BioTech development strategy in November

Hyderabad: In a bid to assist the burgeoning Indian Biotech industry, the Department of Biotechnology, (DBT) is formulating a national Biotechnology development strategy. The proposed strategy is expected to be in place in the next two months.

In the key note address, at Biotech CEO Summit, Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of State Science & Technology and Ocean Development said, “The primary objective of the strategy is to offer huge concessions, tax and excise duty exemptions, help the industry in fostering better industry-academia relationship, create a roadmap to develop human resources besides assisting the academia to introduce multi-disciplinary courses, draft a support system, where to set up technology parks and so on.”

The strategy will also consider compliance issues with regards to global standards, and equally promote the need for patenting rights.

Sibal also informed that DBT is going to sign the umbrella pact with Science & Technology department with the US administration in October. He urged the industry to innovate further as there are numerous VCs and US companies looking to invest in India.

He further added that the government is also putting in place a system to help various projects starting from research and development stage to proceed till manufacturing phase. “For this, continuous support in the form of public private partnerships to continue the chain of things has to be in place,” said Sibal.

Foreseeing the potential in the area of clinical trials, Sibal said that DBT has decided to set up a clinical trials center where large number of trials can be taken up. “Though huge investments are getting into this area, we don't have industry best practices yet. The proposed center will also set protocols to establish standards to carry on clinical trials,” said Sibal.

This apart, the government projects that BioAgri is another interesting area. Presently, though it contributes only seven percent of the total biotech revenues, there are possibilities of huge investments and the industry has to move into field trials of various products besides BT Cotton.

Underscoring India's manufacturing capabilities as our forte, Sibal said, “A country like Israel has more than 3,000 biotech companies. But they only have human resources, where as India has manufacturing facilities as a distinct advantage.”

He also insisted that DBT will seek legislation from parliament that lays down certain guidelines ensuring IP ownership rights in instances where academia and industry undertake joint projects. Besides, all procedural and regulatory issues will be brought under a single window clearance system.