National Biopharma Mission, Launch Date, Objectives, Vision

The National Biopharma Mission (NBM) is an industry-academia collaboration implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is an initiative which got launched on 30th June 2017 having a total cost of Rs 1500 crore and 50% co-funded by World Bank loan having a vision of accelerating the development of biopharmaceuticals in India. BIRAC is a Public Sector Enterprise established by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology. The National Biopharma Mission aims to make India a global leader in biopharmaceuticals in the coming years.

National Biopharma Mission Objectives

1. To develop affordable Biopharmaceutical including vaccines, biosimilars, medical devices, and diagnostics to meet public health needs.
2. To create affordable and efficient diagnostic tools.
3. To increase manufacturing and promote entrepreneurship in the biopharma sector through the Innovate in India (i3) Programme.

National Biopharma Mission Vertical

The National Biopharma Mission majorly focused on the 4 verticals which are mentioned below:

1. Product Development of vaccines, biosimilars, and medical devices relevant to public health.
2. Established and upgraded various centres for product discovery, validation, and manufacturing.
3. Development of human capital by providing specialized training for critical skills in the biopharma value chain.
4. Strengthening industry-academia links and promoting innovation translation.

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National Biopharma Mission Achievements

1. India’s first DNA vaccine for COVID-19 (ZyCoV-D).
2. The first Injectable Non-Insulin Antihyperglycemic Biosimilar for diabetes.
3. Developed India’s first MRI scanner.
4. Established 21 shared facilities for research and manufacturing, critical during COVID vaccine trials.
5. The mission supports 150 organizations and 300 MSMEs, strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem.
6. India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index shifted from 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2024.
7. The NBM, initiated as the Innovate in India (i3) program, is an Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission aimed at accelerating discovery research and the development of bio-pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biosimilars, and diagnostics
8. Set up 7 technology transfer offices, conducted 450 IP awareness campaigns, with over 25 licensed technologies.

National Biopharma Mission Vision

Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted initiatives like the Genome India Programme (a technique to determine the DNA sequence of an organism’s genome), which aims to sequence 10,000 genomes to revolutionize healthcare strategies worldwide. He specifically mentioned that India, now a frontline nation in preventive healthcare, is a testament for transformative growth in the bio-pharma sector in the coming years.