DST awards Rs 60 crore to Mumbai Biocluster for innovation in biopharmaceuticals

NEW DELHI: The department of science and technology's (DST) SATHI initiative has granted Rs 60 crore to the Mumbai Biocluster, which comprises institutions such as Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) Mumbai, IIT Bombay, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) and Khalsa College.

Led by ICT Mumbai's vice-chancellor AB Pandit and DST-SATHI principal investigator Ratnesh Jain, the Mumbai Biocluster aims at catalysing innovation in biopharmaceuticals. Supported by Prasanna Venkatraman from ACTREC, Pratiksha Palahe from Khalsa College, Sudipta Maiti from TIFR, and Rohit Srivastava from IIT Bombay, the collaborative effort will accelerate the development of critical therapies for diseases like cancer, rare diseases, and infectious diseases.

Mumbai biocluster’s objective

The biocluster will serve as an accelerator for startups, academia, MSMEs, and industries, providing state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise for faster development of biopharmaceutical products. With a focus on monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, mRNA technology, and cell and gene therapy, the facility will address key challenges faced during technology scale-up and validation in the drug development phase.

Also read BITS Pilani gets Rs 60 crore from DST to set up advanced research facility under SATHI scheme

Central to the biocluster's mission is the provision of a good manufacturing practice (GMP) facility, enabling drug development at an affordable cost. By bridging the gap between research and commercialization, the Mumbai Biocluster aims to propel India to the forefront of biopharmaceutical innovation, driving economic growth and improving healthcare outcomes. With the support of the DST-SATHI grant and the collective expertise of its member institutions, the Mumbai Biocluster is poised to revolutionise the landscape of biopharmaceutical research and development in India, the ICT said.