India’s capacity to scale next-generation biologics draws focus at BioAsia 2026

India’s evolving role as a global manufacturing backbone for next-generation biologics came into focus during a panel discussion on advanced therapies at BioAsia 2026 here on Tuesday where industry leaders pointed to the country’s capacity to scale complex technologies ranging from vaccines and RNA platforms to cell and gene therapies.

The panel, moderated by Gil Bashe, chair, Global Health and Purpose at Finn Partners, brought together senior executives and clinicians who underlined that innovation in biologics was no longer a solo pursuit but depended on collaboration, manufacturing depth and the ability to deliver therapies at scale.

Setting the context, Raches Ella, chief development officer of Bharat Biotech, highlighted India’s centrality to global vaccine production. “One in three children worldwide receives a vaccine produced in India, with manufacturing spanning research and development through to commercial production. The company’s ambition is to reach the entire global birth cohort of about 125 million children each year,” he added. 

From a technology platform perspective, Jose Castillo, chief executive officer of Quantoom Biosciences, described India as one of the earliest and most risk-taking markets for biomanufacturing innovation. Recalling that some of the first commercial bioreactors using his technology were deployed in India, Mr. Castillo said the country remained a critical market for promoting and scaling research and development technologies.

The importance of manufacturing ecosystems and skilled manpower was reinforced by Darrin Morrissey, chief executive officer of National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training. Representing Ireland’s biopharmaceutical sector, he said the country had spent over two decades building biologics manufacturing capabilities in partnership with multinational companies. He noted that Ireland now produces biologic medicines worth €100 billion annually, making it one of the world’s largest manufacturers in this space. 

He added that discussions are under way with the Telangana government to explore partnerships, reflecting growing interest in aligning global manufacturing expertise with India’s expanding biologics ecosystem.

India’s potential to industrialise highly complex therapies was further highlighted by Simpson V. Emmanuel, president of ImmunoACT. He spoke about the development and commercialisation of CAR-T cell therapy in India, describing it as a radical departure from conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The discussion also touched on the need to align innovation with patient access. Sai Praveen Haranath, senior vice-president (Medical and Strategy) at Apollo Health Axis, said despite the availability of transformative therapies, large sections of the global population still lacked access to essential medicines.

Madhuri Vusirikala, vice-president of Clinical Development for BMT and Cellular Therapy at Actinium Pharmaceuticals, noted that despite being a rapidly evolving field, radioligand therapies remain underdeveloped in India, and said there was significant unmet need and scope for conducting clinical trials to benefit patients in the country.