Author: Biotech Express

In a groundbreaking webinar conducted by the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA)-US Chapter, Prof. Ramaiah Muthyala, President and Founder of the Indian Organization for Rare Diseases (IORD) and Research Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota, USA, delivered an inspiring address titled “The Global Burden of Rare Diseases: Issues and Challenges.” The session brought into focus the critical and often overlooked public health crisis posed by rare diseases (RDs) in India, while exploring lessons from global practices, particularly those in the United States. Rare diseases, though individually uncommon, collectively affect a staggering 70 million people in India and over…

Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. According to the Haemophilia and Health Collective of North (HHCN), India has the second-largest population of haemophilia cases in the world, with an estimated 1,36,000 cases affected by haemophilia A. Besides this, India is the first country to classify haemophilia patients as disabled under the Rights of Persons with Disability Act in 2016. Haemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder that is diagnosed at birth. It is a condition where you’re born with the absence of one clotting factor in your blood, which is required for a blood clot. So,…

Abstract The aquaculture industry is experiencing rapid growth to meet the increasing global demand for seafood. However, this growth has led to increased pressure on traditional aquafeed ingredients, particularly fishmeal and fish oil, which are derived from wild-caught fish. The need for sustainable alternatives has driven research into novel ingredients, with microalgae emerging as promising candidates. This article explores the potential of microalgae as a sustainable aquafeed ingredient, discussing their importance, benefits, challenges, ongoing research, and future directions. Importance of Microalgae in Aquafeed Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that form the base of many aquatic food chains. Their use in aquafeed…

Scientists affiliated to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have developed an ‘anti-pesticide’ suit called Kisan Kavach. The suit is intended to protect farm labourers from imbibing the pesticides they spray which are potential neurotoxins and detrimental to health. The price per kit is ₹4,000. The kit retained its potency in a wide temperature range, under UV-light exposure and was protective even after a 150 washes. The inStem scientists have formed a company, Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd. to manufacture the kisan kavach. Farmers who spray insecticide or pesticides usually cover themselves from head to toe with ordinary cloth. This approach,…

The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute has taken a liking to RNA. The committee has awarded two American biologists the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of microRNA, the small RNA molecules that regulate genes, one year after the prize went to scientists who conducted foundational work on mRNA vaccines. The laureates are Victor Ambros, Ph.D., and Gary Ruvkun, Ph.D. Ambros is a professor at UMass Chan Medical School, while Ruvkun is a professor at Harvard Medical School. Ambros’ team spent years attempting to identify the nature of lin-4, while Ruvkun’s focused on lin-14. Ambros’…

Biocon’s arm, Biocon Biologics Ltd (BBL), announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has approved YESINTEK (Ustekinumab-kfce), a biosimilar to the reference product Stelara (Ustekinumab), according to a company filing. YESINTEK, a monoclonal antibody, is approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. Shreehas Tambe, chief executive officer and managing director of Biocon Biologics, said, “This settlement agreement reflects our commitment and focus on science and innovation. We are pleased that this allows Biocon Biologics to be among the first to offer a reliable, high-quality biosimilar option to patients and healthcare…

In a prestigious ceremony held at the University of Hyderabad, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan was awarded the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) Lifetime Achievement Award. This accolade recognizes her outstanding contributions to medical research and public health, particularly in the fields of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS. Dr. Swaminathan, a renowned pediatrician and clinical scientist, has been a pivotal figure in the global health community, with her career spanning several high-impact roles, including as Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) where she was instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic. She currently serves as the Principal Adviser for the National Tuberculosis…

India is a leading tea producing country in the world which contributes 23% of global tea production and export of Indian tea earns 780 million USD per annum. This eco-friendly Indian Tea Industry provides employment to 1.16 million Indians directly and equal number indirectly. However yield stagnation of this century old tea plantation along with climate change are major bottlenecks of Indian Tea Industry. Thus there is a need of scientific intervention for increasing the profitability of the tea industry through the development of climate smart high yielding tea varieties for which genome information is required. This study led by…

Renowned plant biotechnologist, Prof. K C Bansal, has been elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for year 2025, a prestigious recognition that highlights his significant contributions to the field of agricultural biotechnology and systematic management of plant genetic resources for crop improvement. This honour places him among the world’s top leading scientists, and among the select scientists in India in the field of Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems Sciences. Prof. Bansal’s career, spanning over four decades, is marked by a series of pioneering achievements in plant genomics and biotechnology. With a profound focus of his…

The antibiotic “Nafithromycin” has been developed with the support of “Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council” (BIRAC), a unit of the Department of Biotechnology and has been brought to market under the trade name “Miqnaf” by pharma company “Wolkardt”. It is the country’s first indigenously developed antibiotic aimed at tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The development of Nafithromycin represents 14 years of dedicated research and an investment of ₹500 crores, with clinical trials spanning the U.S., Europe, and India. It is Supported by BIRAC under its Biotechnology Industry Partnership Program (BIPP). This innovation is designed to treat Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP), a…