National Biopharma Mission is Supporting SMEs for Product Development

The National Biopharma Mission was approved by the Cabinet in 2017 with an aim to transform the health standards of the country through affordable product development and bring 5-7 biopharmaceutical products closer to market.

Objectives and goals of the Mission are:

a) Specific Product development under vaccines, biosimilars and medical devices

b) Building shared infrastructure for product testing, characterization and manufacturing

c) Promoting scientific research through establishment of translational research consortia and development of novel biopharmaceuticals and devices

d) skill development through training

e)  creating and enhancing technology transfer and intellectual property management.

The Mission is supporting small and medium enterprises for biopharmaceutical product development, enhancing industry academia interlinkages and providing opportunities to translate knowledge into products/technologies for vaccines, biotherapeutics, devices and diagnostics. The indigenous manufacturing is promoted through the supported shared facilities for process optimization, clinical-grade manufacturing of Biologics, Analytical testing labs, cell line repository, prototyping facilities, large animal testing facilities and medTech zone for manufacturing devices and diagnostics at large scale. These high capital facilities provide easy access to equipment and infrastructure thus encouraging indigenous manufacturing. Technology transfer offices have been established to support technology transfer and support entrepreneurship.

Financial and mentorship support has been provided to industry and academia for indigenous product development. This includes projects on development of components of upstream and downstream biologics manufacturing, such as engineered cell lines, media, resins and bioreactors which are currently in-licensed, requiring huge capital. To boost innovation, Mission is also supporting development  of novel biologics, novel vaccines and medical devices like MRI,  ventilators,  diagnostic probes and Medical grade camera.

Five projects are being supported in Haryana, 3 projects in Faridabad district (for Medical Device and Translational Research Consortia) and 2 in Gurgaon district (for Medical device and Clinical Trial network).

This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Health & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan in Lok Sabha on September 23, 2020.