Industry links with academia are critical to success in biopharma

Relevance: GS Paper III

Why in News?

The Indian biopharma industry surpassed $92 billion in 2023, reflecting 15% growth from the previous year. However, the author suggests that further research and innovation in the biopharmaceutical sector necessitate collaborative efforts between the industry and academia.

What are biopharmaceuticals?

• Biopharmaceuticals are drugs and therapies synthesised from living organisms. They include vaccines, biologics, biosimilars, and evolving therapies like cell and gene therapies.

Growth potential of biopharmaceutical industry:

• The global biopharmaceutical industry has grown significantly since 1982. 
• Currently, it is estimated at $528 billion and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate in double-digits for years. 
• India has replicated this growth, ranking among the top 12 biotechnology destinations globally. In 2023, the Indian biopharma industry surpassed $92 billion, reflecting 15% growth from the previous year. 
• This growth is driven by a rise in chronic diseases, higher income levels, demand for better treatments and the advantages of biopharma over traditional medicine (such as fewer side effects and greater effectiveness in treating chronic illnesses).

Argument for industry-academia collaboration:

• The development and commercialization of bio-therapeutic products require extensive research and clinical and non-clinical trials that adhere to regulatory norms, necessitating academia and industry collaboration. 
• While academia possesses skills in the research domain, the industry must play its expected role in commercialising research, i.e., manufacturing, testing, approval, and marketing.
• Additionally, industry-academia linkages also enable setting up a framework for nurturing talent with the skill-sets needed to meet the current demands of industry and prepare them for the bio-pharma sector’s innovation-driven future.

Examples of  industry-academia collaboration and benefits thereof:

• Collaborations between industry and academia offer numerous benefits. 
• The COVID pandemic demonstrated the success of such collaborations in swiftly developing life-saving vaccines and therapies. 
• India’s first home-grown gene therapy for cancer, developed by IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial Centre, and ImmunoACT, is another example. 
• Programmes like the Pfizer-IIT Delhi Innovation and IP Programme and INDovation are good examples of the larger pharmaceutical industry’s efforts to boost the domestic innovation ecosystem. 
• These collaborations foster innovation, as shown by the incubation of 34 healthcare innovators and 19 intellectual property filings in diagnostics, drug delivery, medical devices, and healthcare training.

Contribution of academia in biopharma:

• Drugs such as Paclitaxel, Vorinostat, Prezista, Viread and Dexrazoxane have their discovery origins in academia. 
• Despite these contributions, academia’s role has often been perceived as secondary—supporting drug discovery by providing an extended research base to the industry through peer-reviewed publications and strategic partnerships.
• Academic drug discovery offers the promise of pioneering new approaches to drug development, leveraging academic innovation and thought processes to cater to evolving needs and demands. 
• In this context, it is crucial to emphasise that while pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms shall continue to be the major source of new drug development, there is a compelling argument for academia to play a more direct role in translating fundamental science into therapeutics.

Private investment and support for R&D in biopharmaceuticals:

• Several pharma and biopharma companies have established global capability centres in India, employing nearly half a million professionals. 
• These centres engage talent in a diverse range of functions across the entire research and development (R&D) value chain, drug commercialisation, manufacturing and supply-chain management, physician and patient engagement, business strategy and digital operations.

Government initiatives to promote industry-academia linkages:

• To ensure the benefits of strong industry-academia linkages, the central government has established the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and launched the National Biopharma Mission (NBM). 
• Both these initiatives enhance India’s biopharmaceutical capabilities, aiming for global competitiveness and improved healthcare standards through innovative product development.

Way Forward:

• While celebrating our nation’s advancements in biotechnology, including the establishment of a department of biotechnology in 1986 and becoming the third-largest hub for biotech in the Asia Pacific region, there’s a need to encourage further research, innovate and expedite drug development in the biopharma sector.
• Empowering academic institutions, particularly through the establishment of technology transfer offices (TTOs), can enhance technology transfer capabilities, ensuring the translation of research into practical solutions. 
• This will accelerate the transformation of scientific discoveries into products that benefit society.
• Funding for schemes like India’s Ucchatar Avishkar Yojana should be increased to foster innovation among students and faculty in premier technological institutes. 
• To address the shortage of qualified faculty and researchers, a programme similar to China’s Thousand Talent Programme could be used to recruit overseas Indians from top global institutes with attractive incentives. 
• Universities should implement specialised training on legal and regulatory frameworks for new biotech interventions. 
• Integrating these into the curriculum will better prepare students for the complexities of the biotech landscape and help nurture a skilled workforce to drive innovation and research.

Conclusion:

The article outlines the importance of collaboration between academia and industry in driving the growth and development of the biopharmaceutical industry, particularly in India. It advocates for a holistic approach involving multiple stakeholders to address the challenges and capitalise on the opportunities in this dynamic sector.