ICT Mumbai and ITRI Unite to Catalyse ₹30 Crore Support for Mumbai Biocluster, Honoring Prof. M. M. Sharma’s Legacy

In a landmark moment for India’s biopharma innovation landscape, the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, and the Indian Translational Research Initiative (ITRI) have signed an Expression of Interest (EOI) to co-develop the Mumbai Biocluster, a cutting-edge eight-storey facility aimed at accelerating translational research, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development in biopharmaceuticals.

The announcement was made at the Aarti Industries Research and Technology Centre (ARTC), Navi Mumbai, during a tribute event honoring Padma Vibhushan Prof. M. M. Sharma, India’s foremost chemical technologist. The event also featured the relaunch of Divine Scientist, Prof. Sharma’s official biography, reaffirming ICT Mumbai’s mission to advance his visionary legacy.

A National Platform for Translational Excellence

The Mumbai Biocluster is designed to tackle India’s biggest innovation challenge — bridging the “valley of death” between early-stage scientific breakthroughs and commercial success.

Key capabilities will include:

• A GMP-ready biologics pilot plant
• Centers for rare diseases, process development, synthetic biology, and AI-powered drug discovery
• Shared analytical, formulation, and quality-control platforms
• Advanced training and skilling hubs for India’s biopharma workforce

The project, governed by the ICT Mumbai Research Foundation (Section 8 company), has already secured recognition under DST-SATHI and is actively raising resources through government, philanthropic, and industry partnerships.

Leadership Speaks

Dr. Ratnesh Jain, Principal Investigator and Founder of Mumbai Biocluster, stated:

“Our collaboration with ITRI aligns with a shared vision — transforming innovation into clinical-stage impact. We aim to enable indigenous solutions for rare diseases and build a new era of biomanufacturing and therapeutic development.”

Prof. A. B. Pandit, Vice Chancellor, ICT Mumbai, said:

“On this day of honoring Prof. M. M. Sharma, we also celebrate ICT’s unwavering mission to take science from the lab to society. The Biocluster epitomizes our ethos of innovation with purpose.”

Dr. Abdur Rub, CEO of ITRI, added:

“With ICT Mumbai, we are building an innovation bridge — ensuring that Indian research does not just innovate but sets global benchmarks in healthcare solutions.”

Enabling Academia, Startups, and Industry

The Mumbai Biocluster is envisioned as a collaborative innovation hub, providing:

• Access to shared, high-end equipment, reducing infrastructure costs for startups and academic innovators
• Technology validation and scale-up facilities
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration platforms connecting academia, startups, and industry
• Entrepreneurship pathways and workforce development programs

About ICT Mumbai

The Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, is one of India’s most distinguished institutions for chemical sciences and engineering, known for shaping the country’s pharma and biotech industries.

About ITRI

The Indian Translational Research Initiative (ITRI) is a philanthropic collaboration focused on bridging gaps between discovery and deployment, advancing India’s healthcare innovation ecosystem.

Pharma Now will continue to track the progress of the Mumbai Biocluster, a project poised to become a cornerstone of India’s next-generation biopharmaceutical innovation.