New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): In a significant move towards enhancing India's healthcare innovation ecosystem, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched the Medical Innovations Patent Mitra initiative during the International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA).

This program, developed under the guidance of NITI Aayog and in partnership with the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), is supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

It aims to provide end-to-end guidance and hand-holding support to innovators for patent filings and technology transfer of medical innovations to the industry.

The launch was followed by a panel discussion that brought together bureaucrats, industry leaders, investors, and public health experts to explore the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for enhancing patent filing and technology transfer in the context of translational research and medical innovation.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda launched this pioneering initiative.

He said, 'Medical innovation Patent Mitra is a testament to ICMR's commitment to advancing medical innovation. With the launch of this initiative, our country is taking a significant lead in supporting our innovators. This platform will ensure that the groundbreaking work done by our scientists and researchers is protected through patents and made available to the public through seamless technology transfer. This visionary effort propels India towards attaining the goal of Viksit Bharat.'

Paul emphasised the significance of the Patent Mitra initiative in directly contributing to the goals of Ayushman Bharat, ensuring that innovative technologies developed in India are reached in every corner of the country.

Stressing the need for building a self-reliant Innovation Ecosystem in the country, he stated, 'India's journey towards becoming a self-reliant nation rests on our ability to innovate within our own borders. Through Medical Innovation Patent Mitra, we are creating an environment where indigenous biomedical innovations are encouraged and effectively protected, paving the way for a self-sustaining healthcare ecosystem.'

Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR) and ICMR Director-General, highlighted that the initiative would bridge a crucial gap in the patenting process for medical innovations, providing expert assistance at every stage--from patentability assessments to filing, prosecution, and maintenance of patents.

'The Medical Innovation Patent Mitra, along with the support of Medtech Mitra, will play a critical role in strengthening the medical innovation ecosystem of the country. It will accelerate the transformation of innovative biomedical research into practical solutions for public health. We are aspiring towards a tenfold rise in life science patents filed in India in the next two years,' he said.

Amit Agrawal, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), expressed his enthusiasm about partnering with ICMR for this flagship initiative. He emphasised that this initiative will greatly benefit innovators, start-ups, and industries.

These initiatives will complement the DoP's PRIP scheme, contributing to the transformation of India's Pharma and MedTech sector from a cost-driven model to one focused on innovation-based growth.

The Medical Innovations Patent Mitra will support ICMR Institutes, ICMR Extramural Grantees, and Medical Colleges/Institutes. It offers a comprehensive range of services, including patentability assessment, patent filing in India, and assistance with patent prosecution. The initiative also supports technology transfer, providing handholding for the transfer of innovations to industry partners through mechanisms like the Med Tech 'Mela' and paperless Expression of Interest (EoI) processes.

The launch event was supported by ICMR's Innovation and Translation Research (ITR) Unit, which serves as the backbone of this initiative. (ANI)