BIRAC Signs LOI with Miltenyi Biotec to Boost India’s CGT Ecosystem

The partnership aims to enhance India’s cell and gene therapy capabilities by building local manufacturing capacity, fostering clinical research, and addressing unmet medical needs.

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Miltenyi Biotec India Private Limited to strengthen India’s position in advanced biotherapeutics.

The partnership aims to enhance India’s cell and gene therapy (CGT) capabilities by building local manufacturing capacity, fostering clinical research, and addressing unmet medical needs.

The LOI was formalized at the BIO International Convention 2025 in Boston.

As part of the agreement, BIRAC and Miltenyi Biotec will collaborate on training programmes to upskill clinicians, researchers, and technicians in CGT manufacturing, quality control, and analytics.

Dr Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director of BIRAC, added that the partnership with Miltenyi, a global leader in CGT, was crucial as “India is aspiring to become a global leader in this space, and to achieve that goal, it requires a strong foundation of skilled manpower.”

The alliance will also focus on boosting translational research through co-developed academic and multi-centre clinical studies, particularly in areas such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and rare diseases.

One of the key goals is the establishment of point-of-care (PoC) CAR-T therapy centres across India, leveraging Miltenyi’s automated CliniMACS Prodigy system to enable cost-effective and scalable CGT access. These centres aim to make personalised therapies more accessible within the country.

In alignment with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the collaboration also intends to foster local innovation by mentoring Indian startups and supporting domestic production of critical CGT manufacturing components. Plans are also underway to develop national centres of excellence for CGT.

Commenting on the initiative, Priya Kapoor-Hingorani, Managing Director of Miltenyi Biotec India, said, “The potential of India draws us. Our partnership with BIRAC focuses on updating and upskilling scientists to strengthen the country’s scientific capabilities and infrastructure. Together, we’re exploring how to address current unmet needs in medical science, particularly in areas like autoimmune and rare diseases by enhancing access through innovative mechanisms such as point-of-care CAR-T and graft engineering.”

The initiative will also identify and mentor Indian biotech startups, foster domestic production of critical CGT components, and contribute to developing national Centers of Excellence, aligning with the 'Make in India' mission.

Dr Jitendra Kumar added, “The government is signing this Letter of Intent with a multinational company renowned for its expertise in cell and gene therapy. India aspires to become a global leader in this space, and achieving that goal requires a strong foundation of skilled manpower. Miltenyi has committed to supporting this vision by contributing to training and capacity building.”

This partnership marks a pivotal moment in India’s CGT development, combining international expertise with domestic commitment to enable transformative therapies, support homegrown innovation, and strengthen India’s position as a key global player in advanced therapeutics.

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