For decades, India’s role in pharma research was restricted to the role of a cost-effective destination for late-stage clinical trials. But now with Novartis, India will become the next pharma research capital.
The Swiss pharma giant, Novartis, is strengthening its strategy in India around innovation across core therapy sectors, including cardiovascular, oncology, and immunology therapy. After selling a 71 percent stake of its listed subsidiary Novartis India, for Rs 1,446 Cr, to ChyrsCapital, the company has made its intentions transparent: India will no longer be a generic market or a Phase II trial destination for drugs. India will be the new pharma research capital.
Amitabh Dube, Novartis India Country President and MD, said, “Our philosophy has been to transform into a pure play innovative medicines company. It would not have been appropriate to retain these (legacy) brands without the right investments and focus. Our commitment to India remains strong-we have over 9,000 employees, launched two new molecules last year, and plan to launch one this year and two next year.”
Recently, Novartis India initiated Phase I clinical research in Ahmedabad, the most complex and earliest stage in human drug trials. This was historically done in developed markets like the US and Switzerland, while usually India served as a development hub for Phase II and Phase III trials for MNCs.
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India has already proven its capabilities by contributing to nearly every molecule Novartis commercializes globally. Novartis development hubs in Hyderabad and Mumbai are part of the only three worldwide hubs alongside Basel (Switzerland) and the US.
India has played a major role in significant therapies, including Cortem Baby, the first antimalarial developed for infants, cardiovascular therapy Inclisiran (Sybrava), and a targeted radioactive therapy for prostate cancer Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto).
The message given by these developments is clear: India is making a giant leap from a generic drug tester to a drug innovation hub.
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