INDUSTRY BiotechOVERVIEW & Pharma Biotech & Pharma
RESURGENT KARNATAKA
Karnataka’s bio-pharma sector is one of the fastest growing in the country. The state drives 50% of the total revenues in India’s biotechnology sector.
Photo: Biocon
Growth hub of biotech
Karnataka has been the epicentre of growth of the biotech industry in the country, of which bio-pharma is a crucial component. The state contributed to more than a quarter of the country’s total biotech exports of around `26,518 crore ($ 4 billion approximately) for 2014–2015. The industry in India is currently valued at roughly `40,000 crore ($ 6 billion approximately) and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 30 percent to touch `6.6 lakh crore ($ 100 billion approximately) by 2025, according to the Central Ministry of Science and Technology. In India, biotech holds 2 percent of the global market share and comprises 800 companies. Within biotechnology, bio-pharma contributes 64 percent of the total revenue, followed by bio-services at 18 percent, bio-agriculture at 14 percent, bio-industry at 3 percent, and bioinformatics at 1 percent. India, which is much sought after by foreign companies, is expecting to see a high flow of foreign direct investment (FDI). Today, the country is a leading destination for clinical trials, contract research and manufacturing activities owing to the growth in the bio-services sector. 60
Karnataka has 236 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including 5 of the top 10 companies in the country. The state’s bio-pharma industry consists of a range of manufacturing units, from small units to multinational enterprises, both in the public sector as well as private companies, providing direct employment to over 25,000 people. Some of the bio-pharmaceutical firms in the state are dedicated to manufacturing monoclonal antibodies, which include anticancer drugs, as well as insulin and vaccines that are produced using cell culture. The pharmaceutical industry in India is currently among the Top 5 in the world in terms of volume and is the tenth largest in value terms. It is also one of the Top 5 emerging markets of the world for bio-pharma business. Karnataka’s bio-pharma sector is one of the fastest growing in the country, ranking fifth in pharma exports and contributing 10 percent to Indian pharmaceutical export revenue. Exports of basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics increased