Alkem Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Alkem Laboratories Ltd., announced a strategic collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) to establish a first-of-its-kind research centre in India dedicated to immuno-therapeutics and regenerative medicines.
Significant CSR Commitment to Advance Medical Innovation
As part of the partnership, Alkem Foundation will fund the “Alkem Centre for Advanced Research in Applied Immuno-Therapeutics and Regenerative Medicines” at IIT Bombay, contributing 20–25% of its CSR obligations over seven years. This collaboration is India’s first industry–academia CSR initiative in the field, targeting complex diseases with high unmet medical needs.
Bridging Industry Expertise and Academic Excellence
The partnership combines Alkem’s pharmaceutical expertise with IIT Bombay’s strengths in biomedical engineering, biosciences, and translational research, leveraging the institute’s global faculty to complement Alkem’s real-world healthcare insights and foster innovation.
Building a Comprehensive Ecosystem for High-Precision Therapies
The new centre aims to develop a robust research, innovation, and talent-development ecosystem focused on emerging high-precision therapies. It will support advancements in:
- Immuno-therapeutics
- Regenerative medicine
- Cell and gene therapy
- Gene editing and biomaterials
Advanced delivery and therapeutic engineering platforms
The centre will serve as a training and incubation hub for clinician-scientists and biotech entrepreneurs, boosting India’s translational research. Madhurima Singh, Executive Director and Chairperson of Alkem Foundation’s CSR and Sustainability Committee, highlighted the importance of supporting R&D through CSR. She said, “Despite government encouragement, only a small portion of CSR spending in India goes toward research and development. We felt it was our responsibility to go beyond business and support R&D in immuno-therapeutics and regenerative medicines. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to developing healthcare solutions by India, for India and the world.”
Prof. Shireesh B. Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay, highlighted, “The collaboration allows us to translate cutting-edge research into affordable therapies that can reduce import dependence and advance India’s journey toward self-reliance in healthcare innovation.”
Toward a National Model
According to the press release, IIT Bombay and Alkem Foundation aim to set a national benchmark for industry–academia collaboration. Furthermore, they seek to accelerate affordable healthcare solutions and, in doing so, position India as a global leader in applied biotechnology and precision medicine.
