White House directive aimed at reducing dependence on foreign manufacturers for essential medicines and a seemingly more aggressive stance towards site inspections could signal a worrying emerging trend for India pharma. But it also needs to be viewed through the prism of the upcoming US elections and trade tensions with China amid the pandemic.

Roche’s etrolizumab missed primary endpoints in its Phase III study program evaluating it as maintenance therapy in moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, a new therapeutic area for the firm.

Cipla’s generic of Merck & Co’s Proventil makes significant inroads in the US, with the Indian company confident that it has both a strong cost position and large capacity to take on competition. Pricing in the segment currently remains ‘respectable’.

Zydus Cadila expects domestic sales to improve and the US generics business to grow in “mid to high” single digits during FY21 after both saw a coronavirus-related hit in Q1. Meanwhile, approvals for a few biologics are expected, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate has just entered Phase II studies and remdesivir launch looms.