CSIR-IICT & DOP Collaboration
India’s Efforts Of Self-reliance in the Pharma Sector
The pharmaceutical industries and the academic institutions are more eager than ever to collaborate in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. In an important development, in order to embolden India’s efforts of self-reliance in the pharma sector, the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) have joined hands in collaboration.
While speaking on the occasion of the 77th Foundation day celebration of IICT, the announcement came following an appeal of the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DOP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Dr. P D Vaghela, urging CSIR-IICT to champion industry-academia partnership.
In three National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) institutes identified for the purpose, Dr. Vaghela invited IICT to help DOP to establish Centres of Excellence in bulk-drug research. In preparing a comprehensive Research and Development policy for the pharmaceutical sector, he requested the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and CSIR-IICT to play a dominant role.
Critically important APIs (Active Pharma Ingredients) and KSMs (Key Starting Materials) are mostly imported currently. For some of these materials, in developing and transferring indigenous technologies, the DOP
will come forward to support CSIR-IICT. Dr. Vaghela expects CSIR-IICT to take a significant role in making India self-reliant in the pharmaceutical sector and he emphasized that reducing the dependence on imports of critical chemicals is the need of the hour.To develop pharma parks in various states, the department is planning to allot Rs 1000 crores. Incentives from the state and central governments will be available for the companies setting up their units in these parks. For continuous research in the country, Dr. Vaghela felt the need for seamless procedures required in providing scientists, skilled staff, and academia-industry relationships. Such a process can reduce the dependence on imports and make pharma products competitive. Dr. Vaghela said, “In helping the State governments develop common utilities like pilot plants, analytical facilities, Steam generation, and more, DOP will look upon Institutes like CSIR-IICT.”
The CSIR Director-General, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande said that by actively participating in R & D Programmes and in building industry-academia relationships, CSIR will extend all possible collaboration in making India an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and stated that industry-academia relationship is very important.
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CSIR-IICT & DOP Collaboration
