Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, virtually inaugurated the 10th Annual "Cell and Gene Therapy" Symposium at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, organised by the Centre for Stem Cell Research (CSCR) and supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India.
Dr. Singh lauded CSCR’s landmark achievement in completing India’s first-in-human gene therapy trial for Hemophilia A, an inherited bleeding disorder caused by the deficiency of clotting Factor VIII. Traditionally requiring costly lifelong treatment, the disorder can now be addressed using CSCR’s innovative approach, which employs lentiviral vectors instead of the commonly used AAV. This method expanded patient eligibility and demonstrated sustained Factor VIII expression with no bleeding episodes.
“This is not just a scientific milestone—it is a transformative step toward affordable, accessible gene therapy for India and other low- and middle-income countries,” said Dr. Jitendra Singh.
The Minister noted that CSCR, a translational unit in Stem, Bengaluru, under DBT, is preparing for the next phase of clinical development. He added,
"Several technologies for hemoglobinopathies are being transferred to commercial partners, and CSCR is building a GMP-compliant haplobank of iPSCs as part of the Global Alliance for iPSC Therapies."
Highlighting India’s progress in the national context, Dr. Singh said that in biomanufacturing, India ranks 3rd in Asia-Pacific and 12th globally, while pharma exports are expected to cross US $300 billion by year-end.
"India’s bioeconomy has grown from $10 billion in 2014 to nearly $170 billion today, and is projected to reach $300 billion by 2030. Pharma exports are valued at $27.8 billion, set to cross $30 billion this year, while the medical technology sector, currently at $12 billion, is growing at 15–20% annually and expected to touch $50 billion by 2030. The number of biotech startups has risen from just 50 in 2014 to over 11,000 today," Dr. Singh noted.
The Minister emphasised that India’s innovation ecosystem is being strengthened by policies and programmes such as the BioE3 policy, BIRAC’s public–private model, the National Research Foundation with 70% non-government funding, and a Rs. 1 lakh crore R&D fund to encourage private sector participation. He added that gross expenditure on R&D has doubled from ₹60,000 crore to Rs. 1,27,000 crore, the DBT budget has risen from Rs. 1,500 crore to nearly Rs. 7,000 crore, and over 55% of patents are now filed by Indian residents.
Highlighting DBT’s contributions, Dr. Singh cited vaccine breakthroughs such as the world’s first DNA vaccine for COVID, the HPV vaccine, and the development of the antibiotic Nephetrovacine, showcasing India’s growing role as a front-runner in biotechnology.
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