Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The National Biopharma Mission (NBM) – Innovate in India (i3) was launched in May 2017 with an aim of transforming India into a $100-billion leading global biotech industry by 2025 and capturing 5 per cent of the global pharmaceutical share. The scheme’s total cost is Rs 1,500 crore.
The Mission focuses on the development of new vaccines, bio-therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices to address the rising burden of diseases in the country. The mission also aims to make drugs more affordable and accessible.
The NBM supports 101 projects, involving over 150 organisations and 30 MSMEs. It has also generated over 1,000 jobs, including 304 scientists and researchers. Additionally, the Genome India Programme, which involves sequencing 10,000 genomes, is expected to shape future global healthcare strategies, both in treatment and prevention.
Antibiotics, vaccines
Private ventures backed by the mission are developing antibiotics and vaccines for diseases such as UTIs, pneumonia, dengue, chikungunya, malaria and Hepatitis E. The mission also supported the world’s first DNA-based Covid-19 vaccine, ZyCoV-D, developed by Zydus Cadila.
The NBM has provided early-stage funding to many of the nearly 10,000 bio-based startups since 2014, with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) establishing about 100 incubation centres.
Over 7,000 participants (45 pc women) have been trained in global regulatory and intellectual property rights practices; seven Regional Technology Transfer Offices have handled 850+ IP filings and nearly 120 technology transfers.
It has established clinical trial sites, supported by a database of around 8 lakh volunteers, enabling trials in cancer, rheumatology, diabetes and ophthalmology.
BIRAC-led support
Established in 2012 under the Department of Biotechnology, BIRAC supports innovation through funding schemes, incubation infrastructure and mentorship, with 95 bio-incubation centres established across the country.
The key schemes include: Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG): Up to Rs 50 lakh for 18 months to support early-stage startups; nearly 1,000 innovators supported.
SEED Fund: Rs. 30 lakh equity support for proof-of-concept stage startups.
LEAP Fund: Rs. 100 lakh equity support for commercialisation-ready innovations.
JanCARE – Amrit Grand Challenge: Supported 89 digital health tech innovations in artificial intelligence, machine learning, telemedicine, and blockchain.
BIRAC supports innovation through funding schemes, incubation infrastructure and mentorship, with 95 bio-incubation centres established across the country
Manufacturing boost
To strengthen domestic pharmaceutical and biopharma manufacturing, the Government has implemented schemes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI) scheme and the Bulk Drug Parks Scheme.
These initiatives focus on enhancing manufacturing capacity, reducing import dependence for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and intermediates, upgrading MSME facilities to WHO-Good Manufacturing Standards, and creating common infrastructure facilities within pharmaceutical clusters.
The SPI Scheme includes assistance for common facilities in pharmaceutical clusters, support for technology upgradation of MSMEs, and promotion and development activities for pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Research promotion
The Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech (PRIP) scheme, launched in 2023, seeks to transform India into an innovation-driven and globally competitive Pharma-MedTech sector.
The BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024. The scheme aims to establish biomanufacturing, Bio-AI hubs and Biofoundry for a sustainable Viksit Bharat.
The Bio-RIDE scheme launched in September 2024 merged two umbrella schemes of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under one scheme: ‘Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE)’ with a new component namely Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry.
All these measures signal a deliberate and coordinated policy approach by the Government to build a resilient biopharma ecosystem in India, spanning research, innovation, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.