CATEGORIES

AstraZeneca invests Rs 250 Cr to grow Global Innovation and Technology Centre in India

AstraZeneca India has announced an investment of Rs 250 crore ($30 million) to expand its Global Innovation and Technology Centre (GITC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, which includes close to 1,300 roles focused on driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and streamlining operations across the company globally.

Kerala to launch Institute of Organ Transplantation in Kozhikode

The Government of Kerala has decided to establish an Institute of Organ and Tissue Transplant at Kozhikode. It is being established as an Apex Institute for research, training and patient care in the area of organ transplantation and allied activities.

Ministry of Ayush strengthens standardisation protocols to ensure safety of ayurvedic medicines

In a significant development aimed at advancing the field of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences - Captain Srinivasa Murthy Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CSMCARI), Chennai, under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and the Commissionerate of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy (CIM&H), Arumbakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Integrating Research Data for Drug Efficiency in the Indian Pharma Landscape

The average cost to develop a new drug is approximately 2.6 billion, according to a study by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. This cost may be reduced by up to 30 per cent through the integration of AI/ML and data analytics, which would result in substantial savings for India's pharmaceutical industry and poised to strengthen its global competitiveness and contribute to a healthier world.

Setting Bigger Targets For Next-Gen Vaccines

New vaccine platform technologies could dramatically shorten the period from research to development, clinical trials, and vaccination. Reimagining R&D approaches in vaccine design and vaccine immunology may hold the key to significantly elevate the health impact of vaccines.

MediTech Stackathon 2024 to Drive Explosive Growth

India's medtech industry holds immense potential, with projections estimating a growth rate of 28 per cent annually, reaching a size of $50 billion by 2030.

Innominds, SCIINV Biosciences unveil Al-driven solution to combat AMR

Innominds, a US-based digital transformation and product engineering company, has announced its partnership with Hyderabad-based startup SCIINV Biosciences to introduce AMRX, an advanced AI/ML-driven digital diagnostic tool designed to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Wipro collaborates with Centre for Brain Research at IISc for Al-driven health behaviour innovations

Wipro has announced a collaboration with the Centre for Brain Research (CBR), an autonomous, non-profit research organisation, hosted at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

How Tech Innovations Impact Cardiac Care

Cardiac care has seen a transformation over the years with technology playing an important role. Armed with Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), cardiac care providers, with the right technology, have received the right impetus to revolutionise treatment mechanisms. Let us delve into the new technologies which the industry is offering to mankind and decipher the way forward.

Mynvax Offers ‘Warm Vaccine' For COVID-19

Biotech startup Mynvax, incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, has developed heat-tolerant COVID-19 vaccine formulations.

“R&D outsourcing has become a ‘must have' than ‘good-to have' strategy”

Aragen Life Sciences (formerly GVK BIO), a leading contract research and development organisation headquartered in Hyderabad, is marking its transition to a new brand identity in its 20th year. Established in 2001, the company is poised for growth in the outsourced discovery, development, and manufacturing services sector across both large and small molecule platforms with new investments and collaborations. In conversation with BioSpectrum, Manni Kantipudi, Chief Executive Officer, Aragen Life Sciences, Hyderabad reveals more about the company’s recent rebranding and growth plans. Edited excerpts;

Premas Biotech to commercialise VLP vaccine tech against Delta variant

Gurugram-based Premas Biotech has signed a licensing deal with Oravax Medical for the development and commercialisation of its virus-like-particle COVID-19 vaccine technology.

SARS-CoV-2: A Biochemical Treatise on its Past, Present & Future

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is unprecedented but equally unprecedented is the contribution of scientists who have helped us in understanding the mechanisms by which it infects human beings and also, developing a variety of vaccines to protect the masses, in a year’s time, which can be called truly groundbreaking. This article gives an overview of the progress made by scientists around the world working round the clock in developing an understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 evolution and COVID-19 disease pathogenesis, and also makes an attempt to suggest the possible ways of coping with this pandemic if we have to co-exist with it forever!

Merck launches Pergoveris Pen for fertility treatment in India

Merck Specialties, the healthcare business of Merck in India, has launched Pergoveris Pen for advanced infertility treatment in India.

GUNG-HO PHARMA R&D INVESTMENTS SURPASS $3B

While the pharmaceutical industry helped combat COVID-19, from R&D actions on potential treatment strategies to balancing the medicines supply chain in the time of crisis, it struggled to maintain the natural market flow. As a result, many pharma companies had to abort some of their ongoing R&D investment plans. However for FY20-21, the average R&D expenses constituted 7.2 per cent of the total revenues of the pharma companies, with Lupin, Alembic Pharma and Dr. Reddy’s spending more than others. The cumulative R&D expenditure of the leading 10 pharma companies has been around Rs 10,627 crore ($1.43 billion) in the previous fiscal. This figure eventually reaches an approximate amount of Rs 22,500 crore ($3.03 billion) after considering the cumulative expenditure by other small and medium players of the India pharma industry.

Glenmark ties up with SaNOtize to commercialise COVID-19 nasal spray

Mumbai-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and Canadian biotech firm SaNOtize Research & Development Corporation

CEPI prioritises Rift Valley fever vax

Sep 01, Norway-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has signed an implementing partner agreement with Integrum Scientific (US) as part of its ongoing efforts to combat Rift Valley fever (RVF)—one of its priority diseases with epidemic potential.

3D printing moulds healthcare innovations

Pharmaceuticals, bio-medicine, aviation, and automobiles industries have rapidly adopted 3D printing over the years, worldwide, to develop new solutions and prototypes. It is also helping many industries, healthcare, in particular, increase productivity. Despite all its advantages, 3D printing technology is currently posing a number of challenges in the market such as initial costs, limitation to the metals and plastics used for 3D printing, lack of policy standardisation, etc.

WHO Updates Guidelines For TB Detection

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an update to its consolidated guidelines on the detection of tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB.

Is The 5G Health Scare Unfounded?

The introduction of the 5G network has been mired in numerous controversies. Governments across the globe, activists and telecom operators are embroiled in a bitter fight, filing lawsuits and protesting in large numbers. Although most of the available research on electromagnetic fields (EMF) reveals that there are no harmful effects from mobile radiation, some studies do reveal that it has the potential to damage the very structure of the DNA. Cancer, impaired reproductive health and numerous other disorders, including psychiatric, have been attributed to 5G. Will the implementation of the 5G network have serious health implications, or are these fears unfounded? We try to weigh-in the opposing sides.

Is Antibody Cocktail Offering The Right Mix?

Although the clinical outcomes, as well as clinical trials, have been very promising for patients treated with the antibody cocktail so far, the Delta plus variant is considered to be resistant to the monoclonal antibody (mAb) cocktail treatment.

“Our allergic rhinitis drug is technologically superior, masks bitterness and 52% cheaper”

Alok Malik, Group Vice President & Head, India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Mumbai

Techade REDEFINING FUTURE OF life sciences industry

Digital transformation is the topmost priority for global corporations and in a highly connected world that will remain largely contactless for an extended period, there are shifts in business models, customer experience, operations, and employee experience. With technology adoption accelerating across sectors, 2021 is likely to put the spotlight on the emergence of growth verticals in the life sciences sector namely healthcare, pharma, medical devices, diagnostics etc. India is now standing at the cusp of a re-imagined decade of technology, commonly being referred to as ‘Techade’. While we anticipate a significantly better global economic growth this year as compared to 2020, we are also very much looking forward to the enhancement being brought to the Indian life sciences industry as it continues its transformation journey in this redefined techade.

Multifarious Cataract cures emerge

Being documented as India’s most significant cause of bilateral blindness that is for both eyes, cataract has become an economic and social burden that is increasing with the ageing population.

Zydus Introduces New Feature In Drug Packaging To Avoid Counterfeiting

Zydus Cadila has introduced a new feature called Zydus Verify in the packaging of its critical drugs to help patients ensure that the product is not fake or counterfeited.

Malaria, Dengue TB Play Second Fiddle To Covid - 19

Although India has worked relentlessly towards developing innovative testing solutions for COVID-19 throughout last year, the timely detection of a number of other infectious diseases has been sidelined. In India, the range and burden of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, filariasis, leprosy, HIV infection, typhoid, hepatitis etc., are enormous. In fact, inadequate containment of the vector has resulted in recurrent outbreaks of dengue fever and re-emergence of chikungunya virus disease and typhus fever. If India can develop more than 20 different diagnostic tests or devices in a single year to fight COVID-19, many more such innovations can be brought to effectively detect other infections looming in our country.

Pandemic Sets New Benchmarks For Early-Stage Healthcare Startups

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an enabler of this change as care-delivery models had to be quickly revamped to address two concerns – the diseases and the impacts of the virus on the treatment of other diseases. We aim to assess the qualitative and quantitative impact of COVID-19 and other macroeconomic events on the startup ecosystem over the last few years and try to understand the implications for the future.

Stride Ventures leads Rs 25 Cr debt round in MediBuddy

Stride Ventures, one of India’s leading venture debt funds, has led a debt round of Rs 25 crore in Bengaluru-based startup MediBuddy that helps its users consult specialist doctors, order medicines and book lab tests from the comfort of their homes.

‘‘We see growing interest of healthcare testing labs, Pharmaceutical QC and R&D labs in implementing next-gen lab automation solutions''

US-based Abbott Informatics, formerly known as STARLIMS, is one of the companies with a long and established presence in the space of lab automation. Taking pride in offering the world class technological solutions, the company has recently announced the launch of STARLIMS Quality Manufacturing Solution QM12.2 which is built on the latest STARLIMS Technology V12 platform, along with STARLIMS SDMS (Scientific Data Management System) V12.2. To find out more about the company’s automated offerings in India, BioSpectrum spoke to Pradeep Nagisetty, Regional Sales Manager - India & Sub Continent, Abbott Informatics - STARLIMS, Hyderabad.

‘Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis' remains a puzzle

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