LAURUSLABS

bets on cell and gene therapies, eyes CDMO role

is aggressively investing in cell and gene therapies, looking to become a key manufacturing partner in the burgeoning field, The pharmaceutical company, primarily known for its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing and contract development services (CDMO), has already invested approximately Rs 550 crore in subsidiary Laurus Bio, CAR-T therapy company ImmunoACT and in a gene therapy collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur among others. The move stems from a board decision to back disruptive technologies, particularly in areas outside Laurus Labs’ core expertise, by supporting startups and academic research. "This idea of investing in disruptive technologies came from one of the discussion in a board meeting," Chava said. "The science and areas where Laurus doesn't have expertise, we want to identify companies or start-ups in academia and support them".Cell and gene therapies are used to treat diseases such as genetic disorders, including spinal muscular atrophy, haemophilia, and sickle cell disease, cancer and the so-called acquired illnesses by modifying cells and genes.