Profile

Dr.Krishna M Ella

Chairman and Managing Director

Bharat Biotech International Ltd.

Genome valley, Shameerpet, Hyderabad

KRISHNA M. ELLA, Ph.D. alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has contributed to biotechnology on a global platform. He brings with him a vast and varied work experience ranging from biotechnology, basic science research, entrepreneurship, and teaching, spanning over three decades, both in India and the United States.

Dr.Ella pursued his early education in Chennai, graduated with an academic gold medal from the University of Agricultural Sciences-Bangalore. Dr. Ella is recipient of multiple medals and honors in his academic and professional career. While, working with Bayer at Mysore, he obtained Rotary Foundation Fellowship and moved to USA for pursuing his higher studies at the University of Hawaii and later at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After completing Ph.D, he continued his teaching & research at the Medical University of South Carolina-Charleston till 1996. His wife, Mrs.Suchitra Ella was very keen to get back to India and finally decided to get back to India in the year 1997. His quest for uniqueness has transformed him into a Bio-entrepreneur, which led to the birth of Bharat Biotech International Ltd., at Hyderabad.

After setting up Bharat Biotech, he advised the former Chief Minister of A.P (N.Chandrababu Naidu) and Industries Secretary (Dr. Sheila Bhide) to set up a Biotech Park to create impetus for the growth of knowledge based industries. The strategic move then helped in the creation of Genome Valley, thus leading to the development of more than 100 Knowledge centered & Biotech companies surrounding Bharat Biotech.

Dr. Ella always believes that technology should reach the common person and no citizen in the world should be deprived of affordable health care solutions. The affordability should come from high technology with low capital cost. This inspiration and novel belief helped him in developing Hepatitis-B vaccine with innovative down stream processing technology, eliminating high capital equipments like Ultracentrifuge, toxic chemicals and increased recovery of the proteins. This pilot invention led to the filing two global patents for the process. The ultimate effect of this technology was reduction of Hepatitis-B vaccine to $0.25 per dose as against $ 20 per dose. Hepatitis-B vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech is the first vaccine in the world, free from Caesium chloride and produced without any toxic chemicals. The company could manufacture and sell more than 100 million doses by 2005.

Indian Pharma and Biotech Industries have taken leadership in generics and biogenerics. However, there is a need to bring complete IPR protected products that are specifically designed and developed to combat diseases in the developing globally. His vision is to cultivate a mindset in every Indian Pharma/Biotech companies who could obtain credibility to India to get rid of “I for imitation” status and produce globally marketable products, which are intellectual property rights (IPR) protected. Dr. Ella felt that Indian companies should develop the skills required for R&D, product development, pre-clinical and clinical trials expertise required for new on products. In that quest, to become an innovator, he took on two projects (Rotavirus & Malaria) from the Indo-USA Vaccine Action Program. Later these programs received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & PATH ($ 15 Million). Under these programs, collaboration was established with CDC-Atlanta, Stanford University, NIH, AIIMS, DBT, IISc, ICGEB and SAS thus leading to numerous interactions with best scientists and GMP experts throughout the world. Experiencing some minor snags, the company completed successfully the GMP production, and QC methods developments as per USFDA specifications. Thus, setting up an example in the history of Indian-Biotechnology, for the first time an Indian company has come out successfully with peer-reviewed process. These programs have brought global attention in the Vaccine Field and have served to place India and Bharat Biotech in the global map for Biotechnology.

The company collaborated with the IG&IB-Delhi and developed a molecule for Staph infection. Also obtained global patent and thanks to NMTLI (CSIR) project, the molecule completed all the formalities and filed first IND from India. Dr. Ella feels that submitting the first IND by Bharat Biotech will create competitive spirit for others to emulate this model. Dr. Ella’s vision in developing a global molecule by an Indian company had considered the fact that new ideas are required for certain old molecules. The company developed recombinant Streptokinase and obtained US patent to show that the company develops biogenerics without violating any of the IPR of others. Similarly, although EGF is old molecule, the company developed a new formulation that can work better for diabetic foot ulcers. The company is testing this molecule for various new indications and plans to conduct clinical trials for these new indications shortly. Bharat Biotech filed more than 25 global patents thus, positioning Imaginatively Bharat Biotech as “Innovative” Company, but not as “Imitate” company.

His passion for R&D activities coupled with pedagogy has been the foundation in creating excellent innovative biotechnology products in the coming years. He always believed in revolutionizing the application of modern biological techniques and expertise for creating effective and new health care solutions. This belief has earned him global recognition and also established his commitment towards social causes. Today, the company boasts about built up area of 90,000 Sq.,mt constructed area in which 30,000 Sq.,mt areas are under Clean rooms including P-II containments. Many US-based companies are hesitating to manufacture their IPR protected products with Indian Companies due to our history of Imitation and lack of respect for IPR. Dr. Ella spent three years to change the image for Indian companies. Finally, Wyeth-Lederle-USA moved their IPR protected vaccine technology (HiB) for contract manufacturing at Bharat Biotech. Bharat Biotech also did contract manufacturing for another US-based company (Agennix) for their new molecule. The company’s new animal facility is recently leased to RCC (leading Switzerland-based Pre-Clinical Toxicology company). With all these partnerships, Bharat Biotech was the first Pharma/Biotech company to be approved for Injectables from India by Korean-FDA.

Our Government does not visualize the importance of Public Health. We are habituated to solve the issues using temporary and ineffective methods during the time of a crisis. Many people in A.P. and U.P died (3000 people) due to Japanese Encephalitis. The old generation vaccine (mice brain) has been banned by WHO. No alternative technologies have been encouraged in the country. In view of the continuous bereavement of people in rural India, Bharat Biotech entered an agreement with US/UK-based company Acambis for their new generation JE vaccine. This vaccine would be manufactured in India for the first time in the world with a technology and production matching US standards. Likewise, recent incidence of Bird Flu which is causing panic globally. As a visionary scientist, he feels that India should not get into a half-century-old Egg-based technology. Contemplating new visionary ideas, Bharat Biotech recently signed MoU with US-based Novavax. This would allow India to space itself next to US in terms of technology and disease preparedness.

India has changed for better under the able leadership of visionary scientists like Dr. Abdul Kalam and Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, who recognize the importance for technological independence and innovation in India. Likewise, Dr. M.K. Bhan whose vision in making India to excel on its own and make it free from any clutches of hindrance is changing the opportunities for Scientists in India. Dr. N.K. Ganguly’s vision of making medical research and testing keep pace with advancements in basic science is a significant service to India. Dr. Ella always admires those people, who are passionately motivating young Indians and still working fervently despite hassles in the system.

His groundbreaking philosophy has earned nominations to prestigious committees like National Task Forces, National Executive Member of FICCI, Chairman-FICCI Biotech Committee, National Health Mission, etc. accumulating more feathers in his achievement cap. For the last four years he is the Co-Chairman for Indo-USA High Technology Cooperation Group (HTCG). He served as RC member in various other Academic/Research Institutions. He gave more than 300 lectures to motivate young Indians on topics like Innovation, Bio-entrepreneurship and Regulatory issues.

He has shared his vast experience and colossal knowledge by participating organizations in seminars and presented keynote address at various premier institutions/hospitals and.

The company has been awarded more than 100 awards including for National Award from DBT, All India Biotech Association, All India Manufacturers Association. Dr.Ella is also been a recipient of more than 100 awards including the Asia Pacific BioBusiness Leadership Award 2005 (University of Southern California) and Best Entrepreneur Award in the year 2003.

He was invited by Bill & Melinda Gates for a luncheon meeting during their recent visit to Delhi. He was also been invited at Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President & First Lady George Bush during their February visit. Bharat Biotech contributions were well covered by international media like CNN (health challenges), MIT-Technology Review, New Scientist, The Scientist, German & French TV news and print media. More than 600 international dignitaries like President of South Africa, Dr. Gus Nossal and Dr. Rick Klausner, Ambassadors, Ministers and reputed scientists have visited Bharat Biotech facility in the last four years.

IFC-Washington (part of the World Bank) invested its first Biotech investment in the world in Bharat Biotech along with ICICI-Venture. Dr. Ella has professionalized the management at Bharat Biotech, and moved on to setting up veterinary biotech company in Bangalore. He is also attempting to start new business ideas in Food Science so that new technological impetus will emerge in India. Dr. Ella wants to be a catalyst in formulating new ideas, businesses and technologies.

Dr. Ella tells everyone in the company “that our competition is not with the companies or countries, but with the infectious diseases that we are trying to combat. He wants all his colleagues and Scientists to take risk and be leaders within India and globally. He cherishes his NRI friends for their intellectual inputs and help. His vision is to see Imaginative & Innovative India”.