Plus deals involving Shionogi/NEC, Ji Xing/LENZ, Kyowa Kirin/Ardelyx, CR Pharma/Everest Medicine and Dr Reddy’s/Novartis.

Billionaire philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation signals efforts underway to support building mRNA capacity in India amid the new platform’s potential beyond COVID-19 vaccines. He also highlights the need to bring down sharply the cost of gene therapies.

Japan has added to its growing arsenal of COVID-19 treatments with the approval of the oral antiviral Paxlovid, while the US FDA has lifted a clinical hold on Bharat's vaccine, which has shown potential against Omicron. Also, Biological E's vaccine is approved for use in adolescents in India

While an mRNA vaccine is still missing, 2021 saw Indian companies strike alliances, battle legal action and gain funding while the regulator played a crucial enabling role in the run up to the approval of eight COVID-19 vaccines from zero in 2020.