The objective of the Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP) scheme is to transform Indian Pharma MedTech sector from cost based to innovation-based growth by strengthening the research infrastructure in the country. The rationale behind the recent amendments was to facilitate smooth implementation, bring greater clarity in governance and make benefit-sharing mechanisms more effective. Key features of the scheme are as under:

1. It has two components, namely, Component A: Strengthening the research infrastructure through setting up of centres of excellence at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and Component B: Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech sector.
2. Under component A, a total of seven centres of excellence have been set up, one at each of the seven NIPERs established at Mohali, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Kolkata, Raebareli, Hajipur and Hyderabad.
3. Component B is for providing financial assistance to support research and development (R&D) for development of products and technologies (outputs) or expeditious validation of R&D outputs for market launch and large-scale commercialisation in three priority areas, namely new medicines, complex generics and biosimilars, and novel medical devices. Under this component, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has invited applications for research and innovation projects from pharmaceutical and MedTech industry and startups.

Under component B of the scheme, for Early Stage Projects, MSMEs and startups may apply for projects costing up to ₹9 crore for assistance of up to ₹5 crore. For Later Stage Projects, projects of industry, MSMEs and startups costing up to ₹285 crore may apply for assistance up to ₹100 crore. The scale of financial assistance for Early Stage Projects is 100% for cost up to ₹1 crore and 50% of additional cost beyond ₹1 crore, subject to a maximum up to ₹5 crore. The scale for financial assistance for Later Stage Projects is 35% of the project cost (50% in case of projects in Strategic Priority Innovation areas), subject to a maximum of ₹100 crore.

The criteria adopted for inclusion of projects in Strategic Priority Innovation areas is that they address areas of India’s public health concern for which market potential is relatively lower. For Later Stage Projects in these areas, financial assistance may be to the extent of 50% of the approved total project cost, as against 35% for projects in other areas, subject to a maximum of ₹100 crore.

Mechanisms under the scheme to institutionally promote the national pharma-medtech innovation ecosystem include the following:

1. Under component A, institutional strengthening of research infrastructure has been undertaken through the setting up of centres of excellence at the seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, which are institutes of national importance for imparting postgraduate and doctoral education and conduct high-end research in various specialisations in pharmaceutical sciences and medical technologies. These centres are in the specialisations of anti-viral and anti-bacterial drug discovery and development, medical devices, bulk drugs, flow chemistry and continuous manufacturing, novel drug delivery system, phyto-pharmaceuticals and biological therapeutics, with a view to help in building specific research capacities in the identified priority areas, tapping industry-academia linkage. These are aimed at strengthening the research infrastructure in the pharma-MedTech sector by providing advanced facilities to conduct research and help in nurturing talent pool by promoting industry-academia linkage.
2. Under component B, industry and startups are encouraged under the scheme to collaborate flexibly with reputed Government academic and research institutions specified in the Scheme guidelines to develop, translate and commercialise institutional intellectual property and to augment institutional research capacities in India.

This information was given by Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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