Miltenyi Biotec India and BIRAC sign LoI to advance India’s cell & gene therapy ecosystem

New Delhi: In a significant step toward strengthening India’s leadership in cutting-edge biotherapeutics, Miltenyi Biotec India Private Limited and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) signed a strategic Letter of Intent (LOI) at the BIO International Convention 2025, which opened this week in Boston.

The LOI outlines a multi-pronged collaboration aimed at propelling India’s capabilities in Cell and Gene therapy (CGT) by capacity building, advancing clinical research and to solve unmet medical needs by local manufacturing of Cell Therapies.

As part of the milestone event, Miltenyi Biotec India had the honour of inaugurating the India Pavilion alongside senior representatives from BIRAC and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), including the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, a proud moment underscoring India’s growing global presence in biotechnology innovation.

Through this partnership, Miltenyi Biotec and BIRAC aim to:

• Build national capabilities and upskill scientific talent by implementing structured training and capacity-building programs for clinicians, researchers, and technicians in CGT manufacturing, analytics, and quality control.

• Expand translational research efforts through co-development of academic and multi-center studies, focusing on next-generation therapies to solve India’s unmet medical needs in malignancies, autoimmune diseases and rare diseases.

• Establish Point-of-Care (PoC) CAR-T centers across India using automated manufacturing platforms such as Miltenyi’sCliniMACS Prodigy system, enabling cost-effective and scalable access to personalized CGT treatments.

The initiative will also promote targeted cell therapy research and support local innovation through the identification and mentoring of Indian startups. This aligns with the Make in India mission by enhancing domestic production of critical and manufacturing components, and by supporting the development of national CGT Centers of Excellence.

Commenting on the significance of the LOI, 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.”

Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC, said, “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 represents a transformative moment for India’s CGT ecosystem, combining global technological expertise with public-sector commitment to build a sustainable infrastructure that benefits patients, empowers Indian innovators, and positions the country as a global hub for next-generation therapeutics.