Mumbai based Himedia Laboratories has been conferred with the ‘BIRAC Innovator Award 2020’ under the category of therapeutics, vaccines and drug delivery by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC- A Government of India Organisation).

The award was in recognition of significant contribution made by the team along with its collaborators, the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, towards high level of innovation research for ‘Designing & commercialisation of affordable chemically defined serum free media and feed for high value biosimilars manufacture’.

The team worked very hard under the able guidance of the directors of cell biology division, Dr Vishal G Warke and Dr Priti V Warke.

The award was presented by M Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India and Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare, India, in presence of Uday Kotak, President CII, Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & Managing Director, Biocon Limited, India and Dr Roderico H Ofrin, WHO Representative to India.

The distribution of the award was done through a virtual ceremony during the Global Bio- India 2021 on March 3, 2021. The selection of the award was made by an eminent jury set up by Dr Renu Swaroop, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) & Chairperson BIRAC.

During her opening address at the valedictorian ceremony, Dr Swaroop stated, “Innovations, start- ups and incubators are key and critical components of country’s bio ecosystem.”

Addressing the awardees and attendees of the ceremony, Naidu in his inspiring speech said, “Biotechnology has emerged as the backbone of various industrial sectors in recent times, especially the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and food processing labs which had a profound impact on the quality of human lives.”