As a global hub for medical research, Hyderabad has emerged as a key player in the development of new vaccines and drugs, said Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy on Tuesday.
In Genome Valley, the minister visited the National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (NARFBR), which is being set up under the aegis of the All India Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
According to him, this center has assumed significance due to the medical research being conducted in Hyderabad for the development of new drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and food products. ICMR officials and scientists spoke with the Union minister about the progress of the project.
A world-class research center was created by the government after it recognized the need for developing the necessary infrastructure to create new drugs and vaccines. NARFBR has a built-up area of 4 lakh square feet and will cost Rs 400 crore, according to Kishan Reddy. 60 percent of the equipment and machinery had arrived at the center, he told reporters.
It is expected that the remaining work will be completed in the upcoming days, according to Reddy. Drug and vaccine-making companies and research institutes will be able to find all the biotechnology, biopharma, and biomedical facilities they need in one place at the facility.
Due to the growing number of pharmaceutical companies and research institutes in and around Hyderabad, the Centre proposed building a similar facility in Hyderabad, as the only vaccine testing lab in the country is located in Himachal Pradesh. The proposal was approved by the Central Cabinet in 2014-15.
Several kinds of animals, including mice and horses, are available at the research center for research purposes, according to the union minister. India, as well as the rest of the world, will benefit from this facility.
In addition to providing a research facility for students at universities, the facility will help preserve endangered species. Students from medical colleges, universities, and other educational institutions, as well as researchers from biotech and biopharma companies, will no longer have to travel abroad for research.
To meet its energy needs, the center developed a 3 MW solar power plant. As Prime Minister, Narendra Modi visited various pharmaceutical companies, research facilities, and vaccine manufacturing firms in the country to encourage them. The vaccine requirements of India were previously met by other countries, Kishan Reddy said. The polio vaccine was cited as an example.
“Thanks to our research institutes and scientists, we are not only producing vaccines for our use, but for the needs of other countries as well,” he said.
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