Leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial nations have agreed that biotechnology could help farmers to increase crop productivity and provide more healthful food around the globe. Addressing the critical issue of global food security, the leaders agreed to “promote science-based risk analysis, including on the contribution of seed varieties developed through biotechnology”. Ms. Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, Executive Vice-President for Food and Agriculture of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), issued the following statement in response to this action at the G8 Summit in Japan: “As these leaders have said, now is the time to invest in science-based solutions to better achieve sustainable food and fuel production. Biotechnology is already providing those solutions to farmers globally with biotech plants that can produce more with lower costs per acre while being resistant to disease and pests.”

Scientists have determined how to fortify some food plants such as the cassava, a staple root crop in many developing countries, with enough vitamins, minerals and protein to provide the poor and malnourished with a day’s worth of nutrition in a single meal. Studies are also under way to extend the shelf-life so that foods can be stored longer or shipped further with fewer losses. Agricultural biotechnology has environmental benefits too because biotech crop varieties require less tilling and pesticide applications, thereby saving fuel and reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the air. This can also improve soil health and water retention.

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Indian drug companies planning to launch recombinant biologics, DNA vaccines and other genetically modified (GM) pharma products may come under the ambit of the proposed National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority (NBRA). At present, the approval for these drugs – right from their clinical trials to market authorization – is vested in the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The Department of Biotechnology’s draft NBRA Bill, 2008, seeks to amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules (8th Amendment), 1988, to exclude recombinant pharmaceuticals from the DCGI’s purview and transfer it to the proposed new regulator. Thus, vaccines containing living genetically engineered organisms, recombinant blood and plasma-derived products, such as clotting factors and gene therapy products, would come under NBRA’s scanner.

Officials, however, clarified that the NBRA’s regulatory role will be confined to only drugs with living GM organisms (GMOs). That would, for example, include live vaccines used for polio, measles and tuberculosis but not human insulin or the recombinant hepatitis-B vaccine (whose active ingredients are products derived from GMOs, but not themselves living GMOs). The NBRA will thus take over not only some of the functions of the DCGI, but even that of the newly created Food Safety and Standards Authority. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which currently authorizes the testing and commercial release of GM crops, would also become redundant.

Source: www.greenbio.checkbiotech.org

In the United States, Massachusetts Governor Mr. Deval Patrick signed a measure that will allocate US$1 billion to the biotechnology industry over 10 years. The measure includes US$250 million in tax incentives for biotech companies, and US$250 million in grants for research, fellowships and workforce training. Half of the allocation, US$500 million, is for infrastructure, including a stem cell bank at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The bill is intended to fill a funding shortfall caused by a ban on the use of federal funds for human embryonic stem cell research as well as to challenge California’s dominance in the field. Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is permitted only for research using embryonic stem cell lines created on or before 9 August 2001, under a policy announced by President Bush on that date. California voters in 2004 approved a plan to invest US$3 billion of tax funds over 10 years into embryonic stem cell research. The Governor said the measure will help researchers develop cures for diseases and create new jobs in the state.

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

China’s cabinet has approved a huge budget for research of genetically modified (GM) crops amid growing concerns over food security, a move that scientists say may speed up commercial production of GM rice or maize. The State Council, or cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Premier Mr. Wen Jiabao, gave the green light to a programme aimed at promoting indigenous GM crops. According to Chinese scientists, the programme includes a large increase for transgenic research, including a big portion to develop safety measures for GM crops until the year 2020. “There is significant growth in budget at between US$584 million and US$730 million in the coming years,” stated Prof. Lu Barong of Fusan University and a member of the country’s biosafety committee with the agriculture ministry.

The programme aims to obtain genes with great potential commercial value whose intellectual property rights belong to China and to develop high-quality, high-yield and pest-resistant GM species. The cabinet also urged relevant authorities to speed up the implementation of the programme, in view of its importance and urgency. China, the global leader in developing GM rice, has put off commercialization of such varieties due to global consumer concerns, partly fuelled by GM rice contamination in rice products exported from the country.

Source: www.agbios.com

An industry survey has revealed that India’s fledgling biotechnology sector posted US$2.56 billion in revenue during 2007-2008, registering a 20 per cent growth over the previous fiscal at US$2.1 billion. “Though the sector grew at a healthy 20 per cent, it was lower than the 30 per cent growth posted over the previous five consecutive years, largely due to the rupee appreciating by 12 per cent and pricing pressures impacting export earnings,” said Mr. N. Suresh of BioSpectrum, which commissioned the survey. Association of Biotech Led Enterprises conducted the survey.

The survey noted that 56 per cent of the sector’s revenue (US$1.44 billion) was generated from exports. Biopharma accounted for about 70 per cent of exports and bioservices 26 per cent. The top 20 home-grown firms accounted for 48 per cent of the total biotech market. Pune-based Serum Institute tops the sector for the third consecutive year followed by Biocon, Panacea Biotech and Nuziveedu Seeds. The Hyderabad-based Nuziveedu Seeds ranked first in the bioagri segment, relegating Salem-based Rasi Seeds to the next position. Bioservices posted highest growth rate at 43 per cent, followed by bioinformatics at 31 per cent.

Source: www.economictimes.indiatimes.com

India’s Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has adopted a new set of guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and protocol introduced by the Review Committee on Genetic Modification for the safety assessment of genetically engineered plants and the foods derived from such plants. The new set of procedures is a step in the direction of implementing rigorous and scientifically sound approval system for genetically modified crops and foods.

The new approval system – which is built on the inter-ministerial expertise on biotechnology, including the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health – will replace the existing cumbersome system of approval. The new system includes:

• Guidelines for the conduct of field trials of regulated, genetically engineered plants in India and SOPs;
• Protocol for safety assessment of genetically engineered plants; and
• Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines for the safety of foods derived from genetically engineered plants in India.

Contact: Dr. K.K. Tripathi, Advisor, DBT, India; Or Website: www.igmoris.nic.in.

Source: www.seed quest.com