Panel Discussion 2

Biopharma: Globalization and partnership opportunities

Suchitra Ella, Rashmi Barbhaiya, Dr SD Ravetkar, Dr M Vidyasagar, KV Balasubramaniam and Mahima Datla

After Mashelkar Report, what more needs to be done? Should a collective "India story" be sold to the world on BioPharma? Can partnerships and alliances be fostered within Biotech industry to bid for big global orders? Should the industry focus on niche areas? Should companies have products or services? What should be the ratio? Dr M Vidyasagar, executive vice president and head, Advanced Technology Center, Tata Consultancy Services, moderated this panel, which comprised Dr SD Ravetkar, senior director, Serum Institute, KV Balasubramaniam, managing director, Indian Immunologicals, Mahima Datla, senior vice president, Biological E, Suchitra Ella, Director, Bharat Biotech, and Rashmi Barbhaiya, Founder Director, Advinus.

"The present Biotech industry is as was IT industry in 1990. Biotech now can use the brand "India" because of the success of IT industry. Biotechnology industry has been benefiting from the government unlike IT industry in its initial years. Hence it needs strong lobbying to get the things in place. Industry has to train its own people. Sponsorship is an excellent approach to tap the right talent."

- Dr M Vidyasagar, executive vice president and head, Advanced Technology Center, TCS

"We need to create a good mindset factor to develop and sell quality products. We are lacking in various issues such as documentation, validation, quality aspects and poor understanding of the subject related to regulatory issues among the inspectors who are giving the final approvals. These topics should be addressed. The government should also work with time bound limits and implement the recommendations of the Mashelkar Committee report to help the industry. The multinational companies are looking at India and they do come to India.

- Dr S D Ravetkar, senior director, Serum Institute of India

"The companies need to look at leveraging research, manufacturing and also marketing capabilities. They should stop looking at licensing. We have a direction in place. And lot more efforts should be put in to meet the international standards and to reach the target of $5 billion mark. The game is not easy as it is seen from outside."

- KV Balasubramaniam, managing director, Indian Immunologicals

"Integrate all the regulatory bodies so that we can have in place a single window clearance system. We should also have federal type of system like the one in the US, Europe or in few developed countries instead of dual systems of controlling such as federal and state control."

- Mahima Datla, senior vice president, Biologicals E Ltd

"We need to step up and catch up to move ahead of competitors. Clarity is required from day one and also understanding of the regulatory mechanism, technologies, handling of manpower issues, as students are not aware of what is happening in the industry.

We need one brand umbrella like "BioIndia" to showcase India as one country to market our products. The country has tremendous potential in clinical trials, new molecules development, vaccines and therapeutic products for growth."

- Suchitra Ella, director, Bharat Biotech International Ltd

"There are opportunities in genomics, contract research and new drug discovery system. We have to think about the present infrastructure before setting up the units. It should be innovative research. There is a need for creating a forum to lobby for India to sell its story in the international market. And also an action plan has to be developed to achieve the goal of reaching $5 billion mark. IPR is still an issue to establish relationship with global pharma or biotech companies."

Dr Rashmi Barbhaiya, CEO Advinus Therapeutics Pvt Ltd