BENGALURU – As the global healthcare landscape stands on the precipice of a regenerative revolution, India is repositioning itself from the “pharmacy of the world” to its “innovation laboratory.” In a recent episode of the “What India Needs!” podcast, hosted by Shutapa Paul, Dr. Jogin Desai, Founder and CEO of Eyestem, outlined a bold future where breakthrough therapies for incurable diseases could launch as frequently as every two to three years.
The conversation highlights a critical inflection point for India’s biotech sector, one where the focus is shifting from slowing down decay to actively reversing it.
The End of “Incurable”?
Historically, the timeline for developing a new medical treatment has been measured in decades. Dr. Desai argues that this cycle is undergoing a dramatic compression. For Eyestem, the immediate frontier is dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness that currently lacks a cure.
Our goal is to bring a new therapy for an incurable disease every two to three years once we reach commercialisation,
Learn MoreWe are not in the business of slowing diseases; we are working towards reversing them.
Dr. Desai
Learn More: Eyestem’s Eyecyte-RPE™ Trial Shows Vision Rescue for Geographic Atrophy Patients
Beyond dry AMD, Eyestem is aggressively expanding its portfolio:
- Retinitis Pigmentosa: Animal studies are slated to begin next year, targeting younger populations.
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Research is scheduled to commence next month in partnership with Singaporean entities.
- Parkinson’s Disease: The company is currently identifying the most effective cell-based approaches for treatment.
The Policy Tailwind: Biopharma SHAKTI
The timing of these scientific leaps coincides with significant legislative support. The Union Budget 2026–27 recently unveiled the Biopharma SHAKTI programme, a ₹10,000 crore initiative. This fund is designed to bolster biologics manufacturing, clinical research infrastructure, and regulatory efficiency.
Dr. Desai noted that while Western nations are seeing a tightening of research funding, India’s proactive investment creates a “rare window of opportunity” to secure long-term leadership in deeptech.
The Funding and Regulatory “Bottleneck”
Despite the optimism, the path to global dominance isn’t without hurdles. The podcast highlighted a stark disparity in Research and Development (R&D) spending:
| Metric | India | Developed Markets (US/China/Israel) |
| R&D Spend as % of GDP | 0.6–0.7% | Significantly Higher (2–4%+) |
| Primary Funding Source | ~70% Government-led | 60–70% Private Capital-driven |
| Regulatory Approval Time | 6–9 Months | ~30 Days |
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Democratizing High-Tech Medicine
Perhaps the most disruptive element of Eyestem’s vision is its pricing strategy. While similar regenerative therapies in the West are priced between $500,000 and $2 million, Eyestem aims to provide its solutions for under $15,000.
Our goal is to make it accessible at scale,
This democratization of deep science could redefine global perceptions of Indian innovation, proving that “affordable” doesn’t have to mean “incremental.”
Dr. Desai
The Road Ahead: AI and Biology
Looking to the future, the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and biology is expected to be the primary driver of transformation. While Dr. Desai acknowledged that this synergy will unlock new pathways for treatment, he also cautioned that it would require robust “guardrails” to manage emerging risks.
