Why in the News?

• The global precision medicine market is expanding rapidly, projected to cross $22 billion by 2027, with India emerging as a key player.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Precision Biotherapeutics (Concept, Key Technologies, Global Landscape, India’s Position, Opportunities for Growth)

Precision Biotherapeutics

• Precision biotherapeutics refers to medical interventions optimised for a patient’s specific genetic or molecular profile, rather than relying on generalised population-level data.
• This approach allows for early diagnosis, personalised treatment, and fewer adverse effects.
• Key technologies shaping this field include:

• Genomic and Proteomic Analysis: Decoding individual genetic and protein signatures to identify disease-causing mutations.
• Gene Editing Therapies: Tools like CRISPR-Cas9 modify defective genes to correct underlying causes of disorders such as thalassemia and sickle-cell anaemia.
• mRNA and Nucleic Acid Therapeutics: These therapies, popularised during the COVID-19 pandemic, use RNA molecules to instruct cells to produce or suppress specific proteins.
• Monoclonal Antibodies and Biologics: Laboratory-engineered molecules that precisely target disease-related proteins, used in treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune diseases.
• AI-Driven Drug Discovery: Machine learning models analyse vast datasets to predict molecule interactions, accelerating the discovery of new drugs.

• Together, these technologies represent a shift from symptom management to disease correction at the molecular level, offering transformative potential for chronic and genetic illnesses.

The Global Precision Medicine Landscape

• The precision medicine industry has seen exponential growth over the past decade.
• According to Precedence Research, the global market, valued at approximately $12 billion in 2023, is expected to surpass $22 billion by 2027.
• Key drivers of this growth include:

• Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and gene editing technologies.
• Rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders.
• Integration of AI and big data analytics in clinical decision-making.
• Increased investment from pharmaceutical and biotech companies in personalised drug development.

• The United States, Europe, and China currently lead global innovation in precision medicine.
• However, developing economies like India and Brazil are fast emerging as competitive hubs due to their cost advantage, skilled workforce, and growing genomic research infrastructure.

India’s Position in the Precision Medicine Ecosystem

• India contributes nearly 65% of deaths from non-communicable diseases, underscoring the need for advanced diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
• The country’s diverse genetic landscape, one of the most complex in the world, makes it an ideal testing ground for precision biotherapeutics.
• Research and Institutional Strength
  • The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has identified precision biotherapeutics as one of six focus areas under its Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment (BioE3)
• Genomic Initiatives and Localisation
  • Projects like GenomeIndia and IndiGen are building reference genomic databases representing India’s vast population diversity.
  • Such datasets enable customisation of global drug molecules to Indian genetic profiles, addressing the common issue where foreign-developed drugs show reduced efficacy among Indian patients.
• Challenges Hindering India’s Precision Medicine Growth

• Regulatory Gaps: There is no unified framework governing gene and cell therapies. Current regulations are fragmented and unclear on therapeutic use.
• High Cost and Limited Access: Advanced biotherapeutics remain affordable only to urban elite, with costs running into lakhs per treatment.
• Manufacturing Bottlenecks: India lacks large-scale facilities for biologics and cell-based therapies, forcing dependence on imports.
• Ethical and Data Privacy Concerns: Genomic data, if not protected by robust data protection laws and consent frameworks, risks misuse and discrimination.
• Addressing these gaps is crucial for India to emerge as a trusted global leader in affordable precision healthcare.

Opportunities for Growth

• India’s advantages lie in its cost-effective research environment, data analytics capabilities, and biotechnology talent pool.
• By fostering public-private partnerships, strengthening biomanufacturing infrastructure, and creating ethical genomic data-sharing frameworks, India can:

• Localise global therapies at lower costs.
• Expand precision medicine access to rural populations.
• Attract international investment in R&D and clinical trials.

• Collaborations with global institutions, coupled with government support under ‘Make in India’ for Biotech, could position India as a global hub for precision therapeutics in the next decade.