Search

Biopharmaceuticals have the potential to contribute immensely towards improving the health and quality of life of people. However, there is a gap in the availability of medical services in India and inequality in disseminating health benefits to the poor. Several issues are associated with biopharmaceuticals, such as increasing cost of treatments, access, affordability, safety, efficacy, quality, and intellectual property rights. Hence, the present paper addresses the crucial questions on the emerging challenges in the Indian biopharmaceutical industry regarding the patent cliff and biosimilars. What are the technological and institutional challenges faced by the biosimilars producing firms? Whether biosimilars could meet the regulatory requirements of safety, efficacy, and whether they will meet global regulatory standards? This article further analyses the regulatory pathways for commercial approval of biosimilars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnobotany genomics is gaining popularity, and there is a renewed interest in traditional medicine around the world. Ethnobotany genomics is proving useful not only for the conservation of biodiversity and agricultural productivity but also for drug discovery. In terms of traditional medicine and biodiversity, India is one of the world's richest countries. However, as industrialisation, population pressures, migrations, and urbanisation have increased, socio-environmental changes have become more dynamic and complex. This has raised concerns about sustainable production and consumption, as well as governance. As a result, the current paper is an attempt to map the emerging innovation system in Indian ethnobotany genomics. The paper examines the actors', agencies', and institutions' responses to the emerging innovation system's requirements. Finally, this paper provides new insights into the opportunities and challenges of developing Indian ethnobotany genomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A research study evaluated the effects of organizational changes on productivity, wage structure, employment and policy making in India. India's footwear industry could accelerate technological change owing to the government's policies and liberalization programs. However, the effects of technological advancements on the country's socioeconomic conditions could deviate according to sector or region. Rather than India's industrial structure, factors such as market conditions, skills and raw materials will influence the socioeconomic impact of technology.

Inequity in health research is understood as a major impediment to development.The paper uses empirical analysis performed on a unique data set of publications and clinical trials related to cancer research to explore the public policy dimensions of health care research in India. It traces disparities that result from predilections in science technology and innovation policies in India. The paper analyses disparity in health research using emerging technologies and its implications for equity in health research. The paper argues that the use of emerging technologies in cancer research has shifted research focus from cancers affecting poor population in India. AA – Age Adjusted Incidence Rates; CTRI – Clinical Trail Registry of India; DBT – Department of Biotechnology; DST – Department of Science and Technology; ICMR – Indian Council for Medical Research; Mabs – Monoclonal antibodies; NBDS – National Biotechnology Development Strategy; NCI – National Cancer Institute; NSTI – Nanoscience and Technology Initiative; SCI – Science Citation Index; TB – Tuberculosis; WOS – Web of Science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Pranav N. Desai The present paper is an attempt to analyse the role of academic institutions in meeting the challenges posed by agro-biotechnologies, IPRs, globalisation and its implications for achieving the millennium development goals. The problems of implementing the MDGs are certainly intertwined and the entire nexus requires attention. However, serious doubts are being raised by many that these daunting goals would be achieved in the present international system, with an uneven 'globalisation' and conflicts generated by the TRIPS. Moreover, given the nature of agro-biotechnologies and the fact that commercial interests are found to be predominant, it is doubtful whether it will have any impact on food security, bio-safety or poverty reduction. The preceding context demands that the academic institutions pay greater attention to socio-economic and environmental objectives, IPR training and documenting traditional knowledge. This necessitates adoption of an active role in the development process rather than merely developing a node in a knowledge network.

Scholars from the diverse academic themes have reflected and discussed the connection between the innovation and the geographical settings. In developing countries, like India, high technology cluster development is not a new phenomenon, and has been a significant tool for policy implications. However, such clusters have emerged in certain regions, specifically southern India, endowed with diverse set of 'knowledge bases/knowledge communities', which are being utilized at different stages of the innovation. Among the clusters in southern India, Bengaluru biocluster is an important example to reflect upon various dimensions of the regional innovation system. The presence of some of the premier research institutions, Indian and foreign multinationals, skilled workforce, backed by robust policy initiatives, provides Bengaluru an edge over other clusters located in other parts of the country. With this prelude, the study attempts to explore different knowledge communities and innovation dynamics in the Bengaluru biocluster, which is influenced, inter alia, by the global waves of innovation. A mixed method is adopted along with a case study approach to examine the given cluster. Moreover, the study infers that knowledge communities enjoy linkages at the local, regional and global levels; leading to expansion of cluster. Evidently, publications and patents outputs as well as collaborating activities have an inter-relation with innovation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biopharmaceuticals have raised many hopes of improving the quality of life. However, the increasing cost of treatment has raised many questions regarding its access in the context of multiple inequalities. The arrival of the patent cliff in this sector has given rise to biosimilars. This development has not only opened up an enormous global market but also a possibility of a significant drop in their prices, improving the healthcare system by meeting worldwide demand at affordable price, reduction in cost of production and patent maintenance. These possibilities have led to greater rush towards seizing this opportunity by all kind of firms leading to the competitive market environment. Hence, the present paper revolves around crucial questions whether this rush will divert the attention from R&D efforts of the discovery of new drugs and keep the focus away from the neglected diseases? Whether it will widen the medical divide and reinforce the existing inequalities? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanobiotechnology, as an area of application of nanotechnology in the domain of biotechnology, is poised to have a strong influence on the various facets of the biotechnology sector such as agricultural biotechnology, animal biotechnology, environment biotechnology or health biotechnology. Many countries have initiated various programmes/schemes to harness the potentialities that nanotechnology has to offer in the biotechnology sector. This article attempts to present an overview of the nanobiotechnology public R&D system in India and carry out its SWOT analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article explores the status of technology foresight activities in Indian biotechnology firms in the context and framework of sectoral innovation. It deals with the current uses and practices of technology foresight conducted by biotechnology firms with a particular view to the possible contributions to innovation that foresight activities might bring in an entrepreneurial context. Furthermore, the article also explores whether the perceived usefulness of different foresight methodology differs with the sector and size of a firm. With the growing advancement of knowledge based economy, the knowledge of research, development and technologies has become a driver for economic progress and stimulus for social transformation which gives manifold dimensions to decision making of the technology driven industry. This phenomenon has made technology foresight activities all the more significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]