Indian Institute of Science

Hyderabad: Amid the rising global tide of biotech therapeutics, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw , Executive Chairperson, Biocon Group an Indian pharma titan, voiced the need to cultivate advanced computational and quantum capabilities, asserting that these emerging skillsets will power and define the next phase of pharmaceutical innovation. Delivering the special address at the ETPharma Biotech Leadership Symposium Shaw said, “Future of biology is computational, and every breakthrough in biotech will be driven disciplines including Bio-IT, computational biology and quantum biology emerging as the disciplines that will redefine the pharmaceutical landscape” India is uniquely positioned to seize this opportunity by converging its IT strength with biotech; however, we must double down in these areas and drive deeper insights with data science, AI and digital technologies, she added. While competitors like China have already made significant investments in these areas, Shaw said that India can capitalise on its cost-efficient advantage by taking calculated, affordable risks. Shaw highlighted that, the cost of experimentation in India is significantly lower than in other countries; drug discovery and biotech R&D expenses are 50 to 60 per cent lower than in western markets, while hiring AI engineers is 60–70 per cent lower compared to the US or Europe. “Building on this is India’s vast talent pool, which includes over 22 lakh STEM graduates and over 3 lakh advanced-degree holders in the biological sciences,” she added. Scaling Star-ups According to Shaw, the number of biotech startups in India has increased from a mere 50 in 2012 to over 6000, however many of them face challenge in scaling their innovation and nearly 80 to 90 per cent of them fail due to a lack of capital. Lamenting on the lost opportunity with Simputer, a low-cost, handheld computer developed by the Indian Institute of Science (IIS), she stressed that innovation must reaches the market and we cannot allow our promising start-ups to fail due to a lack of commercial traction. India has the population scale, and the data collected through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, cancer registries Genome India Project can be organised, analysed, and by companies to covert valuable intellectual properties (IPs). AI acceleration Shaw emphasised that AI is emerging as a critical differentiator in biopharma, as it enables to extract insights that drive innovations that are “exponential, rather than incremental.” The new disruptor is driving an unprecedented wave of capital for innovators, She added that venture capital investment in generative AI has surged to $49 billion in the first half of 2025, eclipsing the $44 billion raised in all of 2024 and more than doubling the $21 billion invested in 2023. However while India lacks such funding support, , Shaw noted that the $12 billion corpus of the Anushandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is now providing the critical backing that startups previously did not have. Contest with China Pointing to China’s dramatic turnaround from an API-focused industry to a leading biotech force Shaw, with deliberate national efforts in the global pharma value chain China’s share in the global licensing deals has moved from four per cent to nearly 30 per cent over the last decade. “China shifted from being a fast follower to a first innovator by bringing back talent, building world class platforms and creating an ecosystem where innovation happened at speed and not just at low cost,” Shaw said. While nothing stops India from doing the same, but the industry needs regulatory support to fast-track innovation entry into markets, she added. Beyond health, Shaw highlighted that biotech is also a climate ally, and reiterated that innovations in biofuels, bioplastics, wastewater treatment, bioremediation, and bio-based materials can drive a cleaner world—where India has the potential to lead. Concluding her address, Shaw urged that though India has momentum, it must accelerate to achieve its targets and adopt the mantra of solving challenges through technology. By Online Bureau ,

Viksit Bharat by 2047! For a nation trudging through unprecedented geopolitical disruptions and one that carries the weight of nearly a fifth of the world, this is not a transient catchphrase. It is a clarion call for an orbital shift as a developed nation. Viksit Bharat sets India on an expedition to earn its rightful place on a coveted pedestal occupied for long by the US, Europe, Japan, Korea and now increasingly China . Viksit Bharat, importantly, is the development of not just the country but a world that has been neglected for centuries. Can India pivot to innovation ? With an enviable history for scientific temper that should not be an insurmountable task. Scarce resources decades ago failed to hold Dr C V Raman as he spun miracles of light scattering in physics or Srinivasa Ramanujan from proving he was in the world’s best minds in mathematics with nearly no formal training in the subject. Homi Bhabha, Har Gobind Khorana, APJ Abdul Kalam - the list is long. India has nurtured scientific brains and that reservoir keeps filling. But hard facts bite. Over the last three decades, while India achieved major milestones across sectors and grew its economy manifold, in the field medical and pharmaceutical innovation , the country lost the steam and is outpaced by China . Why? There is no easy answer to this puzzle. Conducive policy framework and resources is a big missing link. Risk financing, a government policy that rewards innovation, and an industry that embraces failures in innovation has been lacking, barring a few exceptions. Playing safe helps but there are clear boundaries to growth. Therefore, many illustrious and trained scientists came, tried their bets and left the Indian shores. They went and continued to lead, deeply engaged in their own fields of research – in start-ups or research labs of the exalted universities or at the helm of global pharmaceutical corporations. In India innovation had not halted, some of it simply moved out to places where scientific rigour was respected and found its true value. Match that with China. The country welcomed their scientists, they built communities with their US counterparts, learnt the ropes and the growth of the Chinese biopharma industry over the last two decades is a testimony of that grand plan to spur an entire research-based industry. When the drugs were ready for clinical research, they were given accelerated approvals and tested for launch. Policies ensure that local innovations were rewarded and gained scale first within the country and then get ready for the global markets. The results were stupendous – the biggest pharmaceutical companies are now licensing new products from their Chinese counterparts. They form at least 30% of all global deals in the pharma sector and that number is growing fast. Importantly, Chinese companies are now competing within themselves in new innovations. While clinical trials are expensive in US and Europe, take a longer time and regulatory approvals are stuck in queue, Chinese companies have realized their full potential with agility and careful planning. As an exception, only one company, Glenmark clicked a licensing deal, after a long hiatus of over a decade, with AbbVie for its multiple myeloma drug for close to $2 billion. It’s a fine example of perseverance. Can innovation bounce back? A large part of that lofty goal hinges on how India builds on its strategy in diverse fields of medicine, space technology, rural focus, digital integration, and industrial automation for global excellence. For instance, in supplies of medicines , India has a proven track record of growth. The country supplies drugs worth billions of dollars to scores of low-and-middle-income countries. India saved millions of lives in smaller nations during the catastrophic Covid-19 pandemic. For the global south, India stood strong as a dependable supplier, providing medicines , diagnostics, and vaccines as part of its shared responsibility. For the US healthcare system, Indian generic companies saved $219 billion alone in 2022. This came despite an increasingly tough regulatory environment. But to rest on the laurels will keep India in a small loop. As much for itself as for the world, India needs to shift gears to innovative research. Indian companies are no longer the dwarfs in the world of giants that they were three decades ago. They have deep pockets and are maturing. Bets must be taken to tread the path less travelled, risks must be seen as a strategy than mistake and failures must be celebrated as part of the journey, a step that gets closer to success. Drugs are becoming complex but saving lives with low-cost options will remain as critical as ever. This is best illustrated through an example. What does a life-saving drug mean to a patient and what if India does not have the capability to make it? Trikafta is a life-saving medicine for patients with cystic fibrosis, a debilitating genetic disorder that affects the lungs and pancreas. From wheezing, cough, breathing distress and in severe cases pneumonia and bronchitis, the patient goes through insufferable pain. Vertex, Trikafta’s Boston-based innovator, does not sell the drug in India. Recently, a kindhearted doctor in Mumbai was reported to have secured supplies of Trikafta on compassionate grounds from Vertex. Out of 80 patients that he had listed for eligibility, only half will probably get it for life. The drug costs a mind numbing Rs 1 crore and no Indian company has the rights to make it. Trikafta’s India patent expires somewhere around 2037, records show. Hence, the minuscule patients who receive the drug on compassionate grounds may live a full life of up to 80 years. Seen as a silver bullet, Trikafta improves lung function, cuts infections, and improves life expectancy. But those who may not get the drug tragically have their lives shrunk. Now think of the thousands who go uncounted and have no access to the drug. Also think of the change it could have made to the patients if an Indian company had an innovative drug that worked in cystic fibrosis. Is there hope? A few green shoots of innovative research may change this dire situation, not just for patients of cystic fibrosis but thousands of other conditions where India can serve better. For example, Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan has pumped hundreds of crores in a human brain mapping project in IIT Madras and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. This is a unique effort to find the root causes to several neurological issues in Indians. C-CAMP (Center for Cellular and Molecular Platforms), a government incubation arm in Bengaluru, is working on many diverse leads, of which it is working on powerful drugs against super bugs or Anti-microbial Resistance, a silent threat that is killing thousands of people. The Indian government has initiated bold and unprecedented measures to push innovation, one of which is a Rs 1 lakh crore fund for research and innovation in sunrise sectors. This single step is perhaps more transformative than the multiple small steps taken in the last two decades. That apart, some big names in the pharma business have set a goal to develop 100 new chemical entities by 2047. The industry has never made such serious commitments in the past. Clearly it is time to shed the status quo of incremental profits from launching generic drugs. A groundswell of Indian companies can change things fast. India has a vast demand for locally developed medicines. There are at least 6000 rare diseases in India, vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria are big killers, chikungunya is hard to treat. Besides, tuberculosis, cancers, autoimmune diseases are presenting new challenges of access as a new wave of innovative medicines spiral out of control. Cardiac and diabetes are getting deeper in the Indian populace. The foundations of Viksit Bharat can be strengthened only when Indian pharmaceutical industry cranks up its innovation engine, not only for India, but for the world that looks up to it for help. The path is difficult but not beyond limits. As Robert Frost said in his golden lines: The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep. Note: The article is written for the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) essays on Innovation: The India growth story gains traction. By Vikas Dandekar ,

DALLAS and BAY AREA, Calif., Nov. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indian Institute of Science Foundation (IISc Foundation) and IndusSetu Global Foundation today announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a strategic partnership to accelerate medical research, translational science, and equitable healthcare access. The partnership unites two mission-driven organizations—one rooted in supporting India's century-long scientific legacy, the other in Silicon Valley's innovation ecosystem—to tackle some of the world's most pressing health challenges. As George Brody, President of the IISc Foundation, explains, "The IISc Foundation is proud to join forces with IndusSetu to build a global bridge for scientific and healthcare innovation. This partnership embodies our vision of translating cutting-edge research into affordable, accessible solutions that will benefit not just India, but the world at large." Signed on September 4, 2025, the MOU formalizes a framework for collaboration that will span multiple geographies and disciplines—from California and Texas to Bengaluru. Together, IISc Foundation and IndusSetu will cultivate mutual understanding of healthcare innovation priorities, share research and talent, and co-host global programming such as symposia, innovation showcases, and expert panels focused on affordable healthcare, translational research, and MedTech commercialization. Priya Tandon, Founder and CEO of IndusSetu, described the collaboration as a natural extension of both organizations' missions. "IndusSetu is honored and excited to work with IISc to accelerate higher quality medical solutions reaching especially those who can least afford it," she said. "We see this as the beginning of a long-term bridge between innovators and patients on both sides of the world." The MOU also lays the groundwork for advancing women's health, oncology, clinical training, and equity-driven research initiatives through the IISc Tata Medical School and Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital. Both organizations plan to explore opportunities for a Founders Circle—bringing together donors and partners committed to expanding affordable and accessible medical innovation. As Dr. Nandini Tandon, Co-Founder and Board Member of IndusSetu, emphasized, "The most urgent global challenges in health and equity can only be solved through cross-border collaboration. Partnering with IISc Foundation allows us to harness the strengths of world-class science and the dynamism of Silicon Valley, to create meaningful impact in women's health, translational medicine, and equitable access to care." The collaboration underscores a shared belief: that global partnerships can accelerate the translation of research into real-world impact for the "next 7 billion people." About IISc Foundation The IISc Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in the United States, empowers individuals and institutions to invest in the future of scientific innovation and education in India. Through its partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)—one of India's most prestigious research universities—the Foundation supports global clinical research, medical education, and affordable healthcare innovation. About IndusSetu IndusSetu Global Foundation, with roots in Silicon Valley and Delhi, is a non-partisan nonprofit organization uniting global leaders across private, public, and academic sectors. Its mission is to advance global health, women's equity, and sustainability through collaboration. IndusSetu drives initiatives such as improving rural health outcomes, supporting women-led development, and building bridges across nations and sectors. Media Contacts: IISc Foundation – George Brody, President | [email protected] Indus Setu Global Foundation – Priya Tandon Founder & CEO, USA | [email protected] and Tiara Kar Nanda, Chief Coordinator l [email protected] SOURCE IISc Foundation 21% more press release views with Request a Demo