Hyderabad to host U.S. firm Ocugen’s R&D centre for cell, gene therapies

Showcasing Telangana as an ideal destination and gateway for investors coming to India, Mr. Rao told the roundtable that the State had all the necessary resources for establishing any business.

Pennsylvania-based biotechnology company Ocugen plans to establish a research and development (R&D) centre in Telangana, which will focus on developing cutting-edge modifier gene therapies and regenerative cell therapy to target unmet medical needs and vaccines.

The proposed facility will have a positive economic impact on the region and generate a significant number of jobs over the next few years, the office of Industries and IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao said, following his meeting with Ocugen leadership, led by its chairman, CEO and co-founder Shankar Musunuri in New York, the U.S..

Welcoming Ocugen to Hyderabad and describing the move as a testament to the vibrant biotechnology industry and a strong academic base in the State, the Minister said Telangana has been attracting the R&D facilities of domestic as well as international companies. The State is pursuing the vision of becoming a $250 billion lifesciences ecosystem by 2030 and has identified complex manufacturing and advanced therapeutics as a key pillar of growth. “I believe this investment, focussed on cell and gene therapy, is strategic in nature to drive growth in the emerging areas of lifesciences,” he said.

Mr. Musunuri said Ocugen looked forward to expanding operations in India as it had begun to transform itself into a global organisation. The U.S.-based company is focussed on discovering, developing and commercialising new treatment options. Its novel R&D pipeline encompasses three platform technologies focussed on ophthalmology, orthopaedics and infectious diseases.

The Minister, who is in the U.S. with officials as part of other engagements, participated in an investor roundtable in New York, jointly hosted by the Consulate General of India in New York and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. He also as met the leadership of insurtech firm Wingsure and Aaron Capital.

Showcasing Telangana as an ideal destination and gateway for investors coming to India, Mr. Rao told the roundtable that the State had all the necessary resources for establishing any business. With its progressive industry friendly policies and a robust innovation ecosystem, Telangana offered an array of opportunities in its 14 priority sectors. Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal said Telangana and Hyderabad have become integral parts of global business conversations.

The Minister’s meeting with Wingsure founder Avi Basu centred around potential business opportunities the State offered in agriculture and related financial services. Wingsure uses deep tech to deliver instant access to personalised insurance products and advisories for small farmers and rural communities globally.