BioSpectrum launches industry reports

Karnataka chief minister, HD Kumaraswamy and Union minister for science and technology, Kapil Sibal, pose after the former released Bangalore Bio 2006, a special supplement brought out by BioSpectrum for the event.

Karnataka chief minister, HD Kumaraswamy released BioSpectrum's Bangalore Bio 2006 supple- ment at the inaugural function of the event.

The Bangalore Bio Cluster report points out that Bangalore is India's largest biotech cluster in the country with total annual sales revenues of Rs 1,400 crore. There are 175 companies in Bangalore's ecosystem, comprising biopharma, bioagri, bioinformatics, bioindustrial, biosuppliers, bioservices, and nutraceutical and herbal products companies.

Bangalore is undoubtedly the most heterogeneous life scienc-es cluster in the country. It is one of the biggest life sciences clusters in the country and companies here are working in diverse areas of biotechnology like pharma, agriculture, informatics, research, and industrial applications.

Bangalore's life sciences cluster has close to 175 companies. The companies are spread across all areas like clinical trials, R&D services, agri biotech, pharma biotech, Bio-IT, bioindustrial, tissue culture labs, and suppliers.

In his speech, Karnataka's IT and Biotechnology secretary, Dr Anup Pujari said there was a lot of demand for clinical data generated in India. Stating that there were inadequacies in the regulatory system in India, he stressed on the need to beef up the patent infrastructure in the country.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson, Vision Group on Biotechnology and CMD of Biocon said, "India is changing fast in life science with the increase in availability of skilled and quality workforce. The number of returning scientists has been adding to skill base, thereby improving the standards of biomanufacturing. The clinical data research is receiving more recognition. India's drug development path is improving by rapid strides."

British High Commissioner to India, Sir Michael Arthur, said Britain was the third biggest inward investor in India and India was eighth in its league table of inward investors to the UK, the biotech market value of which was over $8 billion. Most of the investors were from the hi-tech sectors like IT, biotech and pharmaceuticals, he added.

Union minister of state for commerce, Jairam Ramesh, poses with Chhatisgarh Minister of forest, revenue and tourism, Brij Mohan Agarwal and chairperson of the the Karnataka Vision Group on Biotechnology and Biocon CMD, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, after releasing the annual issue of BioSpectrum that unveiled the 4th BioSpectrum-ABLE Biotech Industry Survey.

The others chief guests at the inaugural session included Dr Villoo Morawala-Patell, CEO, Avesthagen, EF Ch. Niehe, Ambassador, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Dominique Girard, Ambassador of France to India, Embassy of France and Inga Eriksson Fogh, Ambassador of Sweden to India, The Swedish Embassy.

On the occasion of Agri Biotech Day, Union minister of state for commerce, Jairam Ramesh released the annual issue of BioSpectrum that unveiled 4th BioSpectrum-ABLE Biotech Industry Survey conducted in April-May 2006. The survey shows that the industry has attained the critical momentum and is bullish. For the third year in a row, the industry has clocked growth in excess of 35 percent. In 2005-06, the industry grew by 37.42 percent to record $1.45 billion (Rs 6,521 crore) in revenue. The industry recorded 36.5 percent growth to cross the $1 billion in 2004-05.

The BioPharma sector alone crossed the $1 billion (Rs 4,475 crore) mark, propelled by exports at Rs 2495.24 crore.

"The BioAgri sector has recorded the highest growth, buoyed by the overwhelming response to Mahyco-Monsanto's Bollgard Bt cotton seeds. With 81 percent growth rate, the industry has shown that the 2004-05 performance was not just a flash in the pan. In fact, the popularity of Bt cotton has helped the BioAgri sector to nearly double its size to Rs 598 crore from Rs 330 crore and brought four seed companies into the BioSpectrum Top 20 rank for the first time," informed Dr KK Narayanan, president, ABLE and managing director, Metahelix Lifesciences.

This year there are some surprises in the Top 20 Rankings. Pune-based Serum Institute of India, led by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, has overtaken Biocon Ltd, the leader for the last three years, to be the No.1 biotech company in the country. Serum which sells vaccines in nearly 150 countries notched up Rs 703 crore in sales, ahead of Biocon Ltd's Rs 688 crore by Rs 15 crore.

"The Top 20 list has begun to reflect the churnings and growth in the industry with all the major segments, BioPharma, BioAgri, BioIndustrial companies finding good representation at the head table of the biotech industry," said Narayanan Suresh, Editor, BioSpectrum.

Namratha Jagtap