How Biotechnology Is Driving Innovation at Companies Like Mankind Pharma

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing one of the most transformative periods in its history, and biotechnology sits at the heart of this evolution. From the development of biosimilars to the discovery of novel therapeutic molecules, biotechnology is redefining what is possible in medicine — and how quickly those possibilities can be delivered to patients. Leading Indian pharmaceutical companies like Mankind Pharma are at the forefront of this shift, demonstrating that innovation and affordability are not mutually exclusive.

The Biotechnology Revolution in Pharmaceuticals

Biotechnology, broadly defined as the science of using living cells and biological systems to develop medicines, has been a cornerstone of pharmaceutical advancement since the mid-1980s. Over the past four decades, breakthroughs in molecular biology, genetic engineering, and cell culture technology have given rise to a new class of medicines — biologics — that treat complex diseases with a precision conventional small-molecule drugs cannot match.

The commercial stakes are significant. The global biosimilars market — a key segment of pharmaceutical biotechnology — was valued at approximately USD 49.49 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach between USD 97 billion and USD 112.93 billion by 2031, advancing at compound annual growth rates of approximately 17.95%. Oncology applications lead with 54.30 % of 2025 revenue, whereas autoimmune and chronic inflammatory indications grow the quickest at a 22.10 % CAGR. For pharmaceutical companies with the scientific infrastructure and strategic vision to participate in this market, the opportunity is substantial.

Mankind Pharma’s Strategic Commitment to Biotechnology

Mankind Pharma, one of India’s most prescribed pharmaceutical companies, has made biotechnology a central pillar of its long-term research and development strategy. The company’s stated mission — to provide quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare — finds a natural expression in the development of biosimilars, which offer clinically equivalent alternatives to originator biologics at significantly lower cost.

Mankind Pharma’s biotechnology division is focused on three primary therapeutic areas: oncology, chronic inflammatory diseases, and metabolic and lifestyle disorders. These focus areas are not arbitrary; they represent some of the most prevalent and costly disease categories globally, and they are precisely the domains where biosimilars can deliver the greatest patient benefit by reducing the financial barriers to treatment. 

World-Class R&D Infrastructure Underpinning Innovation

The credibility of any biotechnology programme rests on the quality of its scientific infrastructure. Mankind Pharma has invested meaningfully in this regard. The company operates seven dedicated R&D centres across India, employs over 730 scientists — including more than 60 PhD holders — and has filed in excess of 300 patents for innovative new ideas. In the financial year 2024, R&D expenditure reached ₹223 crore, underscoring the organisation’s commitment to sustained scientific investment. 

The company’s biotechnology facility is specifically equipped for the complex demands of biosimilar development. Core technical capabilities include molecular biology and DNA manipulation for genetic engineering, cell line development and single-cell cloning, cell culture scale-up and fermentation, protein isolation and purification, and comprehensive product characterisation. 

Dedicated teams of experienced scientists work on the development and delivery of these medicines, and the company’s state-of-the-art facility specialises in biosimilars, recombinant therapeutic proteins, and diagnostics. 

Biosimilars: A Pipeline Built for Impact

Mankind Pharma is actively advancing multiple biosimilar programmes, with several scheduled to enter clinical trials in the near term. The company’s research platforms leverage complex proteins including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), hormones, and peptides, targeting advanced cancer, allergy, and metabolic disease — all areas of high unmet need. 

This pipeline is reinforced by the broader capabilities of the Mankind group. In 2024, Mankind Pharma completed its landmark acquisition of Bharat Serums & Vaccines Limited (BSV), a pioneer in biopharmaceutical innovation with over five decades of history. BSV, now part of the Mankind family, has an established track record in biological medicines, with products reaching over 70 countries and more than 530 global registrations. Its manufacturing facilities — in Ambernath, India, and Aachen, Germany — hold approvals from the EU GMP authority, Brazil’s ANVISA, and the US FDA. 

One of BSV’s most noteworthy innovations is Trinbelimab, the world’s first marketed recombinant Anti-Rh(o)-D Immunoglobulin. This pioneering New Biological Entity (NBE) prevents sensitisation in Rh-negative mothers, protecting against haemolytic disease in newborns. Since its launch in 2021, Trinbelimab has protected over 2.6 million Rh-negative mothers and was recognised as the Best Biotechnology Product at the Prix Galien India Awards in 2024 — a testament to the calibre of biological innovation now resident within the Mankind Pharma group. 

Beyond Biosimilars: New Drug Discovery and Novel Chemical Entities

Mankind Pharma’s biotechnology ambitions extend beyond biosimilars to encompass novel drug discovery. The company’s New Drug Discovery Research (NDDR) division is engaged in comprehensive drug discovery from conceptualisation through to IND-enabling preclinical and clinical studies. Notably, the company has successfully completed Phase 1 clinical trials for a GPR119 agonist — a novel chemical entity indicated for obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders — and is now progressing to Phase 2. An application for Phase 3 clinical trial approval has also been submitted for a breakthrough molecule targeting non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a condition with significant unmet therapeutic need worldwide. 

Additionally, two novel chemical entities targeting autoimmune disorders and oncology are in the preclinical stage, representing future optionality in high-value therapeutic areas. With 109 new molecules currently under development and 42 new products launched recently, the R&D pipeline reflects a company operating with significant scientific ambition. 

A Historical Benchmark: First in India, Second Globally

One milestone illustrates the depth of Mankind Pharma’s scientific capability with particular clarity. The company was the first in India and only the second globally to develop and commercialise Dydrogesterone as a generic API — a hormonal active pharmaceutical ingredient used in the treatment of menstrual cycle disorders and infertility in women. Achieving this required overcoming a challenging bioequivalence study in female subjects and represented a significant technical and regulatory accomplishment. This breakthrough has supported key global regulatory filings and demonstrates that Indian pharmaceutical companies can compete at the frontier of complex drug development. 

Biotechnology as a Vehicle for Accessible Healthcare

What distinguishes Mankind Pharma’s approach to biotechnology is not merely scientific ambition but its explicit linkage to affordability. According to the Government of India’s Economic Survey, 65 % of India’s population resides in rural areas, making access to medicines — especially high-cost biologics — a persistent and serious public health challenge. By developing biosimilars and other biological medicines domestically, and by distributing them through the largest sales force in the country that covers over 70% of prescribing doctors across metros, non-metros, and Tier 1/2/3 cities, Mankind Pharma is pursuing a model where biotechnology serves not just profitable segments of the market but the full breadth of the population. 

The intersection of biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation is creating new opportunities to treat disease, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs at scale. Companies like Mankind Pharma are demonstrating that participation in this space is no longer the preserve of Western multinationals. Through disciplined investment in R&D infrastructure, a well-defined biosimilar pipeline, the acquisition of established biopharmaceutical expertise via BSV, and a strategic commitment to affordability, Mankind Pharma is building a biotechnology capability that is globally competitive and domestically meaningful. As the biosimilars market continues its rapid expansion through the decade, the company’s early and systematic investments in this domain position it to play a significant role in shaping the future of accessible biological medicine.