Department of Pharmaceuticals hosts Industry Dialogue on Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) Scheme at Bengaluru

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India, hosted an Industry Dialogue on the scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) at Bangalore on 25th March 2025. The event served as a significant platform for representatives from industry, startups, and research institutes, including representatives from the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and innovation hubs like C-CAMP (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms), to engage in discussions aimed at fostering collaboration, and leveraging government initiatives to accelerate research and development (R&D) in the pharmaceutical and MedTech sectors.

The session provided detailed insights into the PRIP Scheme, along with other government initiatives promoting and enabling research innovation in the sector. Notable initiatives such as ICMR’s Patent Mitra, MedTech Mitra, and Indian Clinical Trial and Education Network (INTENT) programme were discussed, with an emphasis on support for patent filing, facilitating the innovation journey, clinical trials, and commercialization of R&D outcomes. The CSIR’s Innovation Complex and C-CAMP’s incubation facilities were also highlighted as key enablers for translational research and industry collaboration.

Shri Amit Agrawal, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, underscored India’s comparative advantage in enhancing the resilience of global supply chains, a goal further supported by the PRIP Scheme. He advocated progression from “Make in India” also Innovate in India and Make for the World aiming to position the country as a global leader in innovation and manufacturing for the world.

In the breakout sessions, representatives from startups, Industry, academia and other stakeholders gave in-depth feedback regarding research and innovation opportunities, emerging R&D trends, strategies to enhance industry-academia collaboration. Useful suggestions were made regarding maximising funding opportunities and scaling up innovative research initiatives to drive the sector’s growth.

The stakeholders were encouraged to submit their feedback and project details through the Expression of Interest (EoI) hosted on the Department of Pharmaceuticals website, which will be open till April 7, 2025. This process will help refine the implementation strategy of the PRIP Scheme, ensuring it aligns with industry need and drives sectoral growth.

The Industry Dialogue in Bangalore was an insightful and productive event, with participants reaffirming their commitment to fostering a collaborative, innovation-driven ecosystem in the Pharma-MedTech sector.

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