India Develops First Indigenous Antibiotic ‘Nafithromycin’

On 18th October 2025, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology announced that India has developed its first indigenous antibiotic, Nafithromycin, marking a historic milestone in the nation’s pursuit of self-reliance in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

Key Points

First Home-Grown Antibiotic: Nafithromycin is the first antibiotic molecule to be conceptualised, developed, and clinically validated entirely in India, showcasing the nation’s growing R&D capability.
Collaborative Development: The breakthrough was achieved through a collaboration between the Department of Biotechnology and Wockhardt Ltd, highlighting the power of industry-academia partnerships in scientific innovation.
Gene Therapy Milestone: The Minister also announced the success of India’s first indigenous clinical trial for gene therapy in treating Hemophilia, conducted at Christian Medical College, Vellore, with a 60–70% correction rate and zero bleeding episodes.
Advances in Genomics: India has already sequenced over 10,000 human genomes and aims to expand this number to one million, reinforcing its leadership in genomic research.