A partnership between the Wellcome Trust and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in the Indian government is to support the development of healthcare products.
The partnership will seek to strengthen Indian biomedical sciences through a series of fellowship programmes.
The R+D for Affordable Healthcare initiative will support research and development projects aimed at delivering safe and effective healthcare products on a large scale at affordable costs.
The aim is to bring together researchers from both the public and private sectors, largely working in India, to develop new devices, diagnostics, medicines and vaccines that will reach the greatest numbers of beneficiaries, without compromising on quality.
The resulting five-year fund will be used to support the development of healthcare products that will benefit India, as well as having application for other emerging economies and the developing world.
The initiative follows successful piloting of the concept by the Wellcome Trust.
One such project involves collaboration between the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad and Sheffield University, to develop and use new biocompatible materials for a stem-cell-based therapy to restore sight in eyes where the cornea is damaged by chemical or burns injury.
This advanced tertiary eye care centre in Hyderabad offers comprehensive eye care on an equitable basis to millions across the state of Andhra Pradesh, through its pyramidal network that involves 17 secondary eye care centres in towns and 65 primary care centres in large villages.
The scheme is now open to applications from for-profit or not-for-profit institutions, governmental or non-governmental organisations and international organisations operating within the territory of India.
