HYDERABAD, FEB 27    :    Asserting that Hyderabad is the uncontested capital of life sciences in India and globally, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy stated that one in three vaccines worldwide is manufactured in Hyderabad

The Chief Minister made these remarks as the chief guest during the formal inauguration of the 21st BioAsia 2024 on the second day, held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) on Tuesday, organised by the Telangana Government.

Addressing the audience, the Chief Minister emphasised BioAsia’s role in positioning India and the Asia Pacific as a focal points in life sciences over the past two decades.

He highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts, especially in the face of challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic, where the combination of fear and hope is addressed by leveraging data and AI in healthcare.

Reddy expressed commitment to creating a conducive ecosystem for research, startups, and IT, with a focus on driving Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as bridges between startups and corporates.

Announcing key initiatives, Reddy declared the establishment of the next phase of Genome Valley on 300 acres of land with a Rs 2000 crore investment.
Additionally, he unveiled plans for 10 pharma villages with a Rs 1 lakh crore investment, aiming to generate infrastructure, job opportunities, and support for entrepreneurs, resulting in over 5 lakh new jobs.
Reddy also disclosed the successful attraction of Rs 40,232 crore in investment during the World Economic Forum in Davos, with Takeda’s decision to set up a vaccine manufacturing facility in partnership with Biological E. as a notable highlight.

Expressing happiness over Milteny Biotec’s decision to establish an R&D facility in Hyderabad, Reddy congratulated Nobel Prize Winner Prof. Gregg Semenza for receiving the Genome Valley Excellence Award.

Highlighting decentralisation strategies, Reddy identified Vikarabad, Medak, and Nalgonda as clusters for Greenfield Integrated Pharma Villages, strategically focusing on different directions within Telangana for infrastructure and investment.

In his capacity as the guest of honour, Telangana IT and Industry Minister Dr Srinidhar Babu acknowledged the prominent presence of Fortune 500 companies, scientific leaders, CEOs, Nobel laureates, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry captains at BioAsia.

Dr Babu praised BioAsia’s 20-year legacy and emphasised its role in garnering global investor enthusiasm, citing the recent investment of Rs 40,232 crore in the state’s life sciences sector.

Dr Babu also highlighted the inauguration of global R&D centers for Bristol Meyers Squibbs and Providence, underlining the state’s commitment to sectoral growth

He unveiled plans for a dynamic life sciences policy, combining technology, life sciences, pharma, policy, and regulatory agencies to position Telangana as a global nodal point in the life sciences value chain.

Dr Babu shared Chief Minister Reddy’s vision of making Hyderabad the skilled capital of India. The plan includes the establishment of a skilled university, facilitating mandatory internship programs with industries for students, and creating a talent pool across life sciences, IT, and manufacturing sectors.(UNI)