In Conversation With Dr. Surendra K Chikara

Q.1. What was the inspiration for this novel concept?

I have experience of 20 plus years in the field of microbiology. When I ventured into genetics, I understood what a game-changer it could be with regard to the health of consumers worldwide. The Indian market is still untapped when it comes to precision medicine and personalized wellness solutions.

There are millions of people across the world suffering from the financial and emotional burden imposed by chronic diseases. They fail to realize that such diseases are easily preventable. Precision medicine offers us a way out by making chronic diseases easily preventable.

I identified this as a problem to which I could be part of the solution with my expertise in genetics. That was what inspired me to set up Bione to help people enjoy better health and be free of disease. We can help prevent chronic diseases through insights gained from our DNA and gut microbiome tests. These tests make it possible to assess the risk of disease. A person can then make lifestyle changes to prevent or reduce their severity and even reverse such diseases. They also help to achieve optimal health so that one can enjoy a longer lifespan and better quality of life.

Q.2 Tell me more about Bione and the role it plays in the D2C test kits industry?

Bione is Asia’s first company to offer at-home DNA and microbiome tests. It is at the forefront of the D2C test kit market in the region. Our emphasis is on changing the approach to disease from reactive to preventive by using D2C tests to identify the risk of diseases. A customer can order an at-home DNA test to prevent disease, effectively manage any lifestyle illnesses and optimize his fitness. The gut and the microbes in your gut have a huge impact on other organs and systems in your body. Chronic gut inflammation can lead to issues like diabetes, skin outbreaks, anxiety and depression, joint pain, heart disease, fatigue and leaky gut, IBS/IBD, Constipation etc. Bione offers both genetic and gut microbiome tests for a complete wellness solution.

Q.3. How are new-age technologies impacting the growth in the Biotech sector?

New-age technologies like preventive genetic testing, gut microbiome testing, precision medicine and clinical genetic testing essentially make personalized medicine and wellness solutions accessible to everyone. They have completely transformed the biotech sector and will help prevent and even reverse many chronic diseases in the future. Startup companies like Bione use a unique combination of advanced AI techniques and biology to make healthcare solutions accessible and affordable to all through mobile. A person can go through the entire process on the mobile, from ordering the test to accessing test results to receiving 1:1 counselling on a personalized diet from our experts.

Q.4. What is the need for Direct-to-consumer genetic testing where people can order genetic tests from the comfort of their home?

Genetic testing has the potential to spot disease well before it becomes serious. Knowing you are in the high-risk category for a particular disease can help prevent, diagnose and even reverse chronic diseases. Our genetic profile can determine our response to different types of exercises, our endurance levels and the risk for injuries. Hence, taking a DNA test can help optimize fitness. With the scope that genetic testing offers for precision healthcare, it facilitates more targeted prevention, detection and treatment of diseases, thus helping us to minimize wastage of resources as in the case of a "trial and error" approach.

Q.5. What are your expectations from the Indian market and consumers?

In India, awareness is still at a nascent stage. But India has a population of billion plus people and only one doctor for 854 people according to reports published in the year 2021. Widespread adoption of genetic testing can make a significant impact in terms of healthcare costs, lifespan and quality of life. Health insurance was a novel concept in the last decade but now it has become quite commonplace. I expect a similar transformation to take place in the case of genetic testing also. Once awareness spreads in the Indian market about how genetic testing can help prevent serious diseases, I expect the majority of the population to get genetic testing done. The recent pandemic has awakened a general interest in wellness and the need to prevent chronic diseases but there is still a long way to go.

Q.6. What features characterized the growth in Bio-tech in the last year?

The biotech industry has grown at a scorching pace from the onset of the pandemic and has drawn plenty of investment in the last year. Preventive healthcare is very much in the spotlight now. There has been an intense focus from the government, media and the general public on the important role that biotech plays in combating disease. The industry responded well to the crisis with quick development and testing of vaccines. Though many industries were highly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, the biotech industry tolerated its impact remarkably well and in fact, even flourished. With the advent of covid, people are spending more on preventive healthcare and this will continue to grow. The growing prevalence of chronic diseases and demand for personalized medicine were definitely factors in this growth. The revenue of the biotech industry was $108.2 billion in 2020. The global biotechnology market size is expected to reach $727.1 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 7.4%. The biotech industry is set to grow exponentially in the coming years in light of the immense scope it offers.