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Top 10 Biotech Companies in India
A newer version of this article has been published recently. Check out the latest list of the top ten Biotech Companies in India. Read about sustainable bioindustry in India. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) was set up by the Government of India under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1986, to give a boost to the Biotech industry in India. Since then there has been no looking back. The funding and initiatives of DBT have been successful in generating a rich pool of academicians and scientists. India has become a hub of Biotechnology activity in the last decade. It is an ideal ground to set up biotech companies not only by Indian ventures, but also MNCs. India provides a sound knowledge base combined with skilled manpower. It is also a great place to set up manufacturing units, not to mention research laboratories. Success didn’t come early to the biotech industry in India. Due to the prolonged period of research involved in the development of the processes and products, it was difficult for the industry to sustain itself in the face of scant funding. The high initial investment required and the uncertain nature of research made investors wary of funding activities, till a developed and tested product was available. But India could not afford to lag behind in the face of the huge benefits of Biotechnology. The science of biotechnology is a dynamic one, adopting the principles of various disciplines such as Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Cytology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Bioinformatics and impacting important areas such as medicine, agriculture and environment. The applications of biotech research are many, some of which are cited below. The field of medicine is making rapid progress and breakthroughs, thanks to new biotechnological processes and products. Traditional medicine cured the symptoms of various diseases. But biotechnological processes, in combination with pharmacology have the capability to develop proteins or molecules, which target the pathway of the disease and provide a permanent cure. Microorganisms can be manipulated to produce insulin, human growth factors, blood clotting factors, fertility drugs, antibiotics, vaccines and enzymes, which can be used to cure many human disorders. Gene therapy, a gift of biotechnology can cure genetically acquired diseases. It involves replacing defective genes, which may (somatic treatment) or may not (germline treatment) be transmitted to the next generation, as the need may be. Genetic testing can confirm paternity in the case of disputed parentage or help in solving a crime using DNA manipulative techniques available. A whole range of diseases like AIDS, cancer, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, etc., can be detected and treated using biotechnological procedures which can detect mutations and address them at a genetic level.
The production of high yielding and disease resistant crops through biotechnological means is a real boon to agriculture. Plants can be engineered with new genes for a favorable trait. They can be induced to form more nutritious fruits and/or vegetables. Their color and size too can be manipulated by altering their genetic constitution, viz. replacing defective genes or incorporating new genes. Banana and tomato plants have been engineered to produce vaccines. If clinical trials are successful, we are in for a revolution in biopharmaceuticals. Disease resistance crop varieties can be produced by incorporating Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene in the crops, which when expressed produces the Bt toxin. When the insect feeds on the plant, the toxin acts on its metabolism and causes the death of the pest. Crops can also be engineered to tolerate biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Biotechnology has erased the divide of the seasons, allowing us to enjoy our favorite fruits, vegetables and flowers all through the year. The environment around us is undergoing a lot of change due to increased amounts of pollutants and climatic changes around the globe. To maintain a sustainable environment, it is necessary to cleanse our habitat. Biotechnology helps us to study the existing degradation pathways and improvise on them. For example, the oil spills in coastal regions and petroleum seepage into water bodies, can be controlled by bioengineered microorganisms, which can degrade these harmful pollutants. Biotechnology in conjunction with environmental sciences provides valuable insights into the different pathways and networks of important elements in nature, thereby helping in bioremediation. The Government of India is going all out to embrace the biotech industry and its products. Funds are flowing through Venture Capitalists (VCs) to biotech startups. Rebate on R&D, 100% foreign direct investment, excise and customs duty waiver on certain products, etc., are some of the incentives introduced by the government. India has made great strides in all the above biotechnological applications. The Indian biotech industry today encompasses 325 companies, some of them including Biocon, Serum Institute of India and Panacea Biotec alone, contributing to 27% of revenues. According to the 5th BioSpectrum-ABLE (Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises) Biotech Industry Survey, of April-May 2007, the industry has grown by 30.9% in 2006-2007 alone. The contract research industry in India could reach as high as US $ 270 million by 2009 (Asia Specific Biotechnology Market 2007-2010, June 2007). The top ten biotech companies of India listed below have broken new grounds and given new products and technologies to the world.
Close on the heels of the companies listed above, are Shantha Biotechnics, Biological E, Mahyco Monsanto, Bharat Biotech, Ranbaxy and Novozymes to name a few. Biocon is the first and presently the leading biotech company in India. Initially it brought in revenues by manufacturing enzymes. But it has gradually become more research oriented with the goal of introducing new drugs to the market. Its manufacturing capabilities include microbial and mammalian cell culture fermentation, synthetic chemistry and therapeutic drugs for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Serum Institute of India, Indian Immunologicals and Bharat Biotech specialize in the production of vaccines. Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest producer of measles and DTP vaccines. Panacea Biotec has recently set up a plant in Himachal Pradesh, India, for production of bacterial and viral vaccines. Wockhardt is a biopharma powerhouse with 11 world class manufacturing plants in India. Shantha Biotechnics is located in Hyderabad and its products include Hepatitis B vaccine, Streptokinase drug and Interferon alpha-2b. The big player in agro-biotech, MAHYCO Monsanto has released a number of Bt cotton hybrids, which have been approved for commercial cultivation. The significant reduction in the use of pesticides and higher and better quality yields will result in increased incomes to farmers. Genetically modified field crops like rice, mustard, groundnut, maize, tubers like potato, vegetables like tomato, cabbage, okra, etc., are also under various stages of field trial led by Indian biotech companies. Development of products tailored to the needs of the Indian agricultural sector, will go a long way in making the country self-sufficient. The above-mentioned achievements of Indian biotech companies have started attracting overseas partners and investors. Indian biotech firms have started scaling up their capabilities to become global players. With proactive government schemes, VC funding, new products and groundbreaking research, India is fast emerging as a biotech leader in the Pacific, alongside Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China. Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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