In a significant stride toward building India’s cell and gene therapy (CGT) ecosystem, global CGT leader Miltenyi Biotec has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) to introduce the country’s first hands-on training program in clinical cell manufacturing.
This pioneering initiative, launched under the guidance of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), is designed to close the skill and translational gap in India’s rapidly evolving CGT landscape. It aims to empower professionals with practical, real-world experience in manufacturing advanced therapies.
Hosted at THSTI’s GMP-certified facility, the training program will feature Miltenyi Biotec’s advanced automation platforms—CliniMACS Prodigy® and MACSQuant® Analyzer—which are globally recognized for enabling end-to-end, closed-system cell processing with high levels of safety, scalability, and regulatory alignment.
The program will offer a joint certification and an industry-aligned curriculum that combines theoretical understanding with immersive, hands-on experience in CAR-T cell manufacturing, quality control, and analytical techniques.
We are proud to join forces with a premier research institution like THSTI to launch India’s first practical training program in clinical cell manufacturing,” said Dr. Priya Kapoor-G Hingorani, Managing Director, Miltenyi Biotec India. “With a strong emphasis on CAR-T cell therapies, this initiative demonstrates our long-term commitment to advancing CGT in India—not just through technology, but by nurturing the talent and infrastructure required to translate innovation into patient impact. By merging our global expertise with India’s strengths in translational research, we aim to fuel innovation, strengthen local capacity, and accelerate access to life-saving treatments.”
Echoing the sentiment, Prof. Ganesan Karthikeyan, Executive Director of THSTI, noted, “This program directly addresses the urgent need for skilled personnel and advanced manufacturing capabilities in India’s CGT space. It aligns with THSTI’s mission to transform cutting-edge science into real-world health solutions. We believe this initiative will be instrumental in speeding up the adoption of advanced therapies and boosting India’s stature in the global biotechnology sector.”
More than just a training program, this collaboration is a strategic investment in India’s CGT infrastructure. It aims to create a pipeline of certified professionals, improve the scalability and quality of advanced therapy manufacturing, promote local R&D and innovation, and foster strong academia-industry linkages to accelerate translational research.
The partnership exemplifies Miltenyi Biotec’s commitment to enabling not only scientific breakthroughs but also the development of human capital—a key pillar for building sustainable healthcare innovation in India and beyond.