The Hindu Business Line : Biotech incubation centre set for Sept launch

Hyderabad, Feb. 9 The country’s first integrated Biotechnology Incubation Centre (BTIC) will be run on commercial lines, with consultants Ernst & Young preparing a business plan for the first 10 years.

The autonomous BTIC Society is looking for a professional entity to manage the extensive facilities it is creating at the Shapoorji Pallonji Biotech Park on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

According to Ernst & Young, BTIC should break even in 5-6 years of operation. The society is approaching the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and the Andhra Pradesh Government for funds for the initial phase, according to Dr K.V. Raghavan, Chairman of the Project Management Committee (PMC).

The Rs 35-crore BTIC, planned in four phases, would be ready for operation from September 2008 with three phases completed, he told Business Line on the sidelines of the ongoing BioAsia 2008.

During Phase-4, there are plans to source investment from the private sector. The focus would be on intellectual property, warehousing, design package and networking with service institutes, Dr Raghavan said.

The first three phases include a Pre-Biotechnology Process Generator (PBPG) facility that was created at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, for initial-stage incubation. DBT and DSIR invested about Rs 3 crore in the facility and it was launched in 2006.

Phase-II involving setting up 16 modular laboratories at the SP Biotech Park with all the common research facilities is expected to be commissioned by May. Each lab would be around 350 sq ft in size and leased on monthly rental through a one-year contract, renewable on monitoring of promised progress, Dr Raghavan said.

Phase-III consisting of pilot plant infrastructure would be ready by September 2008. BTIC would also have analytical facilities. DBT has so far invested Rs 22 crore, while Andhra Pradesh has brought in Rs 12 crore and the land.

PMC is working out a strategy to network with research laboratories, attract tenants, organise industry interactions and sign MoUs in the next few weeks. A separate information system on biotechnology is also being built.

A large delegation of German companies has evinced interest in BTIC. Similarly, there would be special efforts to tap non-resident Indians. A system of benchmarking for the incubator is also being formulated, Dr Raghavan, a former Director of IICT who is associated with BTIC from the beginning, said.

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