Faridabad — In a move to strengthen India’s growing footprint in biopharmaceutical innovation, the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) hosted a high-level symposium on the Discovery and Development of Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Therapeutics at its campus in Faridabad.
Organized in partnership with industry leaders, start-ups, Contract Research and Development Manufacturing Organizations (CRDMOs), academic institutions, and key funding bodies such as BIRAC and the Wadhwani Foundation, the event aimed to foster scientific exchange and promote indigenous innovation in monoclonal antibody development.
The symposium opened with a welcome address by Prof. Jayanta Bhattacharya, Dean of THSTI, who stressed the critical role of early collaboration between academia and industry in bringing affordable and homegrown technologies to the market. “These partnerships are essential for building a robust innovation ecosystem that meets India’s healthcare needs,” he said.
Prof. G. Karthikeyan, Executive Director of THSTI, emphasized the timeliness of the symposium, pointing to favorable policies and increased support for biotech advancement. He proposed the formation of collaborative “clusters” that would serve as hubs for research, training, and industry-academia convergence.
Dr. Alka Sharma, Scientist H and Senior Adviser at the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, spoke about the Bio-E3 policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment). She underlined DBT’s strong backing for monoclonal antibody research as part of the broader goal of achieving self-reliance in high-quality biologics and ensuring equitable access to life-saving therapies.
Key Sessions and Scientific Highlights:
1. Novel Discovery Platforms:
Presentations included:
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B-Cell Cloning for mAb Discovery – Prof. Jayanta Bhattacharya (THSTI)
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Next-gen Antibody Engineering – Dr. Maloy Ghosh (Zumutor Biologics)
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Mammalian Display Technology – Dr. Kavita Kumari (Syngene International)
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Fit-to-Purpose Discovery Tools – Dr. Rakesh Kumar (Aragen Life Sciences)
2. Development of Novel mAbs:
Key insights were shared on manufacturing pathways and immune response optimization, featuring talks by:
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Dr. Priyaranjan Pattanaik (Aurigene Pharma)
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Dr. Sridhara Chakraborthy (Syngene)
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Dr. Sarika Mehra (IIT Bombay)
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Dr. Saurabh Joshi (SPARC) on Antibody Drug Conjugates
3. New Horizons in mAbs:
Presentations explored cutting-edge technologies:
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Circular RNA for Democratized mAb Access – Dr. Anand Khedkar (Sekkei Bio)
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AI-Powered Drug Design – Dr. Aridni Shah (Immunito AI)
Collaborative Vision Under Bio-E3
The symposium culminated in a panel discussion titled “Accelerating Discovery and Early Development of Indigenous Therapeutic Solutions using Monoclonal Antibodies”. Experts exchanged ideas on funding mechanisms, academic-industry matchmaking, and strategies to build a robust mAb development pipeline in India.
Speakers and participants widely acknowledged that monoclonal antibodies represent a transformative frontier in precision medicine. With increased focus on affordability, innovation, and ecosystem building, the event marked a significant step toward making India a global hub for mAb therapeutics.
