“Growing the local pharmaceutical manufacturing business is key”

In an interview with BIZWEEK, the Chief Executive of the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology Limited (MIBL) recognizes that growing the local pharmaceutical manufacturing business is key to ensuring control over costs, safety and quality of locally produced pharma products. Dr Rattan Gujadhur added that MIBL will be implementing some key projects to catalyse the sector. 

We understand that the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology Limited (MIBL) is a shareholder of MC Biotech, whose aim is to make high-quality and affordable pharmaceutical products accessible to the Mauritian and African markets. Can you tell us more about this partnership?

The Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology Limited (MIBL) has invested in MC Biotech as we fully recognize that growing the local pharmaceutical manufacturing business is key to ensuring we have control over the costs, safety and quality of locally produced pharma products. We have the talent in Mauritius to make this happen, and we think that MC Biotech, with its growing portfolio of products that range from hypertension, cardiovascular, and diabetes to anti-cancer drugs, can make a difference to the costs of products, locally, in the months and years to come. MIBL fully believes in local small molecules parenteral and non-parenteral production in Mauritius. Having worked in good pharmaceutical drug manufacturing practices for over 25 years, I, through MIBL’s support, will further ‘coach’ MC Biotech to produce the drugs at a standard that meets the EU-ICH and FDA requirements. 

At the launch of the final report on Biopharma Industry Development last October, in collaboration with the European Union, you underscored the critical importance of fostering a thriving biopharma sector, describing it as the next pillar of the Mauritian economy. Is this project in line with your ambition?

Yes, we are on our way to implementing some key projects to catalyse the sector. Projects are already happening, and they range from biologics manufacture to Agri-Tech projects and to marine drugs development. We also are in discussion with a major US biotech company to develop a first-class genomics lab in Mauritius. We were very thrilled that the Minister, today, (Editor’s Note: in his budget speech on Friday) announced the creation of an independent regulatory authority, which is in direct line with WHO, EU and MIBL recommendations to the government. The creation of an independent regulatory authority was also a key requirement of the Africa Rise report. In brief, things are building up and the momentum to expand the sector has already arrived. It is an honour for me to be able to spearhead these efforts with my team. MIBL is also expanding so as to implement the sheer volume of work. We need excellent biotech executives to spearhead the operational and strategic initiatives. 

We are currently in discussion with a local company that we have requested to run world class bio-pharmaceutical courses supported by ISPE, a premier biotechnology training organization based in the US.

We understand that MIBL has already selected several projects from a pool of over 30 proposals, providing seed money to initiate the development cycle and promote investment. Can you elaborate?

We have been busy working, at the leadership and board levels at MIBL, to seed projects. We have received interesting proposals. Like for MC Biotech, we have also invested in the local nutraceutical business, i.e. Indika Pharma, and we have made a significant commitment to collaborate with the CBBR center at UoM. We have signed several MoUs, and the MoU with CBBR is key to us. We cannot have seeding of small biotech businesses without the support of analytical and biomaterials research labs. We are exploring and investing in a few starts up (not all local) to develop new recycling technologies, as well as to explore precision medicine technologies. In addition to seeding money from MIBL funds, we are actively trying to develop a national incubator fund to support proposal with both private and governmental support. Finally, a key strategic alliance with a local Mauritian enterprise is also in the works. MIBL believes in collaboration with private enterprises locally. The growth of the biotechnology ecosystem will take active alliances with external and internal partners. 

You mentioned that five steering committees have been established to offer guidance on green biotechnology, agriculture, blue biotechnology, marine industries, red biotechnology for medical healthcare, white biotechnology for industrial purposes, and grey biotechnology for environmental concerns. A sixth subcommittee, focused on education and learning development (orange biotechnology), will soon join the ranks. Can we have an update?

Yes, great question. In addition to the sectors that you have mentioned, our esteemed board and leaders at MIBL have realized that learning and development are key to the growth of the sector. With the HEC team in Mauritius, we also offered 200 scholarships via the commonwealth of learning (COL) program to build foundational expertise in the country. Most applicants were undergraduates and graduates, and courses ranged from classical chemistry and biology courses, to manufacturing, genetics, gene therapy, and many more specialized courses. 

MIBL worked in close collaboration with UTM to develop curriculum in industrial biotechnology (BSc and Diploma), and these courses are now active in the country. We have set this new committee (orange) for learning and development, as we are aware that local biotechnology business in Mauritius needs courses focused on work related expertise, i.e. analytical courses, GMP/GLP expertise, etc. We are currently in discussion with a local company that we have requested to run world class bio-pharmaceutical courses supported by ISPE, a premier biotechnology training organization based in the US. In brief, to build the sector, we will need to constantly train, advise, and support the local workforce.

MIBL believes in collaboration with private enterprises locally. The growth of the biotechnology ecosystem will take active alliances with external and internal partners.