Advancing Affordable Indigenous IMMUNOTHERAPIES
Immunotherapy is transforming modern medicine by offering targeted, effective, and less toxic treatments for cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. As global demand for these therapies grows, India is rapidly positioning itself as a key player in their development and large-scale production. We shall take a deep dive into India’s immunotherapy research pipeline— what’s driving it, what’s holding it back, and whether the country can truly emerge as a global hub for affordable immunotherapy.
India's Integrated targets Affordable Healthcare Access
Technology is reshaping healthcare, offering new ways to tackle long-standing gaps and expand access. With its vast population and diverse healthcare needs, India is making significant strides to build a robust digital health ecosystem. Flagship initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) are laying the digital backbone for a unified healthcare system, with over 568 million Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs and 350 million health records already integrated. Let's explore the cutting-edge technologies, key players, and policy shifts propelling the country's digital health journey.
25 Transformative Years of BIOSIMILARS
2025 marks 25 years since India first ventured into the biosimilar space. Over the past quarter-century, the country has consistently solidified its position as a global leader in biosimilar approvals, with 135 approvals till January 2025. Initially focused on simpler biologics, the field now includes developing and approving complex monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a diversified therapeutic focus, and a growing number of innovative players entering the field.
RIPPLE EFFECT of Cancer Drug Duty Cuts
To ease the financial strain on patients, the Union Budget 2025-26 has removed Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on 36 life-saving drugs used for cancer, rare diseases, and chronic conditions. This move is expected to make essential treatments more affordable by lowering overall costs. However, the real question remains: will this truly reduce the financial burden on patients? As prices decrease, what effects will this have on pharmaceutical companies?
10 Women 'Power Players' of Bio Research & Policy
As revealed in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Economic Survey 2024-25, for the first time in seven years, India's female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) has seen a significant rise, jumping from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 41.7 per cent in 2023-24. While the number of women entrepreneurs in the country has been increasing over the years, there has not been much change at the women leadership level in both the public and private sectors.
How India is Pulling In European Life Sciences Sector
When the world was struggling with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, the partnership between Indian and European organizations proved to be a historic accomplishment in the field of global life sciences. It was able to deliver more than two billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, and manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) in India, to more than 170 countries starting in November 2020.
Indian Pharma Hits R&D Salvo
Pharma companies are constantly on the quest to discover the next big game-changer drug or therapeutic by leveraging the latest, cutting-edge innovation. While it is notable that biopharma companies eased up on their research and development (R&D) spending in FY 2022-23 after the world was hit by COVID-19-induced economic slowdown, the budget for R&D has witnessed a steady increase. Departing a bit from their traditional drug portfolios, companies are increasingly focusing on R&D in next-generation therapies.
