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Rajya Sabha reply details CSIR's healthcare/pharma technology pipeline across its constituent laboratories — CDRI (Lucknow), IMTECH, IGIB, IICT — spanning drug discovery, diagnostics, genomics and gene-editing therapeutics.
Flagship outcomes include BIRSA-101 (India's first indigenous CRISPR gene-editing therapy, for Sickle Cell Disease, licensed to Serum Institute of India) and FELUDA (a CRISPR-based COVID-19 diagnostic licensed to Tata Sons, later forming the basis of Tata MD CHECK).
CSIR runs population-genomics programmes IndiGen and GenomeIndia (targeting 10,000 Indian genomes), and rare-disease genomics networks GUaRDIAN and GOMED, alongside a dedicated technology-transfer and licensing ecosystem for industry/MSME/startup partners.
Drug discovery and affordable-technology development for major diseases
Genomics, gene-editing (FnCas9/CRISPR platform), rare-disease diagnostics; leads GUaRDIAN and pharmacogenomics under GenomeIndia
TB diagnostics/therapeutics, antimicrobial-resistance research, vaccine carrier-protein (CRM197) production
Affordable API/drug-intermediate manufacturing processes (e.g. Bempedoic Acid, Favipiravir, the TLR7/8 adjuvant used in Covaxin)
CSIR laboratories develop technologies through public funding, then transfer them to industry via patent/know-how licensing (e.g. BIRSA-101 to Serum Institute, FELUDA to Tata Sons), often with differential/lower pricing for startups and MSMEs to encourage adoption — a route distinct from direct government manufacturing.
Simple Analogy: CSIR labs act as an R&D engine that hands finished blueprints to private industry to build and sell, rather than manufacturing products itself
GS Paper 3 > Science & Technology > Biotechnology, Indigenous Technology
What is Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in news?
Answer: A molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing
CSIR technology-transfer stories recur often in PIB/science current affairs
India's first indigenous CRISPR (FnCas9-based) gene-editing therapy, developed by CSIR-IGIB for Sickle Cell Disease
FnCas9 Editor Linked Uniform Detection Assay — a CRISPR-based paper-strip diagnostic test developed by CSIR-IGIB, first used for COVID-19