The Hindu Business Line : Bangalore Bio keen to take `tech to market'

Mr M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda (left), Secretary-Information Technology and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, with Prof G. Padmanabhan (right), Biotechnologist and Member of Vision Group, at a press conference in Bangalore on Friday. — G.R.N. Somashekar

Bangalore , July 9

THE fourth issue of Bangalore Bio gets under way here on July 11. The Karnataka Government is looking at building international bridges to increase exchanges in biotechnology during the three-day event.

It has lined up at least one tie-up with agencies promoting biotechnology. The Karnataka Biotechnology Development Council will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Frankfurt Innovation Centre for Biotechnology (FIZ) and the International Technology Cooperation Network, Germany, to explore cooperation and exchange of visits between the two countries in the area.

Mr M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda, Secretary, IT and Biotechnology, told a pre-event news conference on Friday that the German business group was keen on building long-term business cooperation with Karnataka. A team from Japan External Trade Promotion Organisation JETRO is the second largest country partner. A large Thai delegation is also scouting for joint ventures in technology and business.

``Technology to market' will be the focus of the event promoted by the Karnataka Government. It will look at ways of converting biotech research into creating food and therapeutics, Mr Gowda said.

Some 100 exhibitors from 15 countries are participating in the conference and trade show. The sessions will cover vaccines and diagnostics, IPR issues, bioinformatics, R&D outsourcing, investment and careers in biotechnology.

Japan, which has a biotech strategy plan in place, faces human resource shortage in the sector and is looking at interactions in bioinformatics with India and other countries.

JETRO is bringing in two experts — Prof Toru Yao, of Riken Genomic Sciences Centre, and Dr Ken Aoshima, GM, R&D Department of Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co Ltd — to interact with institutions, research centres and private companies during the event. It plans to invite four Indian bioinformatics companies to participate in Bio Japan to be held in Tokyo in September.

UK Trade and Invest will showcase Britain, the second largest in biotechnology after the US, as a prime investment destination for the sector. The British team represents venture capital companies, technology transfer networks and the Inward Investment Group.

The British biotech sector has to its credit 42 commercialised drugs and 23 in the pipeline. The UK also accounts for over 43 per cent of European late-stage clinical trials.

EoIs to be called for `Helix' development

THE long-awaited biotechnology park at Bangalore, called `Helix', may still have a hope. The Department of Biotechnology & Information Technology will soon call for expressions of interest from the private sector to partner them in investing and developing the park, according to senior State officials here.

This could be similar to the famous International Tech Park (ITPL), the IT venture promoted by the department with Tatas and a Singapore consortium during the late 1990s.

The plan is to get the park going in 18 months. The department now has in its possession 100 acres of land at the Electronics City phase 2 on Hosur Road and earmarked it for the biotech park.

The Government plans to have a corporatised joint venture to take the project forward, rather than go it alone, they said. The land worth Rs 30 crore could be its equity.

"We are looking for management, investment, promotional and all other skills in the partner," they said.

The park is meant to host biotech R&D companies of all hues besides reserving 10 per cent of the land for common facilities, Government bodies, the Institute for Bioinformatics and Advanced Biotechnology and incubation centre.

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