Early COVID-19 therapies including Gilead’s remdesivir, China-plus procurement policies, vaccine partnerships and a dovish stance by the central bank led to returns on India biotech and healthcare funds outperforming global returns. Meanwhile, funding for e-pharmacies and online consulting firms gathered pace.

A possible alternative to Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines, Providence Therapeutics’ mRNA candidate is seen moving into Phase III trials during the calendar first quarter of next year. While partners Everest Medicines and Biological E have kept the ball rolling, the Canadian biotech will seek further funding, CEO Brad Sorenson tells Scrip in this audio interview.

Anandram Narasimhan, managing director of Merck Specialities Pvt. Ltd. in India, share insights on the uptick in the fertility business and the promise of new launches, including of the checkpoint inhibitor Bavencio, in the country. Overall, the “signs are good”, the executive tells Scrip in an interview.

India has issued an emergency authorization to J&J's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, while a South Korean report calls for improved vaccine handling standards amid lapses and losses.