The Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), a leading body of the biotech sector in India, and US-based Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA), recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi for broad ranging co-operation in the field of biotechnology to support breakthrough discoveries in healthcare, agriculture and clean energy in the country.
According to the MoU, both ABLE and WBBA will undertake activities to further their respective mandates by providing each others’ members opportunities to co-operate and invest in the state of Washington and in India in the field of biotechnology. These activities could be the current ones that both associations are engaged in or future ones that both may decide to do individually or jointly. Among others, the activities could be concerned with technical knowledge, market research, inputs for policy-making, internships, exhibitions, workshops, seminars, capacity building, collaborations, investment and business partnering.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr P M Murali, president, ABLE, said, “We are pleased to partner with WBBA to support and provide each other with cutting edge research in biotechnology. The collaboration aims to achieve breakthrough discoveries to provide affordable solutions for critical diseases, important challenges in agriculture and energy on mutually agreed topics.”
Chris Rivera, president, WBBA said, “We see India as the growth engine of tomorrow and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. This collaboration with ABLE in India is significant to WBBA to facilitate best of research in biotechnology from both the countries.”
Chris Gregoire, governor of Washington state, was also present for signing this MoU and said, “Washington state has always promoted technology innovation and biotechnology has been one of our areas of focus for research and development. This exciting partnership will spur progress in this sector in India and Washington, growing jobs in both regions. We know that this collaboration, over time, will pay dividends in improved public health and economic development.”
