BUSINESS
Govt may rethink proposal to ban contract manufacturing in draft pharma policy
A person who provided inputs to the government on preparing the Draft Pharmaceutical Policy - 2017 on condition of anonymity said that the government is aware of industry concerns over the proposal.
BUSINESS
Cipla Health to expand consumer health biz with new launches and acquisitions
The company is developing a pipeline of products in child nutrition, an area dominated by multinationals such as Abbott, GSK, Kraft Heinz and Mondelez International.
BUSINESS
GlaxoSmithKline profit rises 32% in Q2 led by recovery of inventory levels
The company posted Rs 99 crore in the year-ago quarter. Revenue for the quarter grew 5 percent to Rs 836 crore over the previous year.
BUSINESS
Govt says no changes to ceiling price methodology of scheduled drugs
“The Government has been examining the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO) with a view to enhancing the accessibility and affordability of essential medicines at reasonable prices to the poor and needy while providing sufficient opportunity for innovation and competition to support the growth of the Pharmaceutical Industry,” said the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) in a statement on Friday.
TRENDS
This week in pharma: Quiet Diwali for stocks as analysts predict challenging Q2
Here's a wrap of the key events in the pharma sector this week.
BUSINESS
US FDA issues guidelines to help generic makers to copy 32 complex drug products
US FDA has been trying to encourage competition in complex drugs through several initiatives. One of the major step is to issue new draft and revised guidance documents to provide product-specific clarity enabling generic makers to design appropriate bio-equivalence (BE) studies in support of their abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) filings.
BUSINESS
ICMR unveils plan to increase health research output by 30%
The apex body which oversees biomedical research in the country aims to launch at least 10 globally validated Indian traditional medicines by 2030.
BUSINESS
Amneal-Impex combine to pip Sun Pharma as the fifth-largest generic maker in US
The combined company is expected to have 2017 pro forma net revenue ranging from USD 1.75 billion to USD 1.85 billion and pro forma adjusted EBITDA of approximately USD 600 million to USD 650 million in 2017 and USD 700 million to USD 750 million in 2018, each including USD 80 million to USD 120 million of annualized cost savings within the first full year of close.
BUSINESS
Glenmark's Glenn Saldanha takes over as president of pharma lobby group IPA
Saldanha who replaces Nilesh Gupta, will be in office for next two years.
TRENDS
Indian pharma grows at mere 1% in Sept quarter, recovery from GST disruption slow
In the second quarter ended September the IPM grew 1 percent versus 14 percent in the same period previous year. Second quarter generally happens to be a good quarter for Indian drug market.
BUSINESS
MSF moves High Court against Indian patent given to Pfizer's pneumonia vaccine
In its petition MSF argued that in August 2017, the Delhi Patent Office erroneously granted a patent to Pfizer by disregarding the evidence MSF produced indicating that the pharmaceutical giant’s claim to a patent was spurious.
BUSINESS
Lupin readies for a mega specialty drug play with $1-bn war chest
Lupin on Wednesday has agreed to buy US-based Symbiomix Therapeutics for USD 150 million. The drug maker will be doing several deals in the coming quarters.
BUSINESS
Claris Lifesciences net cash stands at Rs 381 per share, stock down 7.46%
Drug maker Claris Lifesciences said its net cash availability stands at Rs 2077 crore translating to Rs 381 per every single share, without considering taxes.
TRENDS
Pharma stocks rebound, Natco's Copaxone US nod highlight of the week
Pharma stocks recovered this past week on a spate of new approvals in US and news of near normalization in September of domestic formulation business after disruption caused in the month ahead of GST roll out.
BUSINESS
Profits from Copaxone generics to help strengthen balance sheet, expansion: Natco CEO
Natco Pharma said it plans to utilize the cash flows generated by the launch of generic versions of Israel-based Teva’s top selling multiple sclerosis Copaxone 20 mg/ml and 40 mg/ml by its partner Mylan in US towards strengthening balance sheet and investing on business expansion.
BUSINESS
Intas claims its new cancer drug is 60% cheaper than rivals in India
The drug has been available in India since 2004 but the cost has been so prohibitive that eminent clinicians in the country say they have only been able to give this drug to very few eligible patients.
BUSINESS
Teva warns Mylan of 'significant damages' if it goes ahead with the launch of Copaxone 40mg copy
Teva said it will do its best to defend its patent claims over the Copaxone 40mg/ml version and is prepared to face generic competition.
BUSINESS
Natco readies for windfall gain after US FDA okays Copaxone copies
The much anticipated approval has the potential to generate a massive windfall to the company. Even by conservative estimates analysts expect Natco to rake in profits in excess of Rs 1000 crore from the two generic versions in the coming quarters.
BUSINESS
ICMR chief Soumya Swaminathan to be WHO's new Deputy Director General
The 58-year-old Swaminathan, a pediatrician and a clinical scientist known for her research on Tuberculosis (TB). Most recently, Swaminathan was Secretary of the Department of Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
BUSINESS
Indian drugmakers' revenue growth in US may cool off to 7-10% over 3 years: ICRA
Indian drug makers’ revenue growth in US may cool off to 7-10 percent over the next three years after mid- to high double-digit growth over the last five years owing to rising competition.
BUSINESS
Pharma wrap: Divis takes a hit, govt restricts stent makers from pulling out
A round-up of the top stories from the pharma sector.
BUSINESS
Glenmark says specialty & innovative products to contribute 30% revenues by 2025
Glemark said it hopes to generate 30 percent of its revenues by 2025 from specialty and innovative products alone. To invest on specialty and innovative pipeline Glenmark said its R&D expenses will stay at roughly 11 – 12 percent of revenues.
BUSINESS
DoP invokes emergency powers to block stent makers from withdrawing products
The Section 3 of DPCO allows the government in emergency cases to direct any manufacturer to ensure adequate availability of drugs or devices.
BUSINESS
NPPA allows Abbott Healthcare to withdraw its popular drug eluting stent
Abbott earlier this month approached NPPA seeking to discontinue sale of its Xience Alpine stent from India citing lack sales viability following capping of prices of medical devices by the drug price regulator early this year.
