March 24, 2025: Patients suffering from blood cancers, rare genetic disorders, and other complex diseases now have new hope, thanks to the opening of Bharat Biotech’s (BBIL) state-of-the-art Cell & Gene Therapy (CGT) facility in Genome Valley, Hyderabad. This pioneering 50,000-square-foot infrastructure is designed to produce life-saving therapies, offering accessible and affordable treatment options to millions who previously had limited or no options. With cutting-edge technology and expertise in viral vector production, BBIL is advancing personalized medicine and making promising treatments a reality for patients in India and beyond.
A New Era for Gene Therapy in India
The launch of BBIL’s vertically integrated CGT facility represents a transformative leap for India’s healthcare landscape. Unlike conventional treatment development centers, this facility handles every step of the process, from viral vector production to quality control and clinical application. It is set to play a pivotal role in advancing targeted therapies for diseases that have long been considered difficult or even impossible to treat, including certain types of cancers and inherited genetic disorders such as hemophilia.
Dr. Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of BBIL, emphasized the facility’s importance in transforming patient care: “This facility marks a significant milestone not only for Bharat Biotech but also for the future of personalized medicine in India. By producing high-quality viral vectors at scale, we’re enabling the development of gene and cell therapies that can offer life-saving treatments for complex diseases.”
Democratizing Access to Advanced Therapies – Dr. Raches Ella
A key focus of the facility is to make gene therapies more accessible and affordable, particularly in developing countries where these treatments have historically been out of reach. Dr. Raches Ella, Chief Development Officer, explained: “Gene and cell therapies are often perceived as expensive, limited to a few developed nations. With our new facility, Bharat Biotech aims to change this dynamic by scaling these treatments, making them available not just for patients in India, but for those in underserved regions globally.”
The facility specializes in producing high-titer viral vectors, which are essential for the development of innovative cancer therapies and treatments for genetic disorders. Using advanced platforms like AAV (Adeno-Associated Virus), Lentivirus, and Adenovirus, the facility will support clinical trials for treatments that promise to dramatically improve or even cure conditions previously deemed untreatable.
Collaborative Innovation for Global Impact
BBIL’s new facility is not working in isolation. It has forged partnerships with leading researchers and scientific institutions to push the boundaries of cell and gene therapy. Professor Krishanu Saha from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, one of the leading experts collaborating with Bharat Biotech, remarked: “Bharat Biotech is leading the way in biomanufacturing for gene and cell therapies. Our collaboration will help bring next-generation treatments to clinical trials faster, impacting patient care on a global scale.”
By collaborating with world-renowned scientists, BBIL is positioning India as a key player in the global race to advance gene therapies, combining expertise in genome editing with state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities to bring innovative treatments to patients sooner.
Targeting Complex Diseases with Precision
BBIL’s CGT facility will focus on addressing some of the most challenging and life-threatening conditions, including blood cancers, solid organ cancers, and inherited blood disorders. One of the major therapies under development is CD19 CAR T Cell Therapy, which targets blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma, providing new hope for patients with limited treatment options.
“This facility will help us produce therapies like CAR T Cell Therapy for blood cancers, which have shown transformative potential in clinical trials worldwide. We are also advancing gene therapies for genetic disorders that affect patients’ quality of life,” said Dr. Raches Ella.
Scalable and Integrated for Future Growth
Bharat Biotech’s CGT facility is designed with scalability in mind. As gene and cell therapy research continues to evolve, the infrastructure is built to expand, ensuring that the production of viral vectors and therapies can meet growing demand. This approach not only supports the acceleration of clinical trials but also facilitates the rapid translation of new discoveries into practical, accessible therapies for patients.
The facility integrates specialized teams across all stages of development—process design, production, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance—ensuring each step meets the highest standards required for clinical use.
A Call for Global Collaboration and Patient-Centered Solutions
BBIL’s new facility represents more than just technological innovation—it is a call to action for the global healthcare community to unite in the fight against rare and complex diseases. By advancing gene and cell therapies, Bharat Biotech is not just producing life-saving treatments, but also paving the way for a more equitable, accessible, and efficient healthcare system worldwide.
With full-scale operations set to begin following regulatory approvals, Bharat Biotech is ready to translate its advancements in gene therapy into real-world solutions for patients. The future of personalized medicine is here, and it starts at Bharat Biotech’s revolutionary CGT facility.
