Embassy of India, Berne, Switzerland : BIOTECHNOLOGY

BIOTECHNOLOGY

SUMMARY

Third biggest biotech industry in the Asia-Pacific region.
Second highest number of USFDA–approved plants.
USD 3.7 Billion to be spent on biotechnology from 2012-17.
No. 1 producer of Hepatitis B vaccine recombinant.
USD 100 Billion industry by 2025.

REASONS TO INVEST

India is amongst the top 12 biotech destinations in the world and ranks third in the Asia-Pacific region.
India has the second highest number of USFDA–approved plants, after the USA.
India adopted the product patent regime in 2005.
Increasing government expenditure will augment the growth of the sector — the government aims to spend USD 3.7 Billion on biotechnology between 2012-17.
India is the largest producer of recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine.
India has the potential to become a major producer of transgenic rice and several genetically modified (GM) or engineered vegetables.
Abundance of highly-skilled and trained pool of talent.
Special purpose organisation such as Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology, to support industry through funding, mentoring,hand-holding and infrastructure support.

STATISTICS

The Indian biotech industry will grow at an average growth rate of around 30% a year and reach USD 100 Billion by 2025.
The Indian bio-economy grew to USD 4.3 Billion at the end of 2013, up from USD 530 Million in 2003.
The Indian biotech industry grew by 15.1% in 2012–13, increasing the market’s revenues from USD 3.31 Billion in 2011-12 to USD 3.81 Billion in 2012–13.
The market size of the sector is expected to rise up to USD 11.6 Billion by 2017 due to a range of factors such as growing demand for healthcare services, intensive R&D activities and strong government initiatives.
The Indian biotech sector is divided into five major segments — bio-pharma, bio-services, bio-agri, bio-industrial and bio-informatics.
The bio-pharmaceutical sector accounts for the largest share of the biotech industry with a share of 64% in total revenues in 2013, followed by bio-services (18%), bio-agri (14%), bio-industrial (3%) and bio-informatics (1%).
Revenue from bio-pharma exports reached USD 2.2 Billion in 2013, accounting for 51% of total revenues of the biotech industry.
Supported 270 Companies, 360 projects involving 140 Scientists and Entrepreneurs and 113 Incubators with USD 225 million, through BIRAC, a Public Sector Unit of Government of India.
24 Intellectual Property field.
124,000 sq. ft. of incubation space created.
5 University Innovation Clusters created.
1 Regional Innovation Centre.
3 Bio-Industrial Facilities.
2 Contract Service Facilities.

GROWTH DRIVERS

The sector has seen high growth with a CAGR in excess of 20% and the key drivers for growth in the biotech sector are increasing investments, outsourcing activities, exports and the government’s focus on the sector.
A strong pool of scientists and engineers.
Cost-effective manufacturing capabilities.
The setting up of national research laboratories, centres of academic excellence in biosciences, several medical colleges, educational and training institutes offering degrees and diplomas in biotechnology, bio-informatics and biological sciences.
For global companies looking to economise, outsourcing to lower cost economies results in a cost arbitrage of more than 50%.
Fast-developing clinical capabilities with the country becoming a popular destination for clinical trials, contract research and manufacturing activities.
Establishment of industry oriented organisation - BIRAC to support biotech start-ups and SMEs through funding, mentoring, hand-holding and infrastructure support.
Setting-up of an Early Translation Accelerator (ETA) by BIRAC, to focus on catalysing transformation of young academic discoveries with possible commercial and societal impact into economically viable ventures and technologies.

SPURRING A START-UP CULTURE - BIRAC INITIATIVES

BIRAC has two 15 incubators (at six Biotech Parks, three IITs, four Academic Institutes, 2 Bio Clusters) providing access to high-tech equipment, mentor networks and hand-holding.
124,000 sq. ft. of incubation space created.
Enabling 199 start-ups/entrepreneurs with incubation support.
INR 100.00 Crores sanctioned for the Programme.

UIC is an innovation centre within the university system that is connected to various stakeholders both within & outside the university
Five UICs set-up at Jaipur, Chandigarh, Dharwad, Coimbatore and Chennai for incubating students to test ideas/discoveries and take them to Proof of Concept.
An incubation space of 2500-3000 sq. ft. at each UIC
BIRAC Innovation Fellowships for two post-doctoral and four post M.Sc, Fellows in addition to Innovation Grant.
Industry Participation for training, mentoring, sponsored research and networking opportunities and IP & Technology Management.

BRIC maps bio-innovation across Southern India in academic & industry.
Support to start ups for IP & technology transfer.
Networking opportunities for start-ups, industry & academia.

Partnership with SRISTI at IIM Ahmedabad to identify bio-entrepreneurial ideas that are fermenting at institutional level and proving mini seed funds.
Supporting 100 nascent ideas across the country with micro-funds.

India's first biotech focused Public Private Partnership funding scheme that took shape in 2007
Early stage funding for high risk innovative research by industry.
Support extended to 155 companies in diverse fields of frontier biotechnology.

Government partnership with industries for support on a cost sharing basis.
Support for high risk, highly innovative accelerated technology development.
Support extended to 106 companies that are attempting to bring high quality products through cutting edge R&D through 124 projects.

FDI POLICY

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% is permitted through the automatic route for Greenfield and through the government route for brownfield, for pharmaceuticals.

SECTOR POLICY

The guidelines have been laid down to ensure that research with human stem cells is conducted in a responsible and ethical manner and complies with all regulatory requirements pertaining to biomedical research in general and of stem cell research in particular.
These guidelines apply to all stakeholders including individual researchers, organisations, sponsors, oversight/regulatory committees and any other associated with both basic and clinical research on all types of human stem cells and their derivatives.

The Guidelines on Similar Biologics prepared by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) lay down the regulatory pathway for a biologic claiming to be similar to an already authorised reference biologic.
The guidelines address the regulatory pathway regarding the manufacturing process and quality aspects for similar biologics.
These guidelines also address the pre-market regulatory requirements including a comparability exercise for quality, preclinical and clinical studies and post-market regulatory requirements for similar biologics.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

USD 24 Million allotted for fostering research under AIM - Atal Innovation Mission, an innovation driven platform for creating a network of world-class innovation hubs for academicians, entrepreneurs and researchers.
USD 157 Million allocated for SETU - Self Employment and Talent Utilisation programme, to encourage cutting-edge technology start-ups to convert their ideas into business. SETU will be a techno-financial, incubation and facilitation programme to support all aspects of start-up businesses and other self-employment activities.
Service tax exemption for services provided by operators of common biomedical waste treatment facilities to a clinical establishment by way of treating or disposal of biomedical waste or processes incidental thereto.

Refund of customs duty paid at the time of import of scientific and technical instruments, apparatus, etc. by public funded and other research institutions , subject to submission of certificate of registration from the department of scientific and industrial research.
Depreciation allowance on plant and machinery has been raised to 40% from 25%.
Customs duty exemption on goods imported in certain cases for R&D.
Customs and excise duty exemption to recognised Scientific & Industrial Research Organisations (SIRO).
150% weighted tax deduction on R&D expenditure.
A three-year excise duty waiver on patented products.
100% rebate on own R&D expenditure.
125% rebate if research is contracted in publicly-funded R&D institutions.
Joint R&D projects are provided with special fiscal benefits.
The setting up of a venture capital fund to support small and medium enterprises.
Promoting innovations through BIPP, SBIRI, BIRAC and biotech parks.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Department of Biotechnology has established biotech parks in various parts of the country to facilitate product development, research and innovation, and the development of biotechnology industrial clusters.
Operational biotech parks are located at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore in Karnataka, Kalamassery and Kochi in Kerala, Guwahati in Assam and Chindwara in Madhya Pradesh.
The parks offer investors incubator facilities, pilot plant facilities for solvent extraction and laboratory and office spaces.
India constitutes around 8% of the total global generics market, by volume, indicating a huge untapped opportunity in the sector.
Outsourcing to India is projected to spike up after the discovery and manufacture of formulations.
Hybrid seeds, including GM seeds, represent new business opportunities in India based on yield improvement.
BIRAC has launched an Equity based fund - AcE Fund: An equity fund to address to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurs, in the field of biotechnology, by lending a funding support of up to - USD 150,000 for promising ventures.