Bill Gates Backs mRNA Capacity In India, Pitches Cutting Gene Therapy Cost

Billionaire philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation signals efforts underway to support building mRNA capacity in India amid the new platform’s potential beyond COVID-19 vaccines. He also highlights the need to bring down sharply the cost of gene therapies.

KT Rama Rao and Bill Gates
Telangana Minister for Industries and Commerce KT Rama Rao and Bill Gates • Source: BioAsia 2022

Bill Gates is backing efforts to get Indian partners into the equation for new platforms like mRNA, which the multi-billionaire co-founder of Microsoft expects will not only ensure huge scale for vaccines based on that technology going forward but also keep a tight lid on costs.

“We have a research agenda with our partners in India, not just for COVID-19 vaccines but also to take some...

Scrip Podcast

Keep up with the top pharma business news of the week. On the go.

Scrip brings you a weekly bulletin of top picks.

More from R&D

  • ProGen’s Dual Agonist Obesity Contender Gains Momentum With Rani Partnership

     
    • By 

    The CEO of South Korean biotech shares how his company was able to reach a partnership with Rani so quickly and why it is confident in its GLP-1/GLP-2 dual agonist for obesity and diabetes, despite recent disappointing clinical results for its sole rival.

  • Sciwind Eyes Differentiation For Ecnoglutide In Highly Competitive Arena

     
    • By 

    Chinese firm Sciwind has revealed additional Phase III findings for its promising once-weekly GLP-1 agonist ecnoglutide, just one asset in a burgeoning Chinese sector that could see the emergence of new rivals to current global leaders in obesity and diabetes.

  • Fosun ALK/ROS1 Inhibitor Shows 1L Promise In Advanced NSCLC

     
    • By 

    Interim results from the Phase III REMARK study presented at WCLC showed the Chinese company’s second-generation ALK/ROS1 inhibitor met its primary endpoint as a first-line therapy in ALK-positive advanced NSCLC.

  • Sponsored By:

    Nancy Tests SPARC-931-part

    The article discusses the impact of upcoming patent expirations in oncology biologics on biosimilar developers, highlighting the opportunities in Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) and Bispecific Antibodies (BsAbs). It explores the challenges posed by the structural complexities of these biologics, necessitating new bioanalytical tools and manufacturing processes. The evolving regulatory landscape, with contributions from EMA, FDA, and WHO, offers flexible pathways but also presents challenges. The article underscores the potential for biosimilars to generate significant cost savings and enhance patient access to cancer treatments over the next decade.

More from Scrip