Hyd's AIC-CCMB Partners with Thermo Fisher Scientific to Support Biotech Startups

The collaboration aims to equip AIC-CCMB’s cutting-edge facility with state-of-the-art technology to support the growth and development of startups in the field.

In a significant move towards fostering innovation in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors, the Atal Incubation Centre – Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (AIC-CCMB) in Hyderabad has allied with Thermo Fisher Scientific. 

The collaboration aims to equip AIC-CCMB’s cutting-edge facility, the Centre for Innovation, with state-of-the-art technology to support the growth and development of startups in the field.

Per the agreement, Thermo Fisher Scientific will provide advanced technological infrastructure to empower scientists and entrepreneurs associated with AIC-CCMB’s Centre for Innovation. 

On the partnership, Dr Madhusudhana Rao, CEO, AIC-CCMB, said, “As one of the largest facilities supporting start-ups in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology, AIC-CCMB endeavors to build an ecosystem that fosters innovation."

What will the Centre Feature?

Thermo Fisher Scientific has equipped the Centre for Innovation with cutting-edge platforms.

This included the CellInsight CX7 LZR Pro High Content Screening Platform, KingFisherTM Flex automated nucleic purification system, EVOSTM M7000 imaging system, laboratory freezers and refrigerators, and thermal cyclers. 

Additionally, these tools aim to facilitate research, drug discovery, and assay development in molecular biology, protein biology, cell biology, and cell analysis workflows.

Talking about the collaboration, Srinath Venkatesh, MD, India & South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific, said, “The Government of India’s flagship initiatives such as the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), are aimed at fostering an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. We are proud to work with the various bio-incubators to set up these Centres for Innovation as a part of our nationwide efforts to support innovative startups in becoming scalable and sustainable.”

Thermo Fisher’s Recent Healthcare Developments

In January, Thermo Fisher Scientific appointed Srinath Venkatesh as MD of India and South Asia. Talking about his vision, Venkatesh highlighted his goal of advancing the company's growth and operations in India while enhancing customer value creation. 

Since 1996, when Thermo Fisher established its operations in India, the company has strengthened its presence with eight manufacturing facilities, five application labs, two R&D centers, and eight distribution centers.

This was supported by an extensive network of 400-plus channel partners and approximately 4,700 employees (including PPD) strategically located in 42 cities and offices across 17 locations.

Going forward, Thermo Fisher Scientific plans to launch ‘Lab of the Future’. This involves building an integrated ecosystem between analytical instruments, software, and data. 

Further, the company aims to automate and connect instruments, overcome people, process, and technology hurdles, and enable businesses to innovate continuously.

Last year, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Pfizer entered into a collaboration agreement to help increase local access to next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based testing for lung and breast cancer patients in more than 30 countries across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

With an annual revenue of more than $40 billion, Thermo Fisher Scientific is an American supplier of analytical instruments, life sciences solutions, specialty diagnostics, laboratory, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology services. The company aims to enable its customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.