A brief analysis of the current structure of biotechnology in India reveals that the country is in a dynamic development stage with an emphasis on the practical application of new science for the solution of urgent medical problems. Some of the exciting things happening in this area include the focus on precise biotherapy where treatments are developed to suit the patient’s genetics, environment as well as lifestyle. At the heart of this change is the Government of India’s ‘BioE3’ scheme, which is now paving the way for these advances and supporting the emergence of the new age of personalised medicine.

Understanding Precision Biotherapeutics:
Precision biotherapeutics means creating treatments that are aimed directly at the individual biomarkers of the patient needing the treatment. Precision biotherapeutics differs from a disease or treatment that is applied to a wide range of patients since it integrates the patient’s entire genomics, molecular characteristics, and disease process. This approach can help in the creation of therapies that are more effective than the currently available ones, which inflict fewer side effects, and eventually improve the general wellbeing of the human body. Precision biotherapeutics have unprecedented potential in India, particularly because of the high genetic heterogeneity and the broad spectrum of diseases and disease frequencies present in the country. If the treatments were made to need variations due to different genetic factors for different populations it would change the way illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders and other diseases are managed. The BioE3 Scheme: BioE3 Scheme of Empowerment, Engagement, and Excellence—BioE3 Scheme is presented as an Enabler of Precision Medicine to understand the ecosystem that supports research and development in biotechnology. One of them is focused on supporting innovations in precision medicine, especially precision biotherapeutics. Through this scheme, funding, infrastructure as well as policy support to the researchers and start-ups who are involved in developing personalized therapies is offered. This research found that the BioE3 Scheme aims to enhance the generation of next-generation biotherapeutics and creates partnerships between academic institutions, industry players, and government bodies. It also promotes the application of innovative technologies like genomics bioinformatics, and diagnostics based on AI or machine learning, which are highly essential for the development of PM. These collaborations are crucial in the process of developing scientific research into tangible healthcare applications.
Key Areas of Impact:
Cancer Treatment: Precision biotherapeutics help to enhance cancer treatment since they are keyed to the mutations that cause tumour formation. For instance, treatments such as targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors were developed to work only on the cancerous cells leaving healthy cells unharmed, thus, less serious side effects than those caused by chemotherapeutic agents.
Rare Diseases: Various genetic diseases in India have a low diagnosis rate and this is because most of the diagnostic facilities are unavailable. Thanks to the BioE3 initiative, precision biotherapeutics can be established to treat such diseases providing hope to patients who have no other available treatment.
Infectious Diseases: India is burdened with highly infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis among other diseases. Precision biotherapeutics can assist in that regard by developing better vaccines, treatments and other methods that take into consideration the genetic structure of the pathogen as well as of the patient, thus increasing the chances of a successful outcome.

The Road Ahead
BioE3 Scheme Construction is a significant breakthrough in the growth of India’s Bio-technology industry especially in the venture of Precision Biotherapeutics. Such a situation is made possible by the government through fostering organisational innovation as well as collaboration to make India a hub for the development of personalized medicine. However, there are some issues which persist, such as the requirement for more infrastructure, more professionals and a lack of awareness among the common people regarding the importance of Precision Medicine.

To sum up, it would be pertinent to conclude that the perspective of precision biotherapeutic drugs under the BioE3 scheme is a strategy that has the key potential of transforming the healthcare system of India. If sustained with such investment and support, such an approach could help to arrive at better formulations, better patient outcomes, and a robust biotech cluster equipped to deal with India’s vast and demographically diverse population’s healthcare issues.

Abhishek Sinha

University/College name : Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi