While Bharat Biotech is close to an accelerated approval of Covaxin in two to 18-year-olds, Zydus Cadila is yet to roll out its COVID-19 vaccine in India. As they head to a face-off in pediatric vaccines, the former faces manufacturing constraints and the latter hesitance over a first of its kind DNA vaccine. Experts speak to Scrip on which one stands a better chance of winning.

Prices for J&J and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines will be watched closely as India permits private sales. While demand is set to spike with age criteria for those eligible to receive the shots expanded, local manufacturers Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech are ramping up capacities with the government’s help.

The Russian government’s aggressive plan to modernize the country’s pharmaceutical industry is stimulating entrepreneurial activities, as well as a flurry of deal activity between local and foreign companies. Many uncertainties remain about the potential opportunities, however, as foreign companies try to sort out changing regulatory and business dynamics.

Highlights from the Q4 2009 review of start-up dealmaking: Fundraising in the biopharma, medical device, and in vitro diagnostics industries totaled $976 million, an 88% increase from the previous quarter, and a 77% jump from Q4 2008's $551 million. Of the total fundraising, 66% or $640 million went to the biopharma industry. Compared with Q3 2009, device fundraising rose by 85% (from $113 million to $209 million) and diagnostics companies raised 72% more (from $74 million to $127 million). The fourth quarter of 2009 saw eight acquisitions, all of them in the biopharma industry. Big Pharmas were busy signing deals with start-ups--Sanofi-Aventis inked three while Roche and Novartis AG each signed two.