Thermo Fisher expands India footprint with bioprocess design center

The firm’s 10,000 square-foot bioprocess design center (BDC), located in Genome Valley, Hyderabad, will provide general development and manufacturing services and include personnel training hubs. The bioprocess vendor has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Telangana, a state in India, for the facility, which is expected to open early next year. 

According to the firm, the BDC will be equipped with workflow capabilities across both upstream and downstream research, cell-culture media development, single-use scale-up manufacturing, and product validation. The center will also feature single-use bioreactors and provide pay-per-use infrastructure, technical expertise, and research solutions. 

“The BDC will help accelerate the development and manufacturing of innovative biotherapeutics in India and Asia-Pacific region,” a spokesperson for Thermo Fisher Scientific told BioProcess Insider. 

“The BDC will provide access to advanced bioprocessing technologies and expertise, reducing their time to market for new biopharma products. We envision forming strategic partnerships and collaborations. The aim is to create a collaborative ecosystem that accelerates the development of breakthrough therapeutics and enhances the biopharma sector in Telangana and beyond.” 

Thermo Fisher opened a R&D and engineering center in Hyderabad for product design, development, validation, and reliability performance testing and verification in 2022. 

The spokesperson said, “We are working towards advancing India’s pharmaceutical exports by providing technologies and solutions through initiatives like the BDC and partnerships with bio-incubators. Additionally, we are supporting the development of high-quality biopharmaceutical products in India.” 

In 2022, Thermo Fisher opened a bioprocess supply center on Yeongjongdo Island in South Korea to provide a reliable supply of products and materials for the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, including vaccines. That was followed with the opening of another facility in Singapore to advance research, development, and production of medicines and vaccines in May 2023. Established with the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the plant provides vaccine fill/finish capacity. 

The Waltham, Massachusetts-based company has partnered with several Indian firms recently. In January 2024, the company collaborated with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) to establish a center of excellence for biotechnology research and innovation.  

That was followed by a partnership between Thermo Fisher and the Atal Incubation Centre – Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (AIC-CCMB) in April 2024. Thermo agreed to provide tools and technologies to the center, including its CellInsight CX7 LZR Pro high content screening platform, KingFisher Flex automated nucleic purification system, EVOS M7000 imaging system, laboratory freezers, refrigerators, and thermal cyclers. 

Moreover, the firm has collaborated with numerous academic institutions, including Indian Insitute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneshwar. 

Other bioprocess vendors including Sartorius, Repligen and Danaher’s Cytiva have also opened bioprocess plants in India. The facilities showcase equipment and provide services to support biopharmaceutical business locally.  

Hyderabad: A gateway to Indian biopharma biz 

India is rapidly becoming a global biopharma hub, driven by growth in R&D and leading biotech companies. Paving the way for the nation is Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana, which is emerging as India’s biopharma powerhouse. 

Hyderabad is a historic and modern metropolis in southern India known for its rich cultural heritage, iconic landmarks, and world-famous biryani.  

The city is also home to India’s first organized cluster for life sciences, Genome Valley. Spanning over 2,000 acres, the cluster includes more than 200 companies including Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Ferring Pharma, Lonza, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Amgen.  

“Hyderabad is recognized as a leading destination for large biotech and life sciences companies, making it an ideal location for Thermo Fisher to expand its footprint and foster scientific innovation,” the spokesperson added. “The establishment of the BDC in Genome Valley aligns with Thermo Fisher's commitment to strengthening India's biopharma manufacturing capabilities and advancing healthcare solutions globally.”