The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Third phase of Biotech Park from March 31

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Third phase of Biotech Park from March 31

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, FEB. 11. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, announced that the construction of the third phase of the Shapoorji Pallonji Biotechnology Park near Hyderabad would start from March 31. He also disclosed that the third phase of the ICICI Knowledge Park too would commence soon.

Speaking to participants of BioAsia 2004 here on Friday, Dr. Reddy said that apart from these, the State Government was investing heavily in infrastructure for biotechnology industries as well as in power, water and roads. He listed the 100-acre animal research facility, the international life science institute, the centre for medical bio-informatics and the biotechnology incubator for helping start-up companies as facilities to help biotech companies that come to Hyderabad.

Bio-diesel ventures

Dr. Reddy also highlighted the Government's initiatives to promote bio-diesel ventures in the State and informed the participants that India's first bio-diesel plant was being set up in Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with Austrian and US companies.

He expressed happiness that BioAsia 2005 has an entire session focused on bio-fuels and said that bio-fuels have the potential to revitalise the rural economy of Andhra Pradesh.

Priority to industry

Industry Secretary K.V. Rao added that the Government was keen to convert red-tape to red carpet for industry. Earlier, the participants discussed the potential and pitfalls in contract research, clinical trials, vaccine research and production.

Krishna Ella of Bharat Biotech pointed out that developing countries like India were at least 12 years behind in manufacturing vaccines that are discovered in the developed nations. He added that despite all the advances in biotech research, no new vaccine had been developed in Third World countries. Drug companies in developing countries produce biogenerics and compete on prices.

K.V. Balasubramaniam, MD, Indian Immunologicals, said that India had inherent advantages of a large domestic market, low costs and quality research infrastructure to emerge as a hub for the production of vaccines.

India was already the third largest manufacturer of biotech products with half of this production being exported.

He suggested that Indian companies should concentrate on paediatric vaccines and regional disease vaccines since it was still too difficult to challenge the dominance of the MNCs in adult vaccines.

Mahima Datla, vice president, Biological E, gave the example of influenza vaccine where the patent is held by a US-based company and a US academic institution. She pointed out that political will was essential in such situations.

Influenza pandemic had previously killed millions of people and recent outbreaks of this disease in Asian countries pointed to the need for urgent pro-active measures, she added.

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