| |APRIL 20268TOP STORIESINDIA CHAIRS BRICS HEALTH MEET, PUSHES PREVENTIVE CARE AGENDAWEST ASIA WAR DRAGS INDIA'S MARCH DRUG EXPORTS AFTER 3 YEARSPIRAMAL & AJINOMOTO TIE UP TO EXPAND ADC MANUFACTURING CAPACITYSEMAGLUTIDE API PRICE CRASHES AMID INDIA'S GLP-1 RUSHAUROBINDO TO EXPAND WITH USD 175M BIOLOGICS UNIT INVESTMENT FOR MSDIndia has taken an important step in global health collaboration by chairing the first BRICS Health Working Group (HWG) meeting for 2026. The meeting, held in New Delhi, brought together health officials and experts from member countries to discuss common healthcare challenges and opportunities.As the BRICS Chair this year, India has set the tone with a clear focus on healthcare resilience, innovation in healthcare, cooperation, and sustainability. The idea is simple--build stronger healthcare systems that can serve people better and prepare for future challenges.The meeting included representatives from Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, and newer BRICS members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Indonesia. Together, they discussed ways to improve healthcare access, manage both infectious and non-communicable diseases, and ensure medicines remain affordable. POIndia's pharmaceutical exports registered a sharp 23% year-on-year decline in March 2026, marking the first monthly drop in the last Piramal Pharma Solutions and Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services have entered into a strategic partnership to support the development and manufacturing of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), an emerging class of targeted cancer therapies.The collaboration brings together Piramal's global manufacturing capabilities and Ajinomoto's proprietary AJICAP technology, which enables precise, site-specific conjugation. By combining their strengths, the companies aim to offer pharmaceutical and biotech firms a more efficient path from early-stage research to commercial-scale manufacturing. POIndian pharma companies are witnessing a sharp drop in semaglutide API price even as demand for GLP-1 drugs surges across the country.The fall comes right after the patent expiry of semaglutide in India, which has opened the market to a wave of generic drugmakers eager to capture a share of the fast-growing diabetes and weight-loss segment.With multiple manufacturers entering the space, supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredient has increased rapidly. POAurobindo Pharma has announced a major expansion through its biologics arm TheraNym Biologics, committing USD 150­175 million biologic unit investment to build a new biologics drug substance facility as part of its growing partnership with Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD).This biologics unit investment marks a key step in strengthening its presence in high-value drug manufacturing. The planned facility, referred to as Unit 2, will be a greenfield project focused on producing complex biologic drug substances. POthree financial years. According to quick estimates from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, drug shipments fell to $2.83 billion in March 2026 from $3.68 billion in March 2025.This downturn was primarily driven by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which severely disrupted trans-shipment routes critical for Indian generics reaching major markets like the United States and Europe. Industry experts estimate that 80-90% of the shortfall resulted from logistical bottlenecks rather than weak demand. PO
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