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FOR LIMITED CIRCULATION AMONG BIOTECH CLUB MEMBERS

HIGHLIGHTS

Academicians welcome new biotech policy for Andhra Pradesh

IIM-A incubation cell

invests 3.5 cr in Chennai probi-otic firm

Finally, drug for Ebola in sight PAU to debut reusable Bt

cotton seeds Researchers develop new test

to quickly detect tuberculosis

VOL. XIV NO. 3 ISSN NO. 0972-737X May —June —2015

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CONTENTS IN THE NEWS

Academicians welcome new biotech policy for Andhra Pradesh 03

Final regulations on clinical trials likely by year-end 03

35 global biotech firms contributed $26.5 bn revenue in 2014 04

US pharma standards body wants to grow India unit as Asia hub 04

Government asks Niti Aayog to draft policy on genetically modified crops 04

EU clears 19 genetically modified products 05

Scientists to submit GM mustard report to government 05

DBT to fund nanobiotech research for cancer cure 06

MARKET / COLLABORATION

India and Spain to launch joint venture projects in field of biotechnology 07

soon

India, Netherlands sign MOUs on Measles-Rubella vaccine development 07

India signs biotech pact with Cambridge University 08

Bio-compatible jabs to help deliver drugs 08

Frontier Lifeline signs MoU with Russia to co-study genetic similarities in

heart disease 09

IIM-A incubation cell invests 3.5 cr in Chennai probiotic firm 09

Serum Institute, Cipla partner to market flu vaccine in India 10

India to lead APAC non-vascular stents market by 2021 10

MEDICAL BIOTECH

First liquid diagnostic laser tool developed 11

New device separates cancer cells from blood 11

Finally, drug for Ebola in sight 12

New HPV vaccine can prevent 80% of cervical cancers 12

First viable malaria vaccine may prevent million cases 12 First human study to show new antibody therapy for suppressing HIV

infection 13

Enzyme behind obesity-related high BP identified 14

Repurposed antibiotic shows promise 14

AGRI BIOTECH

Biotech market: $46.8 billion by 2019 15

PAU to debut reusable Bt cotton seeds 15

No shortage of Bt cotton seeds: Maharashtra government 16

Scientists prove a plant point 17

Maharashtra BT cotton seed companies taken by surprise 17

Trial of Saline-resistant GM paddy crops likely 18

FuturaGene’s eucalyptus is approved for commercial use in Brazil 18

CNRI bats for GM crops to combat climate change 19

Genetically engineered bacteria can treat cancer 20

Dhanuka to launch two more new molecules in India this year 20

R & D IDEAS

Researchers develop new test to quickly detect tuberculosis 21

Nanotech sensor uses Raman Spectroscopy 21

Scientists engineer E. coli to fight drug-resistant bacteria 22

Japanese Ebola test gives results In 11 minutes: researcher 22

Cells that aid hearing created in lab 22

Scientists turn blood cells into neurons 23

Vol. XV No.3 ISSN No. 0972-737X May—June –2015

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areas in biotechnology including healthcare, agricul-

ture, market/collaborations, research and develop-

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centres of excellence. The government has also contemplated setting up biotechnology incubation centres at NTRUHS, SVVU, and JNTUK, and another one in the Mega Life Sciences Park at Visakhapatnam for “nurturing innovations and taking potential technologies to the market place.” These life science projects have been conceived by the Department of Industries and Commerce, which released the new biotech policy through a G.O dated April 29, 2015.

Final regulations on clinical trials likely by year-end Business Line April 30, 2015 The final rules and regulations on clinical trials in India are likely to be in place by the year-end, a senior government official said. “The regulatory pathway is in place, a compensation system is in place, and with the call for ‘Make in India’, we should aspire to be a global clinical hub,” said GN Singh, Drug Controller General of India. He was addressing a workshop on clinical trials and issues organised by Fortis Health Care and JK Risk Managers and Insurance Brokers here. AK Pradhan, Deputy Drug Controller General, said the roadmap for conducting clinical trials was approved last month by the Technical Advisory Board and is now under the Health Ministry’s consideration. By mid-June, online processing and monitoring of applications for clinical trials should be operational, he said, adding that the mandatory accreditation process is also due to start in July. As per the draft guidelines, applicants can also pay a fee to the government for pre-submission meetings with the regulator and expert panel members, he said. Pradhan said after obtaining comments from all stakeholders, draft guidelines for audio-visual (AV) recordings of consent from patients who opt for clinical trials are also nearing finalisation after being examined by a committee of stakeholders. “India offers a very lucrative environment for clinical trials. The country also offers a significant cost advantage. 40-60 per cent lower than in developed countries and 10-20 per cent lower than in emerging economies,” said Upendra Kaul, Head, Department of Academics and Research, Fortis Health Care. The draft guidelines put out by the DGCI in March this year make any violation punishable with debarment, putting investigators, ethics committee members and even hospitals on notice.

Academicians welcome new biotech policy for Andhra Pradesh The Hindu May 9, 2015

The proposed five Life Science Knowledge Centres in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode by the government under the just-released Biotechnology Policy - 2015-20 augurs well for advancement of the biotechnology sector in the State, but the institutions have to be adequately funded if they are to serve their purpose. In addition to funds, these universities need advanced infrastructure that helps in their transformation into knowledge centres in the respective areas. The government has drawn a plan to give Rs. 20 lakh per annum for initial operations to the five universities — Andhra University (AU), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Kakinada, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU), Tirupati, Dr. YSR Horticultural University, Tadepalligudem, and NTR University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS), Vijayawada — where the said knowledge centres will come up. Coming to infrastructure, NTRUHS, for instance, which is the apex institution for administration of hundreds of medical and dental colleges across A.P and Telangana, is in an unenviable position, in the sense that it has no ‘university medical college’. AU has campus engineering and medical colleges at Visakhapatnam and SVVU has a veterinary college attached to it at Tirupati. Similar is the case with JNTUK, which has its campus college at Kakinada. But NTRUHS has no campus medical college of its own that would give a fillip to research by directly handling research projects. While welcoming the government’s initiatives, academicians are insisting that existing infrastructure at the respective institutions has to be upgraded as facilities are sub-optimal. “We have no direct research component, a handful of medical colleges in our jurisdiction are doing research with our financial assistance. If we are to become a life science knowledge centre and house an incubation centre, it is imperative that the government should first think of setting a medical college, which will have a full-fledged laboratory on our campus,” an official of NTRUHS said on condition of anonymity. He, however, appreciated the government’s idea of improving the biotechnology industry-academic interface through the proposed

IN THE NEWS

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for medicines and food products manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide, is planning expansion of its India operation. Ronald Piervincenzi, chief executive at USP, told Business Standard during his recent visit that while the Indian unit of the organisation has the second largest laboratory after America, it may soon be the hub for entire Asia. Set up 10 years ago, the Hyderabad facility now has 150 employees, and it is looking to grow 40 to 50 per cent next year in terms of staff strength as the pharma sector is diversifying into dietary supplements and specialised food now. The number has grown from just 15 four years ago. Globally, USP has around 1000 employees with 600 in the US. Other operations of USP are in China, Brazil, Ghana and Ethiopia. USP, whose drug standards are enforceable in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used in more than 140 countries, has collaborations with scientists, practitioners, and regulators of many nations, including India, to develop standards for better public health. USP is planning to ramp up its operations across the globe by investing $200 million in the next five years towards reviving 4000 drug testing monographs with the latest technology, according to Piervincenzi. “While it has spent $20 million during the past four years for improving its infrastructure and capacities, the $200 million would be used to revive at least half of our monographs of drug testing procedures with latest technologies.” A part of this investment will also be spent in India, the company said. There are various activities that USP is looking at increasing in India, including work on medical monograph modernisation, increasing resources and manpower building, expansion of activities and technology.

Government asks Niti Aayog to draft policy on genetically modified crops Hindustan Times June 11, 2015 The prime minister’s office has asked the government’s new eco-nomic think-tank, Niti Aayog, to help draft a policy on genetically modified (GM) crops, a move signalling the Centre’s willingness to settle the polarising issue, a person familiar with the development told HT. Niti Aayog vice chairperson Arvind Panagariya held a round of discussions with GM crop developers, opponents, government scientists and farmers on June 3, against the backdrop of opposition from the RSS and its affiliates who say such technologies could destroy India’s agrarian sector. “We hope a strong administrator like PM Narendra Modi can cut through the haze and take a tough stand. You can either

35 global biotech firms contributed $26.5 bn revenue in 2014

Biospectrum April 9, 2015

The combined total revenues of 35 global mid-cap biotech companies increased from $24.8 billion in 2013 to $26.5 billion in 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.9 percent, according to research and consulting firm, Global Data. According to the analysis, growth was marginally slower than during the previous five years, as total revenues for this peer group expanded at a CAGR of 25.2 percent between 2009 and 2013. Mr Adam Dion, healthcare industry analyst, Global Data said, the rise in biotech peer group total revenue over the past year was driven by Regeneron and Alexion, both of which posted sales of more than $2 billion in 2014. Mr Dion explained, "Regeneron's sales grew by 34 percent in 2014, as the company continued its commercialization of Eylea (afilibercept) to markets outside the US, including for the treatment of macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion in both the EU and Japan. "Alexion saw sales from its orphan drug Soliris (eculizumab) increase from $1.6 billion in 2013 to $2.2 billion in 2014. Alexion reported a higher volume of unit shipments and better-than-expected demand for Soliris across all geographic regions, especially in the EU, thanks to a reimbursement agreement with the French government." The analyst added that Pharmacyclics, which was recently acquired by pharmaceutical giant AbbVie, was the peer group revenue growth leader in 2014. Its sales shot up by 180 percent in 2014 to $729 million, representing an absolute dollar increase of nearly $470 million.

US pharma standards body wants to grow India unit as Asia hub Business Standard June 16, 2015 United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), a scientific non-profit organisation that sets standards

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EU clears 19 genetically modified products

GMA News April 25, 2015

The EU has cleared 19 controversial genetically modified products including human food, animal feed and cut flowers, the European Commission. The New lines are produced by companies including US giants Monsanto and DUPont, and German firms Byer and BASF. All the GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) approved have been proved to be safe before their placing on the EU market, the Commission said in a statement. The ten-year authorizations will be added to the European Union’s existing list of 58 GM food and feed products. The newly authorized foods are varieties of maize, soybean, oilseed rape and cotton. Two types of carnations for use as cut flowers have also been authorized. The EU announced plans to allow its 28 member states to individually decide whether to allow the import of GM food and animal feeds. Greenpeace, the environmental group, said the new authorizations showed the European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker was “moving closer to the US and Monsanto” instead of its citizens. “Earlier this week Junker broke his promise to change rules that force GM crops onto the EU market even if a majority of countries opposes them, “Greenpeace EU food policy director Franziska Achterberg said. “Today he opened the flood gates to a new wave of GM cops only to please US biotech corporations and trade negotiators. This is TTIP in action”. A huge but controversial US-EU trade deal known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is currently under negotiation by both sides.

Scientists to submit GM mustard report to government

Reuters May 19, 2015

Indian scientists have completed final trials of a genetically modi-fied (GM) variety of mustard and will submit a report to the government in a month, hoping to win over stiff opposition to make it the country's first commercial transgenic food crop. A powerful farmers group close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is one of the biggest critics of GM crops and wants the government to stop all field trials saying they "will destroy the entire agrarian economy". Allowing GM crops is critical to Modi's goal of boosting farm productivity in India, where urbanization is devouring arable

take a hard decision or kill something by taking no action,” said Deepak Pental, a Delhi University professor and developer of a high-yielding GM mustard variety, who made a presentation before Panagariya. “DMH-11 GM mustard has high yields. The government has spent Rs 70 crore to develop it. It can be of great benefit to farmers at a time when we import so much of expensive mustard oil.” GM crops are grown from genetically-altered seeds for benefits ranging from resistance to pests, higher yields and even higher nutrients. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month came out in support of such crops, saying they can lead to a second green revolution, while he supported biotech cotton when he was chief minister of Gujarat for over a decade. The Niti Aayog, which replaced the Soviet-influenced planning commission after the NDA government came to power, has a task force on agriculture headed by Panagariya. In her presentation, anti-GM advocate Kavitha Kuruganti of the Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture highlighted findings of numerous panels, including a parliamentary committee, which have opposed GM technologies. “We should not consider it until there is a complete regulatory overhaul. Don’t go for transgenic when alternatives are available. Every impact assessment should include not just bio-safety tests but also need assessment,” she said. Sources said the consultations involved a raft of officials, including the secretaries of the agriculture and biotechnology ministries, the head of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, the chief of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, a representative from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, among others. A senior Niti Aayog source said the discussions were part of the mandate of a task force on agriculture which was examining the options of pushing up farm productivity. The issue of whether to allow more GM crops, especially food varieties, has been a contentious subject. Anti-GM groups have taken the matter to the Supreme Court, while advocates say such technologies hold the key to the transformation of India’s low-productivity agricultural sector.

A prominent activist said the government itself appeared divided. While ministers like agriculture’s Radha Mohan Singh and women and child development’s Maneka Gandhi have articulated their views against such technologies, environment minister Prakash Jadavekar has said he sees no harm in allowing trials of GM crops.

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of cancer biology and nanobiotechnology, the Indian government's premier biotechnology organization has asked for proposals built upon innovative ideas related to translational nano medicine to address various issues in treatment of cancer by undertaking studies in the areas. The proposals in areas such as novel nano formulations of already approved chemodrugs to improve the bioavailability, PK/PD, tumour speci-ficity and reduction of toxicity, nanoscale modifications of clinical chemodrugs leading to significant improvement in the mode of action, PK/PD and toxicity profile; nano engineering for finding new targets for existing chemo drugs; dentifying novel translational biomarker for nano medicine targets; mplantable local drug delivery platforms for anti-cancer drug delivery; endogenous protein / biomineral nanoparticles based drug delivery systems; synergistic anti-cancer activity of nanoparticles in combination with chemodrugs. Research ideas that could be considered are in areas like nanobiotechnology based novel strategies for overcoming in vivo barriers; radio-frequency ablation using nanoparticles; photo-thermal ablation using nanoparticles, nanoparticle assisted magnetic hyperthermia, nano-RNAi system for siRNA and miRNA delivery and nano-gene delivery, anti-cancer nano-peptide therapy, nanoparticles assisted monoclonal therapy, molecularly targeted cancer nanomedicines, nano medicine targeted to drug resistance mechanisms.

land and population growth will mean there are 1.5 billion mouths to feed by 2030 - more even than China. India imports about 60 percent of its edible oil needs at an annual cost of up to $10 billion - its third-biggest import item after crude oil and gold. The new GM mustard offers India a chance to substantially reduce this import bill as it would be the highest-yielding oilseed in India, with yields 26-34 percent higher than the national average, said Delhi University's Deepak Pental, leading the research on the GM mustard. Pental said recently concluded biosafety studies did not show any adverse allergenic, toxic or environmental impact. "Oil and rapeseed meal of transgenic rapeseed have been consumed very extensively from 1996 onwards (outside India)," Pental told Reuters. "If in spite of all this the material (GM mustard) is not released – that means we have fallen prey to whims and fancies of extreme ideologues." Pental was referring to Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), or Indian Farmers' Union, which is affiliated to the ideological parent of BJP and opposes field trials of GM crops. Last month BKS leaders met with some government scientists working on GM and urged them to stop all field trials, BKS national secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra told Reuters. "The field trials will destroy the entire agrarian economy of this country because they have no clue about the long term impact," Mishra said. "They have been blinded by the western corporates and we will not let them commit this blunder." "The scientists may complete field trials and submit reports but this will not translate into GM crops in Indian fields." But in August last year, the Modi government resumed the field trials for selected GM crops with little publicity and in January, Maharashtra state led by the BJP gave the all-clear to trials of rice, chickpeas, corn and aubergine, as well as new varieties of cotton. GM cotton developed by Monsanto Co (MON.N) and launched in India in 2002 helped transform the country from a net importer into the world's top fibre producer.

DBT to fund nanobiotech research for cancer cure Biospectrum June 1, 2015 As per DBT, the nanobiotechnology enabled system may offer revolutionary advantages for the better treatment of complex disease like cancer. There-fore, aiming to promote and provide opportunities to the scientists working at the interface

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recognition. For academic/research partner, public and/or private universities and research institutions having a well established research support system, for basic or applied research will be eligible to participate in this programme.

India, Netherlands sign MOUs on Measles - Rubella vaccine development Biospectrum India June 8, 2015 A Memorandum of Understanding was arrived at between India and Netherlands for the development of vaccines. The MoU signed under the ‘Make in India' initiative of Government of India will enable Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Ltd (BIBCOL), a Central PSU under the Department of Biotechnology, to develop Measles - Rubella vaccine at its plant at Chola, Bulandshahr, UP Translational Vaccinology (INTRAVACC) a government-based institute of the Netherlands will extend technical support for the development of vaccine. The MoU was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister of The Netherlands, Mr Mark Rutte during his visit to New Delhi. Under the MoU cooperation in development of other vaccines and biologicals with DBT Research Institutes shall be explored. INTRAVACC, an institute which is part of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands, is internationally renowned for vaccine development and has a long history in technology transfer. Bharat Immunologicals and Biological Corporation Limited (BIBCOL), Bulandshahar, UP is a Central Public Sector Unit, under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. BIBCOL was established as a PSU in 1989, with the aim to achieve self-sufficiency for the nation with respect to production and supply of high quality polio vaccine and other biologicals. It has supplied billions of doses of oral polio vaccine to India's immunisation programme and has played a major role in making India ‘polio free'. Under the ‘Make in India' initiative of the Government, BIBCOL has embarked on journey to acquire technology and production capabilities for production of Measles-Rubella vaccine with the support of Department of Biotechnology. Dr Harshvardhan, Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences explained that the cooperation will result in large scale production Measles-Rubella and other needed vaccine of high quality in Bulandshahr, U.P. and save hundreds of thousands of children from the dreaded disease in the country. In the post polio eradication era, the focus shall be on elimination / control of other vaccine preventable diseases such as

India and Spain to launch joint venture projects in field of biotechnology soon Pharmabiz.com June 1, 2015 Aiming to promote and fund market-driven research and technology development as well as to encourage partnerships and business-led R&D&I collaborative projects in the field of biotechnology, India and Spain will soon begin joint programme in the field of biotechnology. The joint progamme aims to launch ambitious joint projects of a high international standard between Indian and Spanish organizations. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Government of Spain, are the nodal implementing agencies from the Indian and Spanish side respectively. Potential projects will be funded by DBT in India and CDTI in Spain. Both the DBT and the CDTI have invited joint proposals from eligible parties under the Indo-Spanish programme for technological co-operation in the field of biotechnology. This call for proposals is a generic call open to collaborative R&D projects in all areas of biotech-nology e.g. health biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, nano-biotechnology, agro-biotechnology, including biofuels and bioenergy, bioinformatics and biomedical engineering. Industry-driven and market-oriented R&D projects, joint technological co-operation projects between researchers and/or companies in India and companies in Spain consisting in the development or substantial improvement of new products, processes or services will be considered for this programme. There should be at least one qualified partner from India and one qualified partner from Spain (1 company from Spain +1 entity from India) to make them eligible for this programme. The Indian side of the consortium can either be led by a company or a research institution. For company, it should be an Indian company registered under the Companies Act 2013 and in which 51 per cent (or more) of the ownership is held by Indian citizens. Company should have in-house R&D unit recognized by DSIR or should have applied for the same. First release will be made after obtaining DSIR

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in ways that will strengthen the capacity for translational and applied research in both India and the UK," he added. The new programme includes support for research and innovation projects in collaboration with Indian partner institutions. One of the main objectives is to establish a five-year fellowship for early-career researchers from the University of Cambridge.

Academics participating in the scheme will be jointly appointed by the DBT and Cambridge. They will be expected to spend two years in Cambridge and three years at a partner institution in India carrying out translational research, with a focus on commercialisation and entrepreneurship, the university said in a release. The agreement also includes collaboration in the establishment of a centre for crop sciences and a wholly-owned not-for-profit subsidiary in India by Cambridge to support wider collaborative research between the varsity and Indian Institutions.

Bio-compatible jabs to help deliver drugs The Times of India May 5, 2015 Harvard researchers, including those of Indian-origin, have developed a new biocompatible hydrogel that can be filled with cells or molecules and injected in the body to deliver drugs or stimulate tissue regeneration. By tuning their shape, physical properties and chemical composition and infusing them with cells, biomedical engineers have successfully used hydrogels as three-dimensional molecular scaffolds. Alginate hydrogels - made up of the polysaccharide naturally occurring in brown seaweed - are just such materials. The rate at which the three-dimensional, internal molecular structure of alginates will degrade over time can be precisely tuned, which enables engineers to rationally design and control the release of drug molecules encapsulated in the gel. Neel Joshi, from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, has developed the biocompatible alginate hydrogel that can be synthesized using "click chemistry", which is a methodology for the quick and practi-cal synthesis of substances using just a few reliable, chemoselective reagents. The biocompatible click alginate gels are formed using chemical crosslinking strategies that allow engineers to entrap cells or molecules inside the gel without damaging them or rendering them inactive. It presents a practical platform for long-term, stable encapsulation of bioactive materials. And, it is robust enough to be used in a variety of ways, which is exciting due to the variety of therapeutic drugs that are made from chemical and protein molecules,

measles and rubella, he added. Mr Y S Chowdhary, Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences lauded this as an example of how international collaboration and quality science can lead to entrepreneurship for public good. Prof K VijayRaghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology said that getting science and entrepreneurship to bear on the speediest production and deployment of vaccines is an important agenda of the Department. Mr Oudendijk, Director General of INTRAVACC, welcomed the broader collaboration as agreed upon in the MoU, since it is expected to provide innovative vaccine technology for the benefit of the people of India. Dr M K Bhan, Chairman, BIBCOL commented that this important collaboration between BIBCOL and INTRAVACC will pave the way for manufacture of high quality affordable vaccines, beginning with Measles and Rubella vaccine, and then take on the production of the other needed vaccines for the Immunization Programmes of India and other developing countries in the world. The ‘Make in India' is a critical initiative for promoting access to health technology beyond the borders of India.

India signs biotech pact with Cambridge University The Economic Times June 3, 2015 India has signed a pact with the UK's prestigious Cambridge University to create a new programme of early-career fellowships in the field of biotechnology. The fellowships, jointly funded by the Indian government's Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the university, were announced during a recent visit to the varsity by minister of state for science & Technology YS Chowdary. "Around 40 per cent of Indian researchers are working overseas," Chowdary told a university gathering while highlighting India's talent pool. The minister, who led a delegation of eminent scientists from India to attend bilateral meetings and a worldwide conference on metallurgy last week, signed the letter of intent with the university vice-chancellor Leszek Borysiewicz. "We are very eager to support the DBT's plans for the development of India's research ecosystems through closer links between universities and industry, Borysiewicz said. "This is another great example of Cambridge's commitment to enhancing its engagement with India

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facing today. The result of this research may benefit both Russians and Indians by identifying potential linkages between genetics and heart disease." "Under this partnership, Frontier Lifeline Hospital and The Institute of Atherosclerosis Research will jointly develop research projects, clinical studies, and strategies in the area of genetic similarities, collectively aimed at improving the quality of health and also to speed up the development of potential new therapies for patients with heart diseases," added Prof. Alexander Orekhov, Director, Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Moscow. "Approximately 10% of heart diseases are due to genetic abnormalities. The present research is aimed at analyzing any genetic abnormality that may predispose to developing heart attacks by studying gene mutations in atherosclerosis. India and Russia have had several path-breaking collaborations in the past in the field of space and military technology. This formal MoU between India and Russia will be a grand step forward in the field of medical science and technology, since it will help us understand the genetic aspects of this complex disease and develop new treatment modalities to prevent heart attacks," expressed Dr Sanjay Cherian, Vice President of Frontier Lifeline Hospital.

IIM-A incubation cell invests Rs. 3.5 cr in Chennai probiotic firm Business Line June 1, 2015 The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad’s Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) on Monday announced that its sustainability and clean technology fund Infuse Ventures will invest Rs. 3.5 crore for an undisclosed stake in a Chennai-based probiotic chemicals company Proklean Technologies Pvt Ltd. Infuse Ventures is backed by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Technology Development Board, IFC, BP, SIDBI, Godrej Industries, ICICI Bank, Bank of India and Union Bank. Proklean Technologies manufactures completely natural products of probiotic origin, which can replace or reduce the use of current-ly used chemicals in various industrial and commercial applications like leather and textile processing, hospi-tality and household cleaning. All products are sold under the brand name ‘Proviera’, a CIIE spokesperson said here. Proklean uses a probiotic technology which makes the products 100% bio-degradable, natural and non-toxic. Founded by Dr. Sivaram Pillai, and two IIM-A alumni B. Chandrasekhar and Vishwadeep Kuila, the company has already developed a suite of products for customers in the

researchers said. The click alginate hydrogel is robust and resists premature degradation and invasion by surrounding tissues. "It's injectable, so it can be used to deliver cells or drugs to specific places in the body such as a location that has suffered a wound or has been invaded by a tumour," said Joshi. Other types of hydrogels are much more cumbersome to synthesise, according to the study's first author, Rajiv Desai. In contrast, the click alginate hydrogel can be created by a simple and fast combination of two simple solutions - similar to an epoxy. And once the gel is formed, the click chemistry reactions are irreversible, resulting in a chemoselective hydrogel primed for use as a therapeutic scaffold. The click alginate hydrogel is easily customised and modified, researchers said.

Frontier Lifeline signs MoU with Russia to co-study genetic similarities in heart disease Biospectrumasia April 17, 2015 Dr. K M Cherian's Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai and The Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Moscow, Russia, signed a collaborative research agreement to study the ‘Genetic similarities causing heart diseases in Russians and Indians'. Sergey L Kotov, Consul General of the Russian Federation for South India, Prof Alexander Orekhov, Director, Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Moscow, Dr Sanjay Cherian, Vice President of Frontier Lifeline Hospital, presided the press conference. Heart disease is the most common cause of death across the globe. Recent data shows that there is an increasing incidence of heart attacks both in India and Russia. In order to study the genetic similarities between Indians and Russians, Frontier Lifeline Hospitals and Institute of Atherosclerosis Research have initiated a scientific collaboration. Speaking on the collaboration, Sergey L Kotov, Consul General of the Russian Federation for South India, said, "This collaboration is a momentous occasion whereby two leading institutes from Russia and India are joining hands to study one of the biggest medical problems that both countries are

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vaccines to Europe. Under the terms, Cipla will seek EMA approval for Serum vaccines, and then market the approved ones in Europe. News of early merger talks between Serum and Cipla emerged in February, with Serum Chairman Cyrus Poonawalla saying that the company would "never go up for sale," but could be open to a merger. "We have to see how our initial partnership (in Europe) bears fruit," Poonawalla said at the time. "If it moves (in) the right direction, then maybe we'll take it to the next stage."

India to lead APAC non-vascular stents market by 2021 Biospectrum April 7, 2015 According to a recent study by research and consulting firm Global Data, the APAC non-vascular stents market consisting of urinary tract, pancreatic and biliary, enteral, and airway stents, will expand in value from $148.1 million in 2013 to $223.8 million by 2021, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.3 percent. Global Data elaborated in its report that key APAC countries like India, Japan and China will experience massive growth in this area, with India leading the race. The firm said that the Indian market value for non-vascular stents will increase at a CAGR of 6 percent. Ms Priya Radhakrishnan, Global Data's director for Medical Devices, said in a statement, "India is set to overtake China in becoming the world's most populous country around 2020, leading to a significant patient base and rapidly-expanding medical device market." She added that the flexibility of manufacturers with respect to the use of stents, such as employing a pay-as-you-go model, will be hugely important in driving India's non-vascular stent market in the future. The director also said that few factors such as minimal penetration of these technologies in rural areas and low awareness among public may hamper this growth. Ms Radhakrishnan further explained, "Rural areas and smaller cities are still underserved with respect to stenting procedures, and are awaiting the most current technologies' arrival. India's market remains challenging for multinational corporations to penetrate, with unstable distribution networks and the prominence of low-cost manufacturers. In a country with high procedure volumes, local manufacturers can produce products at a third of multinationals' costs, allowing them to compete directly with foreign companies."

textile and leather processing industries with marquee names in India including Vardhaman Group, Raymond, Mafatlal, Welspun, JK Mills, among others. Proklean also has customers in the USA, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Turkey, Thailand, China, Philippines, Australia and Bangladesh. Dr Pillai, former CEO of SCD Probiotics, USA, and ex-head of the bio-products business at Murugappa Group prior to founding Proklean in 2009, said his company’s technology differed from most green technologies in that his firm did not require any subsidy, either from the government or the customer. “In fact, our products are cost and performance competitive compared to traditional chemical products in every application that we serve. Our products, besides being biodegradable, save water, processing time and in some cases even energy.” Proklean had earlier raised an angel round from Chennai Angels, a few of their IIM-A batchmates and SCD Probiotics, USA. The IIMA-CIIE’s fund Infuse has been investing in the clean-tech sector, including energy-management startup Ecolibrium Energy, thermal-energy storage startup Tessol, renewable energy services startup REConnect, solar-pumping startup Surya Power Magic and geothermal HVAC provider GIBSS, among others.

Serum Institute, Cipla partner to market flu vaccine in India Fiercevaccines May 28, 2015 Serum Institute of India and compatriot Cipla have inked a pact to market a flu vaccine. Serum will develop and manufacture Nasovac-S, while Cipla will market it in India. "This partnership is a significant step towards making preventive healthcare accessible to a large number of Indians through Cipla's strong countrywide sales force," said Subhanu Saxena, Cipla's managing director and global CEO, told the news outlet. Serum, one of the largest vaccinemakers worldwide, is known for its efforts to undercut Big Pharma competition. It is developing an affordable HPV vaccine to compete with Merck's ($MRK) Gardasil, as well as low-cost vaccines for measles and pertussis. This isn't the first time that Serum and Cipla are teaming up. The two signed an agreement in November 2014 to bring low-cost

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conventional lasers because they are made from metals, they said. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communi-cations.

New device separates cancer cells from blood The Economic Times April 7, 2015 Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have developed a low-cost device that uses sound to separate circulating cancer cells from blood samples for diagnostic, prognostic and treatment purposes. "Typically, the circulating tumour cells (CTCs) are about one in every one billion blood cells in the sample," said Tony Jun Huang, professor of engineering science and mechanics at Penn State University. Unlike conventional separation methods that centrifuge for 10 minutes at 3000 revolutions per minute, surface acoustic waves can separate cells in a much gentler way with a simple, low-cost device. Acoustic-based separations are potentially important because they are non-invasive and do not alter or damage cells. However, in order to be effective for clinical use, they also need to be rapidly and easily applicable. "With an integrated experimental/modelling approach, the new generation of the device has improved cell sorting throughput more than 20 times higher than previously achieved and made it possible for us to work with patient samples," said Ming Dao, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Researchers, including Subra Suresh, president, Carnegie Mellon University, worked both experimentally and with models to optimise the separation of CTCs from blood. They used an acoustic-based microfluidic device so that the stream of blood could continuously pass through the device for separation. Using the differential size and weight of the different cells they chose appropriate acoustic pressures that would push the CTCs out of the fluid stream and into a separate channel for collection. Tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves can separate cells using very small amounts of energy. All these features make the acoustic separation method, termed acoustic tweezers, extremely biocompatible and maximise the potential of CTCs to maintain their functions and native states. If two sound sources are placed opposite each other and each emits the same wavelength of sound, there will be a location where the opposing sounds cancel each other. Because sound waves have pressure, they can push very small objects, so a cell or nanoparticle will move with the sound wave until it reaches the location where there is no longer lateral movement, in this case, into the fluid stream that moves the separated

First liquid diagnostic laser tool developed Business Standard April 26, 2015 Scientists have developed the first liquid nanoscale laser technology that could lead to a new way of doing 'lab on a chip' medical diagnostics. The laser is tunable in real time, meaning you can quickly and simply produce different colours, a unique and useful feature, researchers said. The laser technology could lead to practical applications, such as a new form of a "lab on a chip" for medical diagnostics, they said. To understand the concept, imagine a laser pointer whose colour can be changed simply by changing the liquid inside it, instead of needing a different laser pointer for every desired colour. In addition to changing colour in real time, the liquid nanolaser has additional advantages over other nanolasers: it is simple to make, inexpensive to produce and operates at room temperature. Nanoscopic lasers - first demonstrated in 2009 - are only found in research labs today. They are, however, of great interest for advances in technology and for military applications. "Our study allows us to think about new laser designs and what could be possible if they could actually be made," said Teri WOdom, from the Northwestern University, who led the research. "We believe this work represents a conceptual and practical engineering advance for on-demand, reversible control of light from nanoscopic sources," said Odom. The liquid nanolaser in this study is not a laser pointer but a laser device on a chip, Odom explained. The laser's colour can be changed in real time when the liquid dye in the microfluidic channel above the laser's cavity is changed. The laser's cavity is made up of an array of reflective gold nanoparticles, where the light is concentrated around each nanoparticle and then amplified. In contrast to conventional laser cavities, no mirrors are required for the light to bounce back and forth. Notably, as the laser colour is tuned, the nanoparticle cavity stays fixed and does not change; only the liquid gain around the nanoparticles changes. The small lasers can be used as on-chip light sources for optoelectronic integrated circuits; they can be used in optical data sto age and lithography, researchers said. They can operate reliably at one wavelength and should be able to operate much faster than

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cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) has been on the market for years. But new research shows that a newer version, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2014, can prevent more than 80 percent of cervical cancers. The new 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine, which guards against seven cancer-causing HPV types, also has the potential to protect against other cancers including anal, oral, and penile cancers. All of the HPV vaccines available defend against HPV types 16 and 18, which are known to cause about two-thirds of cervical cancers in the United States. The 9-valent vaccine also guards against five additional types of HPV, which combined cause about 15 percent of cervical cancer cases. According to the National Cancer Institute, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. The virus causes nearly all forms of cervical cancer and five percent of all cancers. The vaccine’s benefits were analyzed in a joint study initiated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Cervical cancer affects more than 12,000 women in the U.S. each year and kills more than 4,000 annually, according to the CDC. That number has declined significantly over the past 40 years due to more women getting regular pap tests, which can detect precancerous growths that may lead to cervical cancer.

First viable malaria vaccine may prevent million cases The Times of India April 27, 2015 The world's first viable malaria vaccine may soon be able to help fight the disease, after final trial results confirmed its potential to prevent millions of cases of the deadly disease every year. The first malaria vaccine candidate (RTS,S/AS01) to reach phase 3 clinical testing is partially effective against clinical disease in young African children up to 4 years after vaccination, according to final trial data. The results suggested that the vaccine could prevent a substantial number of cases of clinical malaria, especially in areas of high transmission. he findings reveal that vaccine efficacy against clinical and severe malaria was better in children than in young infants, but waned over time in both groups. However, protection was prolonged by a booster dose, increasing the average number of cases prevented in both children and young infants. The RTS,S/AS01 vaccine was developed for use

cells along. The researchers used two types of human cancer cells to optimise the acoustic separation - HELA cells and MCF7 cells. These cells are similar in size. They then ran an experiment separating these cells and had a separation rate of more than 83 per cent. They then did the separation on other cancer cells, ones for which the device had not been optimised, and again had a separation rate of more than 83 per cent.

Finally, drug for Ebola in sight The Times of India May 22, 2015 Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have found new potential drug candidates for Ebola that successfully treated up to 90% of mice exposed to the deadly virus. Since December 2013, Ebola has infected more than 25,000 people and taken the lives of more than 10,000, researchers said. However, the US Food and Drug Administration is yet to approve any therapeutic drugs or %vaccines against the virus, they said. While some researchers are developing vaccines to prevent Ebola infections, others are focusing on treatments for the disease. They are investigating a number of compou8nds, including existing malaria and flu drugs. Rekha G Panchal from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and colleagues have been looking into possible treatments by studying a class of small molecules called diazachrysenes. These molecules have been found in la8boratory tests to be non-toxic and effective against the most potent bacterial toxin, bo8tulinum neurotoxin. They wanted to screen this family of compounds for possible anti-Ebola drug candidates. The researchers narrowed down their search to a handful of diazachrysenes. In their study, 70%-90% of the mice that received one of three of the experimental compounds survived infection and did not show any obvious side effects. The finding was published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases.

New HPV vaccine can prevent 80% of cervical cancers May 12, 2015 Yahoo News A vaccine to help protect against some forms of

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to host cells, 3BNC117 shows activity against 195 out of 237 HIV strains. Broadly neutralizing antibodies are produced naturally in some 10 to 30 % of people with HIV, but only after several years of infection. By that time the virus in their bodies has typically evolved to escape even these powerful antibodies. However, by isolating and then cloning these antibodies, researchers are able to harness them as therapeutic agents against HIV infections that have had less time to prepare. Earlier work in the Nussenzweig lab had demonstrated that these potent antibodies could prevent or suppress infection in mouse and non-human primate models of HIV. But these animal models are very rough approximations of human infections, explains Caskey. The mice must be genetically engineered to be susceptible to HIV and therefore lack an intact immune system, and the primates used in HIV studies can only be infected with a simian version of the virus. The proof of principle awaited human trials. In the new study, uninfected and HIV-infected individuals were intravenously given a single dose of the antibody and monitored for 56 days. At the highest dosage level tested in the study, 30 milligrams per kilogram of weight, all eight infected individuals treated showed up to 300-fold decreases in the amount of virus measured in their blood, with most reaching their lowest viral load one week after treatment. The drop in viral load depended on the individual’s starting viral load and also the sensitivity of their particular strains of HIV to the antibody. This is the first time that the new generation of HIV antibodies has been tested in humans. Not only was a single dose of 3BN117 well tolerated and effective in temporarily reducing viral loads, in some individuals it remained active in the body for a long time. In half of the individuals receiving the highest dose, viral loads remained below starting levels even at the end of the 8-week study period and resistance to 3BNC117 did not occur. Researchers also believe that antibodies may be able to enhance the patient’s immune responses against HIV, which can in turn lead to better control of the infection. In addition, antibodies like 3BNC117 may be able to kill viruses hidden in infected cells, which serve as viral reservoirs inaccessible to current antiretroviral drugs. Most likely, 3BNC117, like other anti-retrovirals, will need to be used in combination with other antibodies or antiretroviral drugs to keep infections under control. “One antibody alone, like one drug alone, will not be sufficient to suppress viral load for a long time because resistance will arise,” says Caskey. One important benefit is the dosing schedule: an antibody therapy for HIV might require treatment just once every few months, compared to daily regimens of antiretroviral drugs that are now the front-line treatment for HIV. Besides the possibility of treatment the study also

In sub-Saharan Africa where malaria still kills around 1300 children every day. There is currently no licensed vaccine against malaria anywhere in the world. According to Professor Brian Greenwood, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) would assess the quality, safety, and efficacy of the vaccine based on these final data and if the EMA gives a favorable opinion, WHO could recom-mend the use of RTS,S/AS01 as early as October 2015.

First human study to show new antibody therapy for suppressing HIV infection Biotechin Asia April 13, 2015 HIV is a highly dreaded virus that affects millions of peo-ple throughout the world. Numerous researchers are working on methods to treat and eliminate the virus. In the first results to emerge from HIV patient trials of a new generation of so-called broadly neutralizing antibodies, Rockefeller University researchers have found the experimental therapy can dramatically reduce the amount of virus present in a patient’s blood. The work, reported in Nature, brings fresh optimism to the field of HIV immunotherapy and suggests new strategies for fighting or even preventing HIV infection. In a person infected with HIV, there is an ongoing arms race between the virus and the body’s immune system. Even as the body produces new antibodies that target the virus, the virus is constantly mutating to escape, managing to stay just a few steps ahead. The new study, conducted in Michel Nussenzweig’s Laboratory of Molec-ular Immunology, finds that administration of a potent antibody, called 3BNC117, can catch HIV off guard and reduce viral loads. HIV antibodies previously tested in humans had shown disappointing results. 3BNC117 belongs to a new generation of broadly neutralizing antibodies that potently fight a wide range of HIV strains. “What’s special about these antibodies is that they have activity against over 80 percent of HIV strains and they are extremely potent,” says Marina Caskey, assistant professor of clinical investigation in the Nussenzweig lab and co-first author of the study. 3BN117, which was originally isolated by Johannes Scheid in the Nussenzweig laboratory, targets the CD4 binding site of the HIV envelope, and the CD4 receptor is the primary site of attachment of HIV

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offers a more specific approach in treating hypertension, because you are directly targeting the underlying biochemical defect in obesity," Durante said.

Repurposed antibiotic shows promise The Hindu May 20, 2015 By tweaking the antibiotic spectinomycin, researchers have successfully boosted its effectiveness against six drug-resistant bacteria that cause common respiratory and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The antibiotic spectinomycin was originally developed to treat gonorrhoea. The tweaked drug, tested in vivo and on mice, produced excellent results. Once clinical testing is completed, the repurposed antibiotic can prove to be a boon to public health. The results are published today (May 21) in the journal Science Translational Medicine. In its old form, the antibiotic is very safe for use but it lacks the necessary antibacterial activity against many bacterial pathogens. As a result, in the U.S., spectinomycin has not been used to treat gonorrhoea since 2005. While more and more pathogens are showing greater resistance against drugs, the pipelines for new drugs are far from keeping up with them. Repurposing old drugs against these pathogens is therefore very encouraging. The lead author David F. Bruhn from the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Tennessee and others modelled the spectinomycin’s binding site in the bacterial ribosome and later tweaked the drug’s structure so it could bind to the ribosomes of a variety of bacteria. By substituting a benzyl molecule, they created six compounds that form a new class of antibiotics that they called aminomethyl spectinomycins. These were found to be effective against common respiratory tract pathogens — Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila, and Moraxella catarrhalis — as well as the sexually transmitted bacteria — Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. The work “moved the antibacterial activity of the series into a therapeutic range for these agents while also improving pharmacokinetic properties,” they write. The repurposed antibiotic proved more effective as a result of greater accumulation of the active compound within the bacteria. This was achieved by successfully blocking the efflux pump that removes the active compound from a cell. In addition to better activity, the repurposed antibiotic had increased chemical stability and pharmacokinetics and had increased half-life. As a request, a lower dose of the tweaked antibiotic was found to be effective in clearing gonorrhoea.

raises hopes for an HIV vaccine. If researchers can induce an uninfected person’s immune system to generate po-tent antibodies such as 3BNC117, it might be enough to block the HIV infection before it can be established.

Enzyme behind obesity-related high BP identified IANS Live May 6, 2015 Researchers have identified the enzyme responsible for obesity-related hypertension that can lead to severe health issues such as heart attacks, kidney failure, organ damage, and weakened or ruptured blood vessels. Obese individuals have an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and the findings show promise of new treatment options. "By comparing genetically obese rats to lean rats, we discovered that obese animals were deficient in the amino acid arginine due to elevated activity of the en-zyme arginase, which breaks down this molecule," said lead study author William Durante, professor at University of Missouri School of Medicine. Although arginase is present throughout the body, it is primarily found in the liver. Its role is to assist in the breakdown of ammonia, which is eventually flushed out during urination. However, Durante's team found significantly increased arginase activity within blood vessels and in the blood of obese rats compared to lean animals. "The problem with this development is that arginase depletes arteries and blood of arginine, which is needed to generate nitric oxide," Durante said. "Nitric oxide is a gas formed from arginine that relaxes blood vessels and lowers arterial blood pressure. The destruction of arginine by arginase reduces nitric oxide levels, leading to the constriction of blood vessels and high blood pressure," he pointed out. Using two methods to correct the arginine deficiency, Durante's team first supplemented the diet of obese animals with the amino acid L-arginine which is commonly found in red meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. The second method involved using drugs that block the activity of arginase. Although both approaches restored nitric oxide production and reversed hypertension in obese rats, the use of arginase-inhibiting drugs may be a better solution. "Blocking arginase activity

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Biotechnology: Technologies, Markets and Companies.” Local researchers are involved in the emerging field, including scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Systems Biology department. Agriculture biotech scientist/principal investigator Ying Ge held a talk on “proteonomics challenges and opportunities” in March at the Discovery Center in Madison. Xenotransplantation: Transplants of animal cells into humans About 120 companies, nationally, in agricultural biotechnology were identified and profiled in the report. “Transgenic technologies are used for improving milk production and the meat in farm animals as well as for creating models of human diseases” the report states. “Transgenic animals are used for the production of proteins for human medical use. Biotechnology is applied to facilitate xenotransplantation from animals to humans. Genetic engineering is done in farm animals; nuclear transfer technology has become an important and preferred method for cloning animals.” These reports are seen as helpful for others in the agriculture in-dustry, and will be helpful with setting strategic and development plans. “It is exciting to see the growing interest in the Ag Tech space,” said Nic Stover, CEO of CalCom Solar based in Visa-lia, California. “Agriculture is often a neglected segment of the business market, due in a large part to the inability to gather and interpret data.”

PAU to debut reusable Bt cotton seeds The Financial Express April 28, 2015 Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University may become the first in India to develop genetically-modified open pollinating varieties of cotton whose seeds farmers can reuse, saving them a recurring cost and addressing a major criticism of Bt technology. Bt cotton is the only GM crop technology approved in India but only hybrids are available. These are under price control and the most used version cannot sell for more than R930 and R1,000 a packet of 450 gram in south and north India, respectively. Private firms say they have to recoup investments, but Baldev Singh Dhillon, vice-chancellor of PAU, insists the seeds “are very, very costly”. Deepak Pental, geneticist and former vice-chancellor of Delhi University , is scheduled to transfer the gene cassette to PAU

Biotech market: $46.8 billion by 2019 Agri View April 23, 2015 The worldwide market for agricultural biotechnology is expected to grow to $46.8 billion by 2019, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 11 percent, according to Wellesley-based BCC Research. Growth is expected to come in a number of biotechnology niches in agriculture, including the development of micro arrays, DNA s equencing, bio-engineered chips and transgenic plant seeds, according to the market analysts reported in a new study, “Agricultural Biotechnology: Emerging Technolo-gies and Global Markets.” The global market for agricultural biotechnology climbed to $26.4 billion in 2013 and $27.8 billion last year, BCC said. DNA sequencing, genome editing: “Rapid changes in highly technical fields such as DNA sequencing, genome editing and synthetic biology are driving new products and applications in agriculture,” said a preview copy of the report, provided to Ag-Review. “These developments create unique market opportunities. This report analyzes these trends and their impact on future markets for agricultural products, based on these markets and tech-nology dynamics.” BCC Research examined trends at agricultural-seed companies, biotechnology firms, and developments in synthetic biology to obtain primary data for this study, according to analyst John Bergin, author of the report. Secondary data came from government sources and agricultural trade associations. The report indicates strategic alliances will become more important in the coming years for agricultural biotech companies than they have been to date, especially for developers and producers of transgenic seed products. A separate report by another research firm also projects significant growth for the agricultural biotechnology industry in the coming years, particularly in the field of animal science. Sophisticated knowledge of animal genetics is central to the application of biotechnology to manage, for example, genetic disorders and bolster animal breeding. The fields of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics are also being applied to animal biotechnology, analysts at Research and Markets/ Jain Pharma Biotech said in their new report, “Animal

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increase in cotton productivity because crop is not lost to pest damage, which explains why farmers are drawing to Bt cotton and do not mind paying for the seed. Currently India’s cotton area is 93% Bt. India has become the second largest exporter from being a net importer. Kranthi, attributes the menace of sucking pests to (a) approval of a large number of Bt hybrids — 1,128 by 2012 — most of which are susceptible; (b) increase in area under sucking pest-susceptible hybrids; and (c) development of resistance to recommended sprays. The amount spent on cotton pesticides according to Kranthi was Rs 6,863 crore in 2002 and Rs 6,828 crore in 2011, with spikes in between. Seeds from any hybrid, whether GM or otherwise, cannot be re-used without loss of vigour. In advanced countries open pollinating varieties of Bt cotton, whose seeds can be resown, are used, an executive with a seed company said. Seed companies there are assured of royalties because of strong protection of intellectual property rights, unlike in India. Hybrids seeds are more productive than open pollinating varieties but yield is also a function of good agronomic practices. Dhillon said PAU is following a two-pronged approach. It is also developing a Bt version of its cotton hybrid LHH 144. Two years ago it signed a deal with Gujarat State Seed Corporation, which in turn has an understanding with Mahyco Monsanto for incorporation of its gene into PAU’s hybrid.

No shortage of Bt cotton seeds: Maharashtra Government The Financial Express May 5, 2015 The Maharashtra government is going all out to ensure that there is no shortage of Bt cotton seeds in the state during the kharif sea-son. Bt cotton is grown over 40 lakh hectares in the state and around 1.60 crore packets have been estimated by the Agriculture Department as the requirement for the coming season, top offi-cials said. According to Jayant Deshmukh, director, Quality Control & Plan-ning, Agriculture Department, the state is the biggest seller of cotton seed in the country and measures taken by the government has ensured some kind of price control. The prices of Bt cotton seeds today have dropped down to R830 per packet. Earlier, they were available at R1,600 per packet. Each packet is around 450 gm each. There should be no shortage of the seed this year because of several measures taken by the government in the past three years, Deshmukh said. The government had banned advance

later this week. He says his cry1Ac gene sequence is faithful to the one published by Western scientists 20 years ago. “It is different from Monsanto’s gene,” he said. India permitted Bt cotton seeds for commercial cultivation in 2002. These were those of Mahyco Monsanto Biotech, a joint venture of the US multinational which developed the technology and Maha-rashtra Hybrid Seed Company, based in Jalna near Aurangabad. So far three Bt genes have been approved: Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab and Cry1C. Currently, these combinations are offered by four companies including Nath Seeds, JK Seeds and Metahelix, of the Tata Group, but the Monsan-to subsidiary has over 90% market share. Pental has developed the gene with public money and is keen that the public benefits from it. PAU will incorporate the gene in varieties suitable for North India. Pental also proposes to give it to the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur for splicing in seeds that can thrive in drought-prone Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra. Dhillon said PAU’s seeds will be cheaper but could not specify by how much as they will be available for sowing in farmers’ fields only after about five years. “We will try to take two-and-a-half or three crops in the beginning during varietal development process in one year, then evaluation has to be done for four years,” Dhillon said. Since the GM variety is different from that of Monsanto’s the Review Committee for Genetic Modification and the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee which are housed in two different ministries may insist on bio-safety trials as well, Pental said. The Bt gene is derived from a soil bacterium and is named after its initials. It is toxic to bollworms which are stealthy and stubborn pests. They used to wreak havoc on cotton crops and drive up the cost of cultivation by requiring as many as 25 sprays before Bt cotton was introduced. The pink and spotted bollworms are hidden feeders, while the American bollworm is partially so. The volume of insecticides used for bollworm control have declined from 4,470 tonnes in 2002 to 222 tonnes in 2011, KR Kranti, director of CICR said in an online publication on Bt cotton. But the amount used for controlling sucking pests has increased from 2,110 tonnes to 6,362 tonnes during this period. (Bt is toxic to bollworms, not to sucking pests.) The saving on bollworm control was more than made up by the increase in costs of controlling sucking pests. But there has been an

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or over 8 per cent - deposited by 24 gene banks are of Indian origin, the ICAR scientists said in their analysis just published in the journal PLOS One. Although India has directly submitted only 25 samples to Svalbard, over 66,000 samples are of Indian origin, having been deposited there by the CG crop research centres or by other national gene banks. The International Rice Research Institute in Manila, Philippines, has deposited its entire rice germplasm collection of 116,600 at Svalbard, among which over 16,220 accessions belonging to 18 species of rice have their origin in India, the ICAR scientists wrote in their report. The ICAR scientists have listed 16 crops, including rice, wheat, maize, chickpea, eggplant, groundnut and pigeon pea, among others, that have been deposited by India into gene repositories across the world. Among over 2,800,000 samples held by 446 organisations worldwide, 106,000 are from India. "India is also a big beneficiary of such germplasm exchange," said Kailash Bansal, head of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, who was not involved in the analysis. "One recent example is kiwifruit - it's import of germplasm that brought ki-wifruit to India," he said. Crop scientists also point out that several varieties of foodcrops, including vegetables, currently cultivated across the country owe their origin to foreign germplasm. The analysis has revealed that the flow of plant germplasm from India has indeed slowed down over the past decade owing to national biodiversity laws that India enacted in 2002. The national biodiversity regulations lay down strict rules on the transfer of plant genetic material from India. From the mid-1970s through the early 1990s, India used to supply more than 4,000 germplasm samples each year. But over the past five years, the number has been less than 1,000 per year. "Over the past dec-ade, the number of requests India has received for germplasm has also declined," Tyagi said.

Maharashtra BT cotton seed companies taken by surprise The Financial Express June 2, 2015 Seed companies in Maharashtra — that were looking forward to a price hike on BT cotton seeds ahead of the coming kharif season — are on the backfoot. State agriculture minister Eknath Khadse has instead directed the companies to reduce seed prices by Rs 100 per packet in view of drought conditions in the state. The state government also intends to con-vert this into a legal decision with provision for

booking of Bt cotton seed since major companies were not supplying the seeds to farmers despite advance bookings. According to Deshmukh, the companies were aggressive and created propaganda resulting in panic among farmers who ended up paying higher prices for the seed. Now, the distribution control rests with the department, he said.

Scientists prove a plant point The Telegraph May 20, 2015 Government scientists have asserted that India has provided tens of thousands of samples of key food crops to global gene repositories, refuting allegations by sections of foreign researchers that India has been reluctant to share its plant resources. The scientists with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have said India ranks first in the list of contributors of plant germplasm in 11 gene banks maintained by the Consultative Group (CG) of International Agricultural Centres held "in-trust" for the global community. India has over the past three decades submitted over 66,800 plant germplasm varieties - or 9.2 percent to more than 720,600 accessions maintained by the network of CG repositories, emerging at the top of its list of contributors, the ICAR scientists said in a report that analysed the flow of plant varieties from India. Crop scientists view such transfer of key plant material as critical for crop breeding and improvement programmes aimed at food security. "This analysis should dispel notions that India hasn't been sharing its plant resources," said Rishi Kumar Tyagi, a principal scientist at the ICAR's National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, who led the study of plant germ flow from India over the past four decades. Plant gene repositories in the US, Russia, Taiwan, Germany and the UK also have several thousands of accessions of Indian origin. At a gene bank maintained by the US department of agriculture, over 22,000 among its total of more than 625,000 accessions are of Indian origin. Crop researchers based in Europe had two years ago raised concerns that access to Indian plant germplasm was limited. Scientists from Norway had pointed out that the world's largest global seed vault maintained by Norway in Svalbard had very few samples from India. Tyagi and his colleagues have challenged that claim. The Svalbard gene vault has over 824,000 germplasm accessions from over 60 gene banks, among which over 66,000 accessions-

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transferred to rice varieties. Unless field testing is permitted, we will not be able to assess the benefits and risks in a reliable manner”, he said. “Field testing of GMO should not be prevented. As far as commercial release is concerned, this will have to be done after the necessary bio-safety clearances are given”, Dr Swaminathan said and called for setting up the National Bio-safety Authority without any further delay. This is essential for implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of harnessing the benefits of molecular biology and genetic engineering for agricultural progress, he added. Dr Ajay Parida, Executive Director of MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) said that the foundation has transferred a gene from a mangrove species to a rice variety to develop salt resistant crop. “Trials on this variety were conducted prior to 2007 in Kalpakkam. Now we are conducting it in our labs in MSSRF”, Parida said adding that while several researches are currently undertaken on transgenic crops, the development of salt-resistant paddy variety using a mangrove gene was the first of its kind. “Usually paddy crop can’t withstand saline water having toxicity of 50 ppm. But this variety can withstand salinity up to 300 ppm”, Parida claimed. A normal paddy crop growing in water below 50 ppm of salinity gives 25 to 30 per cent reduced yield when compared with the crop sown in normal conditions. But the new variety will ideally give the same yield as a normal crop would, Parida said. “With development at an advanced stage, we will be going in for field trials once the regulatory clearances are in place”, he explained. But there is need for bio-safety regulations before field trials are conducted, said Dr Swaminathan.

FuturaGene’s eucalyptus is approved for commercial use in Brazil Futuragene April 9, 2015 The Brazilian National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio) today approved the commercial use of the yield enhanced eucalyp-tus developed by Futura Gene, a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Pulp and Paper. Field experiments conducted since 2006 at various locations in Brazil have demonstrated an approximate 20% increase in yield compared to its equivalent conventional variety. This is the first genetically modified (GM) eucalyptus event to be approved worldwide and represents the most significant productivity milestone for the renewable plantation forest industry since the adoption of clonal technology in the early

punishment in case of violation. At the review meeting on the kharif season, the government issued a stern warning that sale of seeds will not be allowed unless the companies comply with the order. The seed companies are not happy with the decision and want the government to at least maintain prices at Rs 930 per packet of 450 gm, citing increase in production costs. A delegation led by National Seed Association of India (NSAI) recently met the minister with the intention of seeking a price hike, but met with a negative response after the government sought a report from the state agri-culture department and found that seed prices in the state were already high. Maharashtra is the biggest seller of BT cotton seeds in the country. Seed companies in the state do a business of 1.5 crore BT cotton seeds annually with turnover touching around Rs 7,000 crore. “The prices of almost every commodity have risen in the last four years, except for BT cotton. Since the cost of production has gone up, it will be difficult for companies to reduce prices or they will go into loss. As a result, no new research will take place on new seed varieties, which may lead to shortage of BT cotton seeds in the future,” MG Shembekar, vice-president, NSAI, said. According to him, the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have fixed seed prices at Rs 930 per packet under the Cotton Act, and in the north (Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan) prices are at Rs 1,000 per packet. Therefore, prices in Maharashtra should be maintained at Rs 930 per packet. The association is yet to take a formal decision on this issue.

Trial of saline-resistant GM paddy crops likely Indian Express June 2, 2015 The field trials for growing saline-resistant paddy crop is likely to be conducted in the coastal region of Tamil Nadu once the Union government gives its nod for field testing of the transgenic crop. Noted agricultural scientist Dr M S Swaminathan has said that unless the Centre permits field testing of the crop it would be difficult to assess the benefits and risks. “MSSRF genes for salt tolerance from the mangrove species Avicennia marina and from Prosopis juliflora for drought tolerance have been

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Suzano Pulp and Paper (Bovespa: SUZB5; OTC: SUZBY and Latibex), a subsidiary of Suzano Holding and part of the Suzano Group, is one of the largest vertically integrated eucalyptus forestry, pulp and paper producers in Latin America. It has invested in the pulp and paper industry for over 90 years and its global operations span approximately 60 countries. The compa-ny operates six industrial units: Suzano, Rio Verde, Limeira and Embu in the state of São Paulo, Mucuri in the state of Bahia, and Imperatriz in the state of Maranhão. Suzano Pulp and Paper has an annual pulp and paper production capacity of 4.7 million tons.

CNRI bats for GM crops to combat climate change Business Standard June 4, 2015 Pitching for GM crops for combating challenges of climate change, Confederation of NGOs of Rural India (CNRI) today demanded that the government act fast on allowing genetically engineering (GE) technology in crops other than cotton. It urged the states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Rajasthan to permit field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops to generate relevant scientific data. CNRI also said that organisations like Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Swadeshi Jagaran Manch should create a consensus among stakeholders on the issue of allowing genetic engineering technology in the agriculture sector. "Accelerate GE technology for farmers and agriculture and make it a priority focus area to help combat disease, pests and climate change challenges in India," Confederation of NGOs of Rural India (CNRI) urged the government on eve of the World Environment Day. Highlighting the findings of a survey conducted in 10 states, CNRI National President Raghupati Singh said that in addition to poor irrigation and limited access to bank credit, the biggest concern expressed by farmers was lack of quality seeds including genetically modified ones. Asserting that farmers need technological help to combat the ill-effects of climate change, Singh said in a statement that farmers want "the success of Bt cotton replicated with other crops and have them genetically modified (GM) to combat the challenges of climate change." "The application of genetic engineering in agriculture will lead to higher yields and assured supply and result in consumers benefitting through reduced or stable prices for agricultural products," he said, adding that the government should enhance the agri-economy by giving farmers access to new genetically engineered seeds. desh and Karnataka. The government has so far

1990’s. This approval also represents the beginning of a new era for sustainable forest management by enabling the production of more fiber, using less resources. Brazil is the first country to complete the development cycle of such a technology. The yield increase provided by the GM eucalyptus will provide economic, environmental and social benefits. The economic benefits include increased competitiveness for the Brazilian forestry sector. The main environmental benefits derived from using less land to produce more fiber will include lowered carbon emission through the reduction of distance between the forests and the mills, reduced use of chemical inputs and greater availability of land for other purposes, such as conservation and food production. Partners of Suzano Pulp and Paper’s outgrowers program, including small landholders, who have already benefited from the company´s best seedlings for years, will have access to the technology under terms of current con-tracts, which do not involve the payment of royalties. For Stanley Hirsch, Futura Gene CEO, the approval of this technology represents a breakthrough for the forestry industry: “Producing more wood without increasing the use of natural resources is a constant challenge for all industry players. We are very proud to have developed an innovative technology that is capable of potentiating forestry industry competitiveness while benefitting society as a whole”. Futura Gene’s yield-enhanced eucalyptus has been under development since 2001 and has undergone extensive biosafety assessment prior to submission for commercial approval. According to Dr. Hirsch, the company has several additional products at different stages of development in its pipeline. “This approval by CTNBio is an incentive for us to continue seeking innovative technological solutions that contribute for meeting the ever growing global demand for wood in a sustainable manner.” Subsequent to the approval, Suzano and Futura Gene will expand the field testing of the yieldenhanced eucalyptus in a graded and responsible manner. About FuturaGene FuturaGene is a leader in plant genetic research and development for the global forestry, biopower and biofuel markets. With facilities in Brazil, China and Israel, the company develops sustainable, ecologically sound technology to meet the ever increasing demands for fiber, fuel and energy crops in the face of declining land and water resources. Since July 2010, FuturaGene has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Pulp and Paper.

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in killing tumour cells when getting there. To address this problem, the researchers then added another genetic modification, an inducible arabinose promoter. The modification allowed the Salmonella to be injected in the mouse in a form that would not harm normal, healthy cells, was effective at colonising tumours, and after entering cancer cells, would turn toxic. “This transition from a benign, invasive Salmonel-la that doesn’t hurt normal cells to the toxic type occurs very rapidly in the tumour due to the very rapid growth and cell division that occurs when Salmonella enters a tumour,” he said. In a normal cell, Salmonella grows very slowly, dividing once or twice in a 24-hour period, but in a tumour, the bacteria divide every hour. According to Curtiss, the investigational therapy would probably be used in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, once it gets to human trials.

Dhanuka to launch two more new molecules in India this year

Business Line

June 17, 2015

Dhanuka Agritech Ltd plans to launch two new molecules in India in the next few months, one of which will be an herbicide for soyabean and the other a fungicide for horticultural crops as well as paddy. Earlier this year, the agrochemical formulations company, which has a tie-up with Nissan Chemicals, launched the Japan-based firm’s new molecule based product Sempra in Uttar Pradesh. The her bicide that tackles Cyperus rotundas, a weed commonly afflicting sugarcane plantations, was today introduced in Maharahtra. It will subsequently be launched in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, MK Dhanuka, MD, Dhanuka Agritech said. Studies were also underway to enable extending the Sempra brand for maize, he added. Elaborating on plans for the coming months, Dhanuka said that Sakura, another new molecule from Nissan, and a herbicide for soyabean, will be brought into the Indian market in a fortnight’s time. “We have also received registration from Hokko Chemicals, Japan, for Conika, a fungicide for paddy and horticultural crops. This will be launched in Q2 16,” Dhanuka said, adding that these molecules were coming into the Indian market for the first time. Dhanuka is also going to introduce Dupont’s highest selling molecule in India under the brand name Cover in July. “They have shared both granular and liquid formulations with us,” he said. Dhanuka Agritech is currently well on schedule to set-up its fourth manufacturing facility in India at Keshwana in Rajasthan. The company which also has factories in Haryana, Udhampur and Sanand will invest Rs 60 crore at Rajasthan.

permitted commercial cultivation of BT cotton but imposed moratorium on commercial release of Bt brinjal in February 2010 due to concerns aired by green activists. Maharasthra, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and An-dhra Pradesh have given no objection certificate (NOCs) for field trials of some biotech crops, while states like Rajasthan have banned such research activities.

Genetically engineered bacteria can treat cancer The Hindu April 15, 2015 Genetically modified Salmonella — bacteria that causes severe food poisoning — can be used to kill cancer cells, a new study has claimed. “There has long been interest in using genetically engineered microbes to target and destroy cells within solid tumours,” said Roy Curtiss, from the Arizona State University. “I think this study goes a significant way in developing some strategies that will help in the overall means of using Salmonella as part of a cancer therapy,” he said. For years, researchers have known that certain strains of bacteria, including Salmonella enterica, can kill cancer cells. Specifically Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium has been shown to not only colonise solid tumours, but also to exhibit an intrinsic anti-tumour effect. However, in order to use Salmonella as a weapon against cancer in humans, researchers must find a balance between allowing it to kill the cancer and be safe for the patient. The bacteria, commonly known for causing severe food poisoning, can lead to sepsis and death in humans. In the study, the researchers focused on modifying the lipopolysaccharide structure (LPS) of the Salmonella strain to make the bug less toxic. LPS, found in the outer membrane of bacteria, is one of the major inducers of sepsis, a life-threatening infection. Researchers used genetic engineering to delete genes involved in the synthesis of the LPS, and then tested various modified Salmonella strains to see how they performed in test tube studies with human cancer cells and in tumour bearing mice. They identified a particular mutant strain that was the most effective at killing cancer cells and shrinking tumours, and also unable to cause disease. However, this mutant strain was less able to colonise the tumours , although being most effective

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Nanotech sensor uses Raman Spectroscopy Mumbai Mirror June 3, 2015 Scientists have developed a new sensing tech that uses Raman spectroscopy to improve the ability to rapidly detect diseases, environmental contaminants and even chemical weapons. From airport security searching for explosives in bags to art historians authenticating paintings, society's thirst for powerful sensors is growing. Few sensing techniques can match the buzz created by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Discovered in the 1970s, SERS is a sensing technique prized for its ability to identify chemical and biological molecules in a wide range of fields. It has been commercialised, but not widely, because the materials required to perform the sensing are consumed upon use, relatively expensive and are complicated to fabricate. That may soon change thanks to an international research team led by University at Buffalo engineers that has developed nanotechnology that promises to make SERS simpler and more affordable. Described in a paper published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, the photonics advancement aims to improve our ability to detect trace amounts of molecules in diseases, chemical warfare agents, fraudulent paintings, environmental contaminants and more. "The technology we're developing - a universal substrate for SERS - is a unique and, potentially, revolutionary feature. It allows us to rapidly identify and measure chemical and biological molecules using a broadband nanostructure that traps wide range of light," said Qiaoqiang Gan, the study's lead author. When a powerful laser interacts chemical and biological molecules, the process can excite vibrational modes of these molecules and produce inelastic scattering, also called Raman scattering, of light. As the beam hits these molecules, it can produce photons that have a different frequency from the laser light. While rich in details, the signal from scattering is weak and difficult to read without a very powerful laser. SERS addresses the problem by utilizing a nano patterned substrate that significantly enhances the light field at the surface and, therefore, the Raman scattering intensity. Unfortunately, traditional substrates are typically designed for only a very narrow range of wavelengths. This is problematic because different substrates are needed if scientists want to use a different laser to test the same molecules. In turn, this requires more chemical molecules and sub-strates, increasing costs and time to perform the test.

Researchers develop new test to quickly detect tuberculosis DNA June 1, 2015 Researchers have developed a simple and inexpensive diagnostic test to quickly and reliably detect tuberculosis in humans. Tuberculosis (TB) represents a growing worldwide healthcare burden. Second only to HIV in terms of its global impact, TB infected 8.5 million peo-ple and caused 1.4 million deaths in 2011, researchers said.If these statistics are to improve, early detection is critical, they said. Led by Taha Roodbar Shojaei and Mohamad Amran Mohd Salleh of University Putra Malaysia, the international research team set out to develop a sensitive new system that could quickly and reliably detect TB in humans. One of their biggest hurdles was to differentiate people infected with tuberculosis from those who have received the bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis. Using modified quantum dots, gold nanoparticles and single strand DNAs, the team developed a layered biosen-sor that not only detects TB in patients' sputum but also differentiates positive results from samples of vaccinated people. Using the new sensor, the team has conducted preliminary tests on 50 clinical samples from patients in Tehran who were suspected of having TB. While current TB diagnostic tests based on the polymerase chain reaction technique for isolating DNA have an approximately 80 per cent success rate for both sensitivity (the ability to correctly identify the disease) and specificity (the ability to rule out other conditions such as BCG vaccination), the new method was rated between 86.6 per cent and 94.2 per cent accurate. The researchers believe they have devel-oped a simple, rapid, sensitive and specific detection method with an affordable cost. Their biosensor requires small amounts of sputum and could therefore be an appropriate detection technique where limited sample volumes are available. The team plans to further enhance its biosensor system with carbon nanoparticles instead of gold. The team could develop a working device and interface to simplify the detection of TB, perhaps with a smartphone app.

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future ; it could lead to even more new forms of the drug, Pfeifer said. Erythromycin is used to treat a variety of illnesses, from pneumonia and whooping cough to skin and urinary tract infections. While news reports often focus on the dangers of E. coli, most types of this bacteria are actually harmless, including those used by Pfeifer's team in the lab. Over the past 11 years, Pfeifer's research has focused on manipulating E. coli so that the organism produces all of the materials necessary for creating erythromycin. "The system we have created is surprisingly flexible, and that is one of the great things about it," Pfeifer said. The study was published in the jour-nal Science Advances.

Japanese Ebola test gives results in 11 minutes: Researcher A silicon India April 13, 2015 A Japanese research team said that it had developed a field test for Ebola that gives results in just over 11 minutes -- down from the 90-minute test used now. The breakthrough by Nagasaki University's Institute of Tropical Medicine will allow medics to move much more quickly in treating people with the hemorrhagic fever accord-ing to Professor Jiro Yasuda "The result time was unexpectedly short," said Yasuda of the trial conducted in Guinea last month on 100 samples, of which 47 proved positive. The Guinean government has now asked the institute and its collaboration partner Toshiba to supply equipment to roll out the test, he added. The test hinges on what the researchers have called a "primer", a substance that amplifies only those genes specific to the Ebola virus found in a blood sample or other bodily fluid. Using existing techniques, ribonucleic acid -- biological molecules used in the coding of genes is extracted from any viruses present in a sample.

Cells that aid hearing created in lab MSM May 27, 2015 Scientists have successfully developed a way to coax embryonic stem cells to become the inner-ear hair cells which are responsible for hearing and sense of balance. This is an important step for the future production of large numbers of these cells for use in cell transplantation therapies or large - scale drug screens, researchers aid. Sensory hair

The universal substrate solves the problem because it can trap a wide range of wavelengths and squeeze them into very small gaps to create a strongly enhanced light field. The technology consists of a thin film of silver or aluminum that acts as a mirror, and a dielectric layer of silica or alumina. The dielectric separates the mirror with tiny metal nanoparticles randomly spaced at the top of the substrate. "It acts similar to a skeleton key. Instead of needing all these different substrates to measure Raman signals excited by different wavelengths, you'll eventually need just one. Just like a skeleton key that opens many doors," Zhang said. "The applications of such a device are far-reaching," said Kai Liu. "The ability to detect even smaller amounts of chemical and biological molecules could be helpful with biosensors that are used to detect cancer, Malaria, HIV and other illnesses." It could be useful identifying chemicals used in certain types of paint. This could be helpful detecting forged pieces of art as well as restoring aging pieces of art. Also, the technology could improve scientists' ability to detect trace amounts of toxins in the air, water or other spaces that are causes for health concerns. And it could also be used to detect chemical weapons.

Scientists engineer E. coli to fight drug-resistant bacteria Business Standard May 31, 2015 Researchers have successfully engineered the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) to produce improved version of popular antibiotics -- including three that show promise in fighting drug-resistant bacteria. The researchers have harnessed E. coli to create 40 new forms of the popular antibiotic erythromycin that have a slightly different structure from existing versions. "We are focused on trying to come up with new antibiotics that can overcome antibiotic resistance, and we see this as an important step forward," said lead researcher Blaine Pfeifer, associate professor at University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in the US. "We have not only created new analogs of erythromycin, but also developed a platform for using E. coli to produce the drug, " he said. This opens the door for additional engineering possibilities in the

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This means that how a person's nervous system cells react and respond to stimuli, can be determined from his blood, researchers said. The breakthrough was led by Mick Bhatia, director of the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute at McMaster University. Currently, scientists and physicians have a limited un-derstanding of the complex issue of pain and how to treat it. The peripheral nervous system is made up of different types of nerves - some are mechanical (feel pressure) and others detect temperature (heat). In extreme conditions, pain or numbness is perceived by the brain using signals sent by these peripheral nerves. "The problem is that unlike blood, a skin sample or even a tissue biopsy, you can't take a piece of a patient's neural system. It runs like complex wiring throughout the body and portions cannot be sampled for study," said Bhatia. "Now we can take easy to obtain blood samples, and make the main cell types of neurological systems - the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system - in a dish that is specialised for each patient," said Bhatia. "Nobody has ever done this with adult blood. Ever," Bhatia said. "We can actually take a patient's blood sample, as routinely performed in a doctor's office, and with it we can produce one million sensory neurons, that make up the peripheral nerves in short order with this new approach. We can also make central nervous system cells, as the blood to neural conversion technology we developed creates neural stem cells during the process of conversion," said Bhatia. The team's revolutionary, patented direct conversion technology has "broad and immediate applications," said Bhatia. It also paves the way for the discovery of new pain drugs that don't just numb the perception of pain, Bhatia said. Bhatia's team successfully tested their process using fresh blood, but also cryopreserved (frozen) blood. Since blood samples are taken and frozen with many clinical trials, this allows them "almost a bit of a time machine" to go back and explore questions around pain or neuropathy to run tests on neurons created from blood samples of patients taken in past clinical trials where responses and outcomes have already been recorded."

cells located in the inner ear are vital for our sense of hearing and balance. As these cells are unable to regenerate, millions of people worldwide have permanent hearing and balance impairments. Previous studies had already reported the successful generation of hair cells in the lab, but the protocols used were complex and inefficient. To overcome these problems, the team led by Domingos Henrique from the Molecular Medicine Institute in Lisbon, Portugal decided to follow a different strategy. "We explored the extensive knowledge on the various regulatory proteins that control hair cell development in the embryo to design an effective combination of three transcription factors able to induce the formation of these cells," said Henrique and Aida Costa, the graduate student involved in the work. The team applied this simpler approach to mouse embryonic stem cells in a dish, which have the potential to become any cell type. They were able to con-vert these cells into hair cells, more successfully and with higher efficiencies than previously reported. Excitingly, when the team added the three players to cells in the ear of a developing chick embryo they were also able to induce the formation of many new hair cells, including in areas where they do not form normally, suggesting that a similar strategy might work in vivo. "Hair cells get their name from the bundle of hair-like structures that protrude from the cell. These protrusions have mechanosensitiveion channels that allow hair cells to transform vibrational movements into electrical signals. "We observed that the hair cells we produced are also able to develop similar protrusions, but with an immature and disorganised morphology," said the authors. The research was published in the journal Development.

Scientists turn blood cells into neurons The Times of India May 23, 2015 In a breakthrough, scientists, led by an Indian-origin re-searcher, have successfully converted adult human blood cells into neurons. Researchers can now directly convert adult human blood cells to both central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) neurons as well as neurons in the peripheral nervous sys-tem (rest of the body) that are responsible for pain, tem-perature and itch perception.

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VALUE PROPOSITION

DESCRIPTION

An easier, safer, effective, comprehensive and dedicated paracentesis kit to remove abnormal fluid buildup (ascitic fluid) in the abdomen

paraSafe is an easy to use, comprehensive ascites management kit. The kit includes all components needed for safely removing as-citic fluid from body cavity while undertaking paracentesis i.e. sterililized swab for cleaning the site before needle insertion, device for paracentesis and aseptic bandage to close the wound and minimize any leakage. The device comprises a collection unit, a transfer tube and a storage bag. Collection unit extracts fluid from abdomen of the patient. It has a needle, drain tube, stabilizer, stop cock and one way valve. Storage bag, collects and stores the fluid. It has volumetric marking from 1-5 litre. Transfer tube transfers the fluid from the collection unit into the storage bag.

α-prototype ready

Bench top testing com-plete

All CAD detailing done

ABOUT SIB AND BCIL Stanford India Biodesign program (SIB), sup-ported by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India is a collaborative effort between Stanford University, USA, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D). It is aimed at development of innovative biomedical devices to address the unmet clinical needs of India. Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) is a company, promoted by the DBT, Govt. of India and All India Finan-cial Institutions to accelerate commercializa-tion of biotechnologies. BCIL is the manage-ment agency of SIB. More than Twenty-Five technologies have been developed under SIB so far, out of which Ten technologies as listed below are still available for Licensing on a first to approach basis.

Chronic liver disease with portal hypertension, congestive cardiac failure, tuberculosis and malig-nancy are important causes of ascites[1]. Conventional procedures to remove abnormal fluid buildup in abdomen or ascitic fluid use a standard IV set having a tube and a sharp needle. Sharp end of the needles harm the internal organs of the patient. There is leakage of body fluid too from the site of insertion. As needles do not stay in place, layers of tape are used to hold the needle or paracentesis is done manually. Despite being a common procedure, no procedure-specific device currently exists in the Indian market. Contrary to the conventional devices for paracentesis, paraSafe is a complete packed solution for safe, leakage proof and efficacious removal of ascitic fluid from abdominal cavity; with stabilization mechanism for securing the needle/device. Signifi-cant market need and lack of dedicated kit for removing abnormal abdominal fluid offers unique market opportunity for paraSafe in India and also at global level. paraSafe is a first of its kind in this domain in India. The current global market of ascites management device in USD is 16 million[2]. With increasing in patients with liver cirrhosis in India, the device would provide a respectful care to many patients in India. References: 1.http://medind.nic.in/jac/t00/i1/jact00i1p81.pdf 2.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hep.22853/pdf

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

STATUS

Exciting Licensing Opportunity for-

“paraSafeTM- A kit for removing abnormal fluid buildup in the abdo-men”

UNIQUE FEATURES

Dr. Suchita Markan

Manager Biotech Consortium India Limited

Anuvrat Bhawan, 5th Floor 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg

New Delhi - 110002 Tel: +91-11-23219056 (D), 23219064-67

Email: suchita@biotech.co.in or info.bcil@nic.in Website: http://www.bcil.nic.in

Integrated kit for efficient as-cites management

Simple, safe, disposable and cost-effective

Prevents leakage by controlled outflow of ascitic fluid

Unique stabilizer designed for preventing chances of injury

Safe to patient as well as health-care provider

Collects and stores ascitic fluid for diagnostic study, if required

Novel packaging of the entire solution

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY NEXT STEPS

β- prototype devel-opment

Clinical Validation

Patent Application No. 3839/DEL/2012

Trademark Application No. 2594015

Technologies Already Licensed 1. Fecal Incontinence Management

Device 2. Limb-Immobilization Device 3. Neonatal Resuscitation Device 4. Auditory Impairment Screening

Device 5. Patient Transfer Sheet* 6. Soft Tissue Biopsy Device 7. Biopsy Device with Concurrent He

mostatic Agent delivery 8. Nasal Foreign Body Remover* 9. Thoracentesis Kit* 10. Paracentesis Kit* 11. Hand Sanitization Device 12. Assistive device for NG Tube De-

ployment* 13. Fetomaternal Parameter Monitor-

ing System

Technologies Available for Licensing

1. Epi-Gastric Bleeding Manage-

ment Device 2. Medical Sharps Tray 3. Mucous Dislodging Device 4. Intra-osseous Device 5. Sit-to-Stand Device 6. Medicine Delivery Kit 7. Switchable Doppler Stethoscope 8. Kangaroo Mothercare Kit 9. Integrated Cap for Neonates 10. Transillumination Device *Available for Licensing on Non-Exclusive basis

REPRESENTATIVE PICTURE OF PARASAFE COLLECTION UNIT OF PARASAFE

For further information, please contact -