The Hindu Business Line : Biotech industry to push for national policy

THE country's biotechnology industry will shortly push for a `harmonious' national biotechnology policy that will resolve some of the regulatory issues dogging it, according to Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CII biotechnology panel Chairman and CEO of Biocon India Ltd.

Speaking at a roadshow for Bangalore Bio 2004, Ms Mazumdar-Shaw said that Bangalore Bio slated for May this year would initiate debate and come up with a white paper touching upon the enablers and hurdles to biotechnology research activities in the country.

The paper should serve as the basis for a national policy, she added.

Key players in the sector such as the Department of Biotechnology, ICAR, the Drugs Controller General of India and ICMR would be involved in the dialogue.

The budding domestic biotech industry fears a regulatory bind to its R&D activities especially after the Genetic Engineering Approval committee under the MoEF recently labelled the Hyderabad-based Shantha Biotechnics as wanting in the conduct of clinical trials for its recombinant streptokinase drug.

The industry has, however, rallied behind the company and wants the regulatory ambiguities removed.

Meanwhile, Bangalore Bio, the fourth edition of the State-sponsored event, has been postponed by a month in view of the general elections and will now be held during May 16-18, Ms Mazumdar-Shaw, who also heads the State's Vision Group on Biotechnology, said.

The Minister for IT and Biotechnology, Mr D.B. Inamdar, said that a Rs 50-crore biotech fund was in the pipeline to fund and incubate biotech start-ups.

Helix, the State's biotech park proposed on 60 acres, is expected to become operational in around 18 months and preparatory works are on, he said.

The trade show and conference will focus on the theme of `Biotechnology for a billion people' and try to rope in the views of developing countries, eastern Europe, South Africa and West Asia into a debate on related issues.

It will focus on new trends like research process outsourcing, vaccines, bioethics and IP issues and IT-enabled bio services.

Some 125 participants from 25 countries and six States are expected to participate. Last year's meet drew 15,000 trade visitors.