Govt to support contract research development segment: Sridhar Babu

Hyderabad: The Telangana government is committed to support the contract research development and manufacturing organisation (CRDMO) segment industry by providing the necessary infrastructure, policy support, and incentives to foster growth and development, said IT and industries minister D Sridhar Babu.

“We recognise the pivotal role that this industry plays in driving economic growth, improving healthcare outcomes and creating significant job opportunities for our youth. Together, we will work towards making Hyderabad and Telangana a global hub for research, innovation and manufacturing,” the minister said in a statement after the pharma industry representatives met him at the Secretariat on Friday.

Meanwhile, the pharma representatives deliberated on ‘Policy and advocacy discussion on pharma services,’ at an event organised by CII Telangana. They urged the Telangana government to consider setting up a pharma services park or a cluster with simplified regulations to promote the pharma industry.

Shilpa Reddy, convenor, CII Telangana pharma and life sciences panel and managing director of Saptagir Group, said the effort was to come up with the policy recommendations for the governments. “There is a lot of work to be done between various entities to develop the industry as a good alternative to China,” she added.

Telangana is home base to more than 800 life sciences companies with a combined value of over $50 billion, contributing to over 40 per cent of India’s pharmaceutical production. Pharma services can provide a lot of employment in Telangana and can contribute significantly to the export of services from the state, she said.

Manni Kantipudi, co-convenor, CII Telangana pharma and life sciences panel and CEO of Aragen Life Sciences, said pharma services companies will collaborate with the government and industry associations to develop the supply chain ecosystem and reduce dependence on China for raw materials.

Jonathan Hunt ( Syngene International CEO), Akhil Raavi (Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services CEO), Krishna Kanumuri (Sai Life Sciences CEO and MD), Ganesh Sambasivam (Anthem Biosciences co-founder), and Sudarshan Jain (Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance secretary general) also shared their views.