The arrival of an indigenous CAR-T cell therapy, a shot at GLP-1s and Parkinson’s disease, strides into adjacencies and an “easy revenue stream” formula for products set to lose exclusivity are some of the striking developments seen playing out in India. Industry leaders, including Cipla’s CEO, share their views with Scrip on some of the key trends in the first instalment of this two-part roundup.

C-suite remuneration at leading listed foreign and domestic drug firms in India rose in double digits for the most part in 2022-23, data compiled by Scrip show. While MDs/CEOs at domestic firms continue to take home sizeably higher earnings, the arrival of women leaders at the helm in some foreign firms puts the spotlight on gender pay parity.

Glenmark has dropped the price of its trastuzumab biosimilar by over 70% in India. Scrip talks to experts on what that may mean for the competition and also spotlights action around other HER2-directed therapies, including the impending arrival of blockbuster ADC Enhertu.

Senior management executives of Roche, Bayer, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Novo Nordisk in India signal momentum in product launch and clinical trial activity, belying apprehension of wider cutbacks by foreign firms in the country, though one executive stressed that “tried and tested models” may not work in the largely self-pay market.