India

From continuing consolidation on the home market, big pharma appetite to double down on capability centers and notable R&D advances including traction by a second CAR-T cell therapy, the Indian market looks set for an eventful 2025. Scrip spoke to a cross-section of experts to encapsulate some of the key trends in the first instalment of this two-part roundup.

PE firms Advent and Carlyle drove the biggest M&A deals in human and animal pharmaceuticals in India during 2024, a year that also saw Lupin strike deals with Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim to further its ambitions in the fast-growing diabetes space. Which segments look hot and what are the expected trends for deal making in 2025?

India cracks down on unethical marketing practices, with AbbVie in the eye of a storm for allegedly violating norms. While the action sends the right signal, a wider clean up including in the devices segment, where things may be “more harmful” may not be easy, say some experts.

Merck’s India head for process solutions and Aragen Bioscience’s CEO talk about an incubator set-up and AI-led drug discovery to enable India’s research ecosystem, US tariffs on China, ADC and GLP-1 development, funding path for Goldman Sachs-investee Aragen and more in this video interview

Cipla secures regulatory approval for partner MannKind’s Afrezza following a Phase III trial in India. KOLs signal nuanced enthusiasm for the inhaled insulin which is approved in the US and Brazil.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s sale of three diabetes brands in India, with the same composition as Jardiance, Jardiance Met and Glyxambi, to Torrent comes ahead of the expiry of the Indian patent for empagliflozin. A launch for other indications is also expected.

Eli Lilly’s India chief, at a recent summit, talked about India moving up the “priority list” when it came to boardroom discussions, while the founding CEO, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, outlined the implications for pharma as the massive publicly funded health assurance scheme widens coverage in the country.

Ahead of ASH 2024, Ichnos Glenmark Innovation’s CEO outlines to Scrip the promising profile of the alliance’s early stage trispecific versus existing bispecific antibodies in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, including a significant overall response rate.

US President-elect Donald Trump’s second term is seen in general as “bad news” for Asia, especially China, by some analysts. But the outlook for India pharma appears upbeat, says a cross-section of experts.

Sun and other major Indian firms outline how things are shaping up for products and manufacturing in China - while it’s a mixed bag, the wider outlook is upbeat. M&A and GLP-1 plays were among other key areas discussed during Q2 earnings.

Indian firms Lupin and Aurobindo lay out global plans for GLP-1 agonists, as Aurobindo also updates on its biosimilar ambitions as they report results for fiscal Q2.

Ex-Janssen India chief and BSV CEO Sanjiv Navangul shares with Scrip glimpses of his life and professional journey including chasing the IAS dream early on, the heady days at Hoechst with a stint in Moscow, challenges around Sirturo’s debut and unprecedented preps that fueled Januvia’s big run during his innings at MSD.

Novo Nordisk India MD talks to Scrip about what to expect when Wegovy arrives in India and the local trajectory of Rybelsus. The Danish group also shared findings of a study around obesity.

Lanreotide supply challenges could impact Cipla’s US revenues in the coming quarter, while the firm hopes it can seize emerging opportunities in the GLP-I segment in India, where Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are progressing filings for their blockbuster products.

Strides is to supply semaglutide and liraglutide to generics companies amid global capacity constraints and drug shortages, ahead of loss of exclusivity. An ability to make drug-device combinations has meant it has contracts for seven of the eight GLP-1 agonists, and counting

CEO of Sumitomo Pharma America unit, Adele M. Gulfo, draws from experiences working across companies including Pfizer, to advise on go-to-market strategies for a portfolio across primary care to rare disease.

In a video interview, Nandini Piramal, chairperson of Piramal Pharma, speaks with Scrip about a focus on on-patent products, an integrated ADC offering, a measured approach to the proposed BIOSECURE Act and the company’s strategy to double revenue to about $2bn

A court order encompassing funding, drug pricing, clinical trials and overall policy implementation aspects is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in the treatment of rare diseases in India. Sarepta, Roche and Sanofi are among the key players that have been part of pricing discussions.

Indian CMOs, CDMOs and CRDMOs are expanding capacity and making leadership moves ahead of the BIOSECURE Act, anticipating demand from big pharma and budding biotechs. Scrip brings details on leading Indian firms which could be potential go-to suppliers for US companies affected by the proposed Act

Syngene’s CEO talks to Scrip about how the firm is deepening capabilities in areas like ADCs, PROTACs and why the US Inflation Reduction Act may not necessarily shrink outsourced small molecule work. The executive also shares his view on the China ‘rebalancing’ trend amid geopolitical tensions and the US BIOSECURE Act.