Cutting-edge research, years of hard work reduced to ashes in Bengaluru fire

Bengaluru: A start-up advancing cutting-edge research in antibody-drug conjugation, another company breaking new ground in immune system experimentation, a third firm conducting pioneering studies on pharmaceutical molecules... Tuesday’s massive fire at the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) did more than destroy the second floor of the facility — it obliterated years of advanced research and development across multiple disciplines. 

The losses from the blaze are estimated at nearly Rs 200 crore. Yet, scientists and startup founders say the true devastation lies in the years of hard work and painstaking research that were reduced to ashes overnight. 

There is also a cloud of uncertainty over the future of scientists. Many fear layoffs. 

Located in Electronics City, the BBC is a government-run, state-of-the-art translational research and entrepreneurship centre incubating startups in life sciences. 

It houses 120 companies employing 200-250 people. The blaze destroyed at least 20 labs belonging to 12 companies. 

According to Home Minister G Parameshwara, the losses are estimated at Rs 150-200 crore. "Exact figures can be determined only after all companies submit their loss estimation reports," he told DH. 

On Wednesday, the mood at the BBC was sombre as startup employees, mostly scientists, gathered at the scene of the devastation. 

One scientist summed it up: "The loss of money is secondary. What we have truly lost is innovation." 

He said some companies had been working on innovations for over eight years. "Their entire datasets and findings are now gone. Even if we manage to reclaim these and restart, reworking them will take at least two years," the scientist told DH, speaking anonymously. 

One startup, he noted, was on the brink of a breakthrough after nine years of research into immune system technology. "That work is now completely destroyed," he added. 

Well-placed sources said the fire gutted equipment worth crores of rupees, procured by both government and private entities. 

"Every company was working on novel innovations using expensive equipment. With these equipment destroyed, we have no idea how research will resume," a junior scientist working on precision fermentation said. "We are staring at mass layoffs." 

He pointed out that companies were unlikely to invest crores of rupees to replace the lost equipment. 

Ajitha Prodrug, a pioneer in antibody-drug conjugation, lost Rs 12 crore worth of innovation, according to a company insider. 

"This type of research is rare. The company is one of the pioneers in antibody-drug conjugation," the source said. 

The company specialises in targeted drug delivery through payloads to treat cancer. It recently developed cytolysins, a payload similar to tubulysin, designed to target cancer cells. 

"We import these payloads from China at a cost of over Rs 12 crore per gram. We developed cytolysins for just Rs 4 crore," the source said, adding that the company had patented the innovation.

The company developed cytolysins with less chemical usage, which could aid cancer treatment in India, the source said. 

Fortunately, the company still retains the formula for cytolysins.