to technology across all industries and academic sizes.”

Further he said, “Recommendations of the report were Training of World class man power, revamp of University system in India, Promote Translation of Academic research, promote BT entrepreneurship, making homemade Medical Diagnostic Devices instead of relying on Imports. The recommendations for these solutions were Optimal government intervention for sustainability of Industry and research, Partnership and Mission oriented approaches would help in implementation, Harnessing and Sustaining Entrepreneurship as some areas that will make a difference.”

In his talk, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan – Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, Said, “There are a range of the issues we have to tackle in order to make this a $100bn industry, opportunities areavailable but connections & communication is required for bridging the gap.”

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson, Karnataka Vision Group on Biotechnology; Chairman & Managing Director, Biocon Limited., said, “the target of reaching $100bn is a doable task as BT cotton alone has helped rake in $3bn dollars and cited that BT Brinjal, a GM crop that was not approved by the government would alone have fetched in a substantial revenue and said regulations such as these is what drives away investors from this sector and we need enabling policies and enabling regulations rather than being detrimental. Ad-hoc policies are not helpful and require more stringent lawmaking. Pharma/Healthcare sector is a market able of generating $13bn , developing bio fuels from sea weeds algae etc will help us be non dependant on fossil fuels. Clinical Trials were first opposed in Karnataka but later with the government’s support this was realized. This is the type of support that we require to take this industry further along the lines of development.”

Shri. I.S.N. Prasad, IAS – Principal Secretary, Dept. of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, said, “we have rooted BT concepts into education, Govt. of India along with Govt. of Karnataka have joined together in setting up and integrating of Bio-informatics, Biotechnology and BioComputing and create hi-tech labs, BT finishing schools are being setup in Karnataka that has an intake of students from all across India. The government is continuing dialogues between activists on educating them on the benefits of GM crops. The same is being done for farmers for implementation of the same.”

Mr. David Wetherell – President and Chief Operating Officer, Burrill Healthcare Venture and Private Equity Funds, USA, giving inputs on projections on the BT sector said, “the daunting task was possible due to the man power and intellectuals in India but gaps are still found between Science and Markets, cited the example of USA that BT innovations are good due to the grants and funding of about $30bn that the government allocates for the sector. The number of jobs and the supplying man power are in favour of this set-up and recognized Bio-informatics to be a subject that will help run all these sectors together, Bio-informatics will help drive discoveries among various sectors Bangalore has a good set-up for training on Bio Informatics and hence will be an useful tool in the path of surpassing the projection of making it a $100bn industry.”

Dr. P.M. Murali –  President, ABLE; Managing Director, Evolva Biotech said, “some of the initiatives that they have taken this year in making India a developed country in this sector. Some of the implemented strategies are creating a Road Map for the BT sector, setting up of specific goals, setting up a office in Delhi to deal with government approvals that are required from time to time, incorporating a financial committee to help in attracting investors, also stressed on the need of focusing on regenerative medicines, addressing challenges with Clinical Trials, on making affordable drugs and encouraging innovations, the need to make people aware of the benefits of the technology by engaging them with the stake holders, MNC’s & Government. The potentials of Synthetic BT in affordable gene sequencing, its role in the Food, Energy, fragrance, Flavors as sectors that bring in revenues which will contribute to reaching the $100bn projection.”

For more information on Bangalore INDIA BIO 2013, visit
http://www.bangaloreindiabio.in

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