This
initiative aims to bridge the demand-supply gap in plant-based
nutraceuticals, phytoceuticals, and phytopharmaceuticals while aligning
with Herbalife’s broader innovation and sustainability
goals.
10th February 2025, National: Herbalife,
a premier health and wellness company, community and platform signed an
agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras to
establish the
Herbalife-IITM Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab at the campus under Herbalife’s CSR initiative. The agreement signing ceremony took place at IIT Madras in the presence of
Mr. Ajay Khanna, Managing Director, Herbalife India, and Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean – Alumni & Corporate Relations, IIT Madras
and other IITM representing members.
This partnership aligns with the Indian
government’s Bio-E3 policy, aimed at establishing India as a global hub
for bio-manufacturing and advancing Prime Minister’s vision of
Atmanirbhar Bharat. The lab will serve as a catalyst for
innovation, capacity building, and industry collaboration in the
wellness sector while also fostering entrepreneurship.
The Centre of Excellence – Herbalife Plant Cell
Fermentation Technology Lab, is focused on pioneering sustainable
solutions for high-quality herbal raw materials and phytochemicals. The
facility will be a center to produce sustainable herbal
raw materials using plant cell fermentation technology, ensuring
high-quality phytochemicals and drive innovation in nutraceuticals,
cosmeceuticals, and Ayush formulations, contributing directly to the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG3 – Good Health &
Well-Being).
The collaborative effort will leverage plant cell
technology to enable vitro cultivation of medicinal plants under
controlled conditions, ensuring year-round availability, purity, and
bioactive consistency. In addition to this, Advanced
bioreactor-based scaling will facilitate large-volume production in
minimal space, overcoming land constraints and long harvesting cycles
associated with traditional farming and the green extraction
technologies will drive sustainability in bioactive compound
production.
The Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab predominantly has 5 key focus areas,
Innovative Research to handle R&D, translational research, and blue-sky projects;
Sustainable Biomanufacturing to handle the scalable plant cell fermentation for herbal extracts;
Technology-Driven Solutions in the silico screening for phytochemical discovery and repurposing;
Conservation Efforts in the production of somatic embryos and plant materials for field cultivation of endangered medicinal species; and
Ecosystem Engagement to support hackathons as well as accelerator programs to drive innovation.
Mr. Ajay Khanna, Managing Director, Herbalife India, said,
“Herbalife is committed to drive innovation that contributes to
sustainability. Our partnership with IIT Madras, yet again this year is
an effort towards transforming the nutraceutical and wellness sectors.
Herbalife Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab at IIT
Madras will be a catalyst for innovation, capacity building, and enhance
industry collaboration in the wellness sector. Aligned with India’s
Bio-E3 Policy (2024) and the National Biotechnology
Development Strategy (2022-25), this initiative will
position India as a leader in biomanufacturing while contributing to the
Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Prof. Smitha Srivastava, Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, IIT Madras., said,
“The Herbalife-IITM Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab represents a
significant milestone in sustainable
innovation. This state-of-the-art facility will drive pioneering
research, foster academic training, and enable impactful technology
development for industry applications. I sincerely thank Herbalife for
their generous support and unwavering belief in this
initiative. Together, we are poised to transform the landscape of plant
cell fermentation, creating meaningful outcomes for science, industry,
and society”.
Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean – Alumni & Corporate Relations, IIT Madras, said,
“It is heartening to see the IITM-Herbalife partnership growing
from one milestone to another. Through their support for the
establishment of the Plant Cell Fermentation Technology Lab, Herbalife
has emerged as a leader in the field of sustainable solutions
for high-quality herbal raw materials and phytochemicals. This
partnership has indeed come at the right time, not only for IITM and
Herbalife but also for our nation’s goals towards a brighter,
sustainable future”.
