The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has extended financial support to a Gurugram-based biotechnology firm for developing an indigenous CAR-NK cell therapy platform targeting cancer and leishmaniasis.
The support has been approved for M/s East Ocyon Bio Pvt Ltd to establish an off-the-shelf Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Natural Killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy ecosystem aimed at treating difficult-to-treat solid tumours and neglected tropical diseases, an official statement said.
The project seeks to develop scalable and affordable cell-based immunotherapies within the country, reducing dependence on imported advanced therapies.
CAR-NK therapy involves engineering natural killer cells to recognise and attack disease targets. Unlike CAR-T therapies, CAR-NK cells can be derived from healthy donors and manufactured in advance, enabling broader clinical use.
The initiative is expected to strengthen India’s capabilities in advanced biotherapeutics manufacturing and support the development of next-generation treatments in oncology and infectious diseases.