The Hindu Business Line : Biotech mission to tour US

THE Co-Chairman and Managing Director of Jubilant Organosys, Mr Hari Bhartia, will lead a biotech mission to the US, as part of an eight-day tour from June 2.

Dr M.K. Bhan is the patron of the mission organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Secretary, Department of Biotechnology.

The mission will comprise one-to-one meetings, company visits and will coincide with the annual International Convention 2004 in San Francisco. The four-day convention from June 6, organised by the Biotechnology Industry Organisation (BIO), US, will attract up to 20,000 top industry leaders, scientists, policy makers, academicians, and journalists from the life sciences industry.

The main objective of the visit is to explore the possibilities of setting up partnerships and joint ventures with international companies, especially those in the US and to learn about the latest global developments.

During the visit, the team will interact with biotech companies in the US such as Nektar, Gilead, Alza, Genentech, Exelexis, Genencor and Chiron Corporation. A panel discussion on `The way ahead for partnerships with Indian biotech' is also being organised.

To make India's presence at BIO 2004 more visible, CII has adopted a multi-pronged approach and is co-ordinating an `India Pavilion' at the exhibition. The pavilion will provide an opportunity for companies and organisations from India, including State Governments to showcase the country's unique strengths in this field.

CII will also co-ordinate a special session at the BIO Conference on `Harnessing human resource capabilities and information technology prowess: Biotechnology in the future'. The session will focus on issues critical to the growth of the sector globally, and will highlight developments in Asia-Pacific, including those in bioinformatics, clinical research, outsourcing R&D and availability of affordable medicines. The session on `Clinical research and services — Global clinical village — Exploring new horizons for speed, cost and quality' will discuss how India can increase speed and efficiency in clinical research and reduce costs to less than half the cost at global standards.

Other topics are `Bioinformatics and contract research' and `Financing and fostering biotech ventures and IPR'.