Serum Institute, CSIR sign pact to produce affordable gene therapy for SCD

CSIR-IGIB and Serum Institute of India have partnered to transfer indigenous CRISPR-based technology that could cut sickle cell gene therapy costs from crores to a fraction

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Institute of Genomic and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) on Wednesday signed a technology transfer agreement with Serum Institute of India (SII) to develop an indigenous CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

 

The collaboration centres around enFnCas9, an engineered high-fidelity CRISPR-Cas9 platform developed by IGIB. 

 

The SII would now conduct trials to develop a cost effective treatment for SCD, a genetic blood disorder that affects an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 children in India each year. 

 

At present, CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for SCD costs around ₹20-25 crore due to high licensing fees. “The newly developed indigenous technology named Birsa 101, however, is expected to bring the cost down to around ₹50 lakh,” people in the know said.

   

Commenting on the agreement, Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said the innovation carries deep national significance, especially for tribal communities in central and eastern India, where the disease burden is highest.

 

According to reports, estimates suggest that about 1 in 86 tribal births may result in SCD. 

 

Singh added that the government alone cannot shoulder the entire burden of biotechnology expansion, and industry participation is essential for scale, affordability, and global competitiveness.

 

“The transfer of BIRSA 101 and the CRISPR platform to a manufacturer like SII guarantees affordability, scalability and global-standard manufacturing pathways, ensuring that advanced gene-editing cures become accessible for Indian patients, especially among underserved tribal populations,” he said.

 

While the IGIB has already undertaken the first phase of trials, SII will now join in to conduct the second and third phases of clinical trials.

 

Umesh Shaligram, executive director at SII, said that globally, gene therapies cost over $3 million and are beyond the reach of even the wealthy. “Our mission is to take Indian innovation and make it accessible for the poorest of the poor,” he said.