In an unprecedented move, eight of India’s top pharma companies, including Sun Pharma, Cipla, Torrent and Lupin, have set up a common vehicle for digitization initiatives. Having acquired local market research firm AIOCD AWACS and B2B platform Pharmarack, could the mandate extend to other services?

Takeda has linked up with COVID-19 vaccine frontrunner Novavax, while Daiichi Sankyo has been selected by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as an official participant under the first round of a national government initiative to build production capacity.

As India revealed finer details of two schemes to promote bulk drug production, Mankind Pharma and Aarti Drugs spelled out a preference for chemical synthesis products – they are likely to be joined by more companies reluctant to invest in some that are fermentation-based. Whether a “plug and play” format for bulk drug parks will attract foreign investment remains to be seen..

As India revealed finer details of two schemes to promote bulk drug production, Mankind Pharma and Aarti Drugs spelled out a preference for chemical synthesis products - they are likely to be joined by more companies reluctant to invest in some that are fermentation-based. Whether a “plug and play” format for bulk drug parks will attract foreign investment remains to be seen.