Thermo Fisher signs MoU with Telangana Government for new bioprocess design centre

Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Telangana to establish a Bioprocess Design Centre (BDC) in Genome Valley, Hyderabad. The event was attended by Telangana government officials, including Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Minister for Information Technology and Industry, Shri Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary, and Shakthi Nagappan, CEO of Telangana Lifesciences. Thermo Fisher’s senior leadership team, including Fred Lowery, Daniella Cramp, Tony Acciarito, Srinath Venkatesh, and Sarita Rawat, also participated in the event.

The Bioprocess Design Centre will span 10,000 square feet and is expected to begin operations in early 2025. The centre will accelerate the development and manufacturing of biotherapeutics for India and the Asia-Pacific region, featuring laboratories and training hubs to advance scientific research.

Commenting on the development,  Duddilla Sridhar Babu stated, “Telangana has consistently demonstrated its commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing world-class ecosystems for biotech and life sciences industries. The establishment of this Bioprocess Design Centre reflects the state’s progressive policies and collaborative approach to building a robust biopharma infrastructure. With over 1,800 companies, Telangana is leading the way in making India a global hub for biopharma innovation. We are thrilled to partner with Thermo Fisher, the world leader in serving science, in this transformative initiative that will advance the future of healthcare.”

Shakthi Nagappan, Director of Lifesciences and Pharma for the Government of Telangana, remarked, “This partnership with Thermo Fisher marks a significant milestone in our efforts to build a first-of-its-kind bioprocessing facility for biologics manufacturing in India. The centre, featuring single-use bioreactors, will enhance the biopharma sector by offering pay-per-use infrastructure, technical expertise, and cutting-edge research solutions, helping companies reduce their time to market. It will not only drive the growth of biopharma manufacturing in Telangana but also bolster India’s position on the global map.”

Thermo Fisher will equip the centre with advanced capabilities for upstream and downstream research, cell culture media development, single-use manufacturing, and product validation. Daniella Cramp, Senior Vice President and President of BioProduction at Thermo Fisher, expressed gratitude, stating, “I sincerely thank the Government of Telangana for partnering with Thermo Fisher and supporting our Mission. This state-of-the-art facility will enable academic researchers, biopharma start-ups and companies to fast-track their innovations by meeting their end-to-research and manufacturing needs.”

Tony Acciarito, President of Thermo Fisher’s Asia-Pacific and Japan region, noted, “The signing of this MoU marks an exciting new chapter for Thermo Fisher in India, reaffirming our continued commitment to fostering scientific innovation in the country. Our partnership with the Government of Telangana will strengthen India’s biopharma manufacturing capabilities, accelerating the development of breakthrough therapeutics and advancing healthcare solutions that will benefit patients globally.”

Srinath Venkatesh, Managing Director for India and South Asia at Thermo Fisher, highlighted India’s growing role in the biopharma industry, stating, “India is fast emerging as a global biopharma hub, with significant growth in research and development driven by key pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The Bioprocess Design Centre underscores our commitment to empowering our customers through technological advancements. By focusing on areas like oncology, cell and gene therapies, and biotherapeutics, we aim to drive breakthroughs for a healthier world.”

Hyderabad is increasingly attracting large biotech and life sciences firms due to its government policies, industrial practices, infrastructure, and skilled talent in fields like chemistry, biology, genetics, and technology. Thermo Fisher has also established a research and development centre in Hyderabad for product design, development, reliability testing, and validation.

Thermo Fisher has also collaborated with leading bio-incubators to set up five Centres for Innovation at various institutes across India, including C-CAMP in Bengaluru, AIC-CMB and Aspire Bionest in Hyderabad, IIT Bionest in Guwahati, and KIIT-TBI in Bhubaneshwar. These centres provide start-ups access to Thermo Fisher’s technologies and expertise, reducing the time to market for new biopharma products.

The Government of India has launched several schemes to boost biopharma research and development, such as BioE3 and Bio-RIDE. Telangana, leading from the forefront, is actively supporting initiatives like the Bioprocess Design Centre. Thermo Fisher and the Telangana Government are optimistic that these efforts will elevate India’s biopharma ecosystem.