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CCMB expertise for biotech start-ups

M. Somasekhar

HYDERABAD, Sept. 17

THE Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has donned the role of a consultant and has helped three biotech start-ups firm up their ventures.

Kemwell Ltd and Cytogenomics to be based in Bangalore and Greens India Natural Products Ltd (GINPL), Madurai are the new initiatives in biotechnology that are coming up on the advice CCMB.

CCMB is providing help starting from setting up the laboratory to pilot scale production. On the research side, specialised areas such as molecular diagnostics, pharmacogenomics and drug development would be the focus of the consultancy services, accordi ng to CCMB scientists.

The consultancy business, which will fetch more than Rs 1 crore to the premier molecular biology and biotechnology laboratory, is a recent initiative.

Dr Lalji Singh, Director, said there was a sudden spurt in biotech companies and CCMB would like to leverage its inherent strengths to help alteast some of them to establish.

CCMB has gained considerable experience in incubating biotech companies such as Shantha Biotechnics and undertaking collaborative research with corporates such as Hindustan Lever, Dr Reddy's Laboratories and Biological E, he told Business Line.

Another proactive measure taken by the lab is aiding bio-informatics companies. Having set up a strong bio-informatics facility and trained manpower, CCMB is leasing out computing and manpower to start-ups.

Companies such as Frontier Information Technologies and iLabs would be the first batch to take space and start work at the bio-informatics facility. CCMB has already forged a major collaborative tie-up with IT major Satyam Computers in bio-informatics.

CCMB has also established a long-term relationship with Biological E providing research and laboratory support. In addition, it has set up a DNA chip facility with equipment provided by Amersham and funding from Biological E and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).