BRIC-inStem conducts first gene therapy trial for Haemophilia

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh inspected the various facilities at BRIC-inStem and reviewed ongoing clinical trials in collaboration 

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council’s Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (BRIC-inStem) in collaboration with CMC Vellore and other medical institutions and hospitals has conducted the first gene therapy trial for Haemophilia. 

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh inspected the various facilities at BRIC-inStem and reviewed ongoing clinical trials in collaboration. During his visit, Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored the strategic importance of biotechnology in shaping India’s future economy and public health infrastructure. “This is not just about science—it’s about nation-building,” he said.

India’s biotechnology sector has grown 16-fold in the past decade to reach $165.7 billion in 2024, with a vision to touch $300 billion by 2030. Dr Singh credited this growth to enabling policy reforms, including the recently approved BIO-E3 Policy that aims to boost the economy, employment, and environment through biotechnology. “We now have over 10,000 biotech startups compared to just 50 a decade ago,” he pointed out.

Dr Singh toured BRIC-inStem’s Biosafety Level III laboratory, a key national facility for studying high-risk pathogens under India’s One Health Mission. “The recent pandemic taught us that we must always be prepared. Facilities like this will help us stay a step ahead,” he stated.

The Minister also praised the newly launched Centre for Research Application and Training in Embryology (CReATE), which addresses birth defects and infertility by advancing developmental biology research. “With about 3 to 4 per cent of babies born with some form of defect, this centre is vital for improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes,” he said.

Calling for greater collaboration between scientific and medical institutions, he suggested that BRIC-inStem explore MD-PhD programmes, integrate more with clinical research, and enhance visibility through coordinated communication strategies. “What’s being done here should echo across the country—not for publicity, but because the nation needs it,” he said.

Dr Singh concluded by noting that India’s economy of the future would be bio-driven, with institutions like BRIC-inStem serving as torchbearers of this transformation. “As Mark Twain said, the economy is too serious a subject to be left to economists alone. Biotechnology is not just a science anymore—it is a pillar of our national strategy.”