The Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, in partnership with the Mumbai Biocluster, hosted the 5th Annual Summit of Biologics Conference and Workshops on Biopharmaceutical Product Development from January 30th to 31st 2025. The event, held at the Novotel Dona Sylvia Resort, Goa, attracted over 700 attendees, including 150 distinguished speakers, 12 sponsors, and 41 exhibitors.
The conference has become a key platform for scientific exchange, business networking, and industry advancement in the biopharmaceutical sector. Leading biopharma manufacturers and vendors such as Repligen, ThermoFisher Scientific, Cytiva, Merck, and Sartorius Stedim participated, reinforcing the event’s position in the biopharma community.
The event was inaugurated by Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. He was joined by Prof. A. B. Pandit, Vice Chancellor of ICT Mumbai, Dr Narendra Chirmule, CEO of SymphonyTech, Dr Dhananjay Patankar, Dr Rajiv Desai, Senior Technical Advisor for Quality and Regulatory at the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, and Dr Ratnesh Jain, Managing Director of Mumbai Biocluster. During the opening ceremony, Travel Grants and the Young Leader Program were introduced to support emerging talent in the biopharma sector. Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Chairman of the Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., received the second Dr K. Anji Reddy Memorial Fellowship for Affordable Biopharmaceuticals. Dr Rajesh Gokhale delivered the keynote address, discussing the need for innovation in biomanufacturing in India. He stated, “We cannot follow the ‘Silicon Valley playbook’ or ‘MassBio recipe.’ For our country, we need to develop technologies with immense creativity and a vision of indigenous innovation, paving a strong path for the future.”
The conference featured a fireside chat moderated by Dr Ratnesh Jain on investment opportunities in India’s biopharma sector, with panelists Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Dr Gautham Nadig of Mynvax, Dr Prem Pavoor of Eight Roads, and Dr Rahul Singhvi, co-founder of National Resilience. This was followed by a plenary talk from Dr Rahul Singhvi on catalysing India’s biomanufacturing revolution, drawing from his entrepreneurial journey. Scientific sessions focused on regulatory policies, mRNA technology, cell therapy, biologics and biosimilars, biomanufacturing, and analytical validation. One of the key sessions, “Biopharmaceutical Product Journey: From Concept to Market,” involved leadership from companies such as Shilpa Biologicals, Biocon Biologics, Bharat Serums & Vaccines, Premas Biotech, Yapan Bio, and Lupin. The conference also featured BioPitch, a platform for biotech startups, and Catalyst Connect Hour, facilitating networking opportunities.
On the second day, Dr Himanshu Gadgil, CEO of Enzene, delivered the Change Makers Plenary Address on disrupting traditional biomanufacturing, unveiling EnzeneX™ 2.0, an advanced platform for economical monoclonal antibody production. The discussions continued with a focus on the integration of AI-ML in biopharma, gene therapy, novel biotherapeutics, and advancements in veterinary care. Closed-door sessions on the Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) ecosystem brought together industry leaders from Aragen Bioscience, Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services, Veeda Lifesciences, Kemwell Biopharma, and Merck, alongside investment firms such as Kotak Equity and Eight Roads.
Over 70 poster presentations showcased research from academia, startups, contract research organisations (CROs), and industry participants. Winners of the poster presentations received cash prizes of INR 25,000, and awards were presented to the most interactive exhibitors and best exhibitors. The event concluded with organisers reflecting on the success of the conference and their vision to expand it further in the coming years. “The overwhelming response from industry leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs reinforces our vision to make India a global hub for biopharmaceuticals,” they stated. The 5th Annual Biologics Conference marks a significant step forward in advancing India’s biopharma ecosystem and offers new opportunities for collaboration and innovation in the sector.