Indian startups are making significant strides in regenerative medicine, offering innovative treatments that could transform patient care. One notable case is that of a 58-year-old man, referred to as Rajesh Gowda, who faced the prospect of amputation due to an infection in his diabetic foot. However, an experimental cell-based therapy from a small Indian biotech company provided him with an alternative, allowing him to heal without losing his limb.
According to Mihir Joshi, Managing Director of GVFL, a venture capital firm investing in regenerative medtech startups, “The Indian biotech and regenerative medicinal ecosystem is at a significant turning point.” He emphasizes the potential for regenerative medicine to enhance healthcare accessibility and outcomes across India.
Among the promising startups is Serigen Mediproducts, which specializes in creating silk protein-based scaffolds that facilitate tissue repair. This company emerged from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) and has been incubated at the Venture Center. Co-founder and CEO Anuya Nisal explains the importance of the scaffolding material, stating, “For quality tissue formation, the scaffolding material needs to have a lot of different properties.” Serigen”s products target bone regeneration, advanced wound care, and organ reconstruction.
Another innovative startup, Cellsion Technologies, is pioneering a 3D bioprinting platform that produces miniaturized organs, such as liver and kidney tissues, for research and clinical applications. Co-founder A Abdullah Chand notes, “We grow mini organs using the same histology as the human organs.” Their bioprinted liver tissue has shown over 90 percent alignment with native tissue in preliminary tests, and the company is also developing bioengineered kidney constructs and neurology models.
QRL Bioscience is focusing on immune cell-based therapies that utilize peripheral blood to treat chronic conditions like diabetic foot ulcers and osteoarthritis. Co-founder Dr. Kranti Vora highlights the simplicity of their method, allowing nurses to collect blood and administer treatments without needing specialized personnel. The company is dedicated to saving limbs, as the amputation rate in India remains alarmingly high.
The regenerative medtech sector in India is attracting significant investor interest, with startups in the field raising substantial funds between 2018 and 2025. However, the high-risk nature of medical product development poses challenges, particularly regarding the lengthy clinical trial process and regulatory approvals. As Dr. Senthilkumar Natesan of QRL explains, “We need patience with medical products… Regulation is a major bottleneck.”
Despite the obstacles, government support has played a critical role in fostering these innovative companies. QRL Bioscience received an early-stage grant to support its research efforts, while Serigen Mediproducts benefited from the Department of Biotechnology”s BIRAC initiative. As these companies continue to navigate regulatory landscapes, their innovations hold the promise of advancing healthcare solutions for patients in India and beyond.
