BioSpectrum India January 2021

Tofflon’s mAb Capabilities and Systems

Filling

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• High end automation and integration of all equiment aids reduce personnel
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4 BIO CONTENT BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

22
COVERSTORY

SETTING WAVES
OF GLOCAL

The pandemic has forced the life 23 BIOPHARMA / PHARMA 33 STARTUPS
sciences industry to move beyond
its traditional methods of operating, Reviving API sector and Strengthening
thereby setting new trends for 2021 investing in new solutions disease monitoring
systems with
in the form of strengthening API 28 BIOSERVICES technology
manufacturing, building diagnostic
& medtech capabilities, increasing Shifting to a new era of 36 HEALTHCARE
technology-based work
collaboration, enhancing drug There is an urgent
development and adopting digital 31 BIOSUPPLIERS need to elevate the
patient awareness
transformation. India is all set Innovating new levels regarding
to embrace a glocal approach offerings for the industry diseases
by bracing the local talent and
40 MEDTECH /
delivering global standards. DIAGNOSTICS

Showcasing
immense potential
to become global
producer

COVER
DESIGN BY:
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BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com BIO CONTENT 5

COVID-19 TOPVIDEO

15 Girish Agarwal,
Co-Founder, Zeno
Vaccine: A cure or leap of faith? Health, Mumbai
talks about how
SPEAKINGWITH to ensure the
43 quality of generic
medicines.
“We expect to grow
by 50 per cent in 2021” Scan the QR Code »
Shrey Agarwal,
Ramesh Menon,
Chief Executive Officer & Director, Director, I2Cure,
Abdos Labtech, New Delhi New Delhi points
out the benefits of
REGULARS molecular iodine
against infections.
BioEdit ........................................................................06
BioMail .......................................................................08 Scan the QR Code »
Policy and Regulatory News.....................................09
Company News..........................................................11 Rupal Sinha,
Finance News.............................................................12 Director IFMS,
Start-up News............................................................13 Quess Corp,
World News................................................................14 Bengaluru shares
People News..............................................................45 her views on how
Academic News.........................................................48 UV-C disinfection
Supplier News............................................................49 is paving the way
for efficiency in
11 12 the Indian pharma
industry.
14 48

Scan the QR Code »

6 BIO EDIT BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Speed vs. Safety

The current COVID-19 vaccine developments and his statement that a vaccine will be available in
have posed a typical challenge of speed the next few weeks. This was followed by visits of
versus safety for the drug regulatory about 60 ambassadors in India and overall clamour
authorities. Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) in the media over preparations of storage and
has been sought by some vaccine developers, transportation of vaccines, its administration plan,
which has been granted by the regulators of some demand for high number of dosages registered by
countries. In the UK, vaccination has begun the Indian government etc. It is commendable that
following approval by the Medicines and Healthcare the experts did not buckle under the pressure of all
Regulatory Authority (MHRA) to mRNA vaccine these developments to approve the vaccines hastily.
developed by pharma giant Pfizer and German firm The second is the allegations of adverse reaction
bioNTech. The USA and Mexico pharma companies against the Serum Institute’s vaccine by one of
have also received EUA for vaccination. the clinical trial volunteers he claimed to have
experienced due to the vaccine.
India is preparing for a mega vaccination drive
to deliver 60 crore doses to 30 crore Indians in Urgent need to begin vaccination is
priority groups in the first phase as three vaccine acknowledged considering the number of deaths
producing firms have already approached the and infections caused by the Coronavirus. Still,
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation the CDSCO needs to be more careful since, unlike
(CDSCO) for EUA. But, the CDSCO’s expert the UK’s provision for emergency authorisation in
committee had deferred the approval of two Indian its regulation or the US’s guidelines on it, Indian
companies as they had failed to provide sufficient regulation does not have defined procedure for
data. The committee had asked the vaccine EUA, which has its own pros and cons.
producer applicants, Pune based Serum Institute
and Hyderabad’s Bharat Biotech, to provide It is but natural that the vaccine producers
more data on safety and immunogenicity. Pfizer’s and governments will be in a great hurry to begin
application was not discussed as the company had the vaccination drive for various reasons. The
sought more time to make a presentation to the companies have invested huge amounts in vaccine
committee. research and are looking for early returns on
their investments. In a stiff competition when 25
This has obviously delayed the vaccination in vaccines are at various stages of development and
India. By the time readers get to see this editorial, about five of them are in the final race now, the
it is possible that EUA might have been granted first few companies to put their vaccines on the
and the vaccination programme has begun. It all shelves will be able to capture maximum market.
depends on how fast the vaccine developers submit Hence, the rush to get things moving. Governments
the additional data that convinces the experts over the world over are facing various issues due to the
safety and efficacy of the vaccines. However, by pandemic, particularly related to the economy, and
not authorising the vaccine in the first go itself due hence are looking for a solution at the earliest. But
to insufficient data, the CDSCO has surely gained both of them need to understand that if speed is
people’s confidence. That the CDSCO did not get given priority overlooking safety even marginally, it
influenced by the express approvals granted abroad will lead to a trust deficit for both of them. Hence,
and has chosen safety over speed of delivery of the regulator’s role is very important in maintaining
vaccine, is reassuring. the right balance between speed and safety, which
the CDSCO has played.
The drug regulator’s decision needs to be looked
at in the backdrop of two developments. First is Milind Kokje
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent much Chief Editor
publicised visits to vaccine production facilities
[email protected]

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8 BIO MAIL BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Vol 18; Issue 12; December 2020

Acknowledgements
Shimadzu team appreciates the feature in the
BioSuppliers ranking edition. Thank you.

- Amy Thakker, Mumbai

Thank you for the ranking and product
coverage for Eppendorf.
- Anthoni Jaikumar, Chennai

Thank you so much for the feature on Promega BIOSPECTRUM
Biotech India. - Nitin Kapoor, New Delhi wishes its
Readers,
Corrigendum
Contributors,
This is in reference to the BioSupplier Ranking edition of BioSpectrum India in December Advertisers
and Associates
2020, please read the name of the company as Sartorius India Pvt. Ltd. instead of Sartorius

Stedim India Pvt Ltd on pages no 4, 23, 24 & 25. The error is regretted. – Editor

Vol 19; Issue 1; January 2021 MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications

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BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com POLICY AND REGULATORY NEWS 9

FM allocates Rs 900 Cr for COVID-19 vaccine development

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman has announced separately as and when the vaccine
a Rs 900 crore grant to the Department is available. The Phase-I of the
of Biotechnology (DBT) for COVID Suraksha Mission has
research and development of been allotted Rs 900 crore for
COVID-19 vaccine. As per the a period of 12 months. A total
announcement, this amount of 10 vaccine candidates have
is being provided for COVID been supported by DBT so far at
Suraksha Mission, purely for both academia and industry and
R&D work. The government has so far five vaccine candidates
highlighted that this amount does are in human trials including
not cover the actual cost of the the Russian Vaccine Sputnik-V with
vaccine, logistics and distribution
expenses, which will be made at least three more in advanced stages of
preclinical to enter human trials shortly.

Govt to set up Ministry of Railways inks
AYUSH export MoU with RailTel to
promotion improve health facilities
council
Indian Railways with the customising clinical data
The Ministry of Commerce and objective of bringing hospital according to the departments
Industry and the Ministry of management on a single and laboratories, multi
AYUSH have decided to work architecture to prevent hospital feature that provide
together to set up an Export pilferage and making cross consultation, seamless
Promotion Council to boost operations seamless has interface with medical and
AYUSH exports. It has also entrusted RailTel Corporation other equipment’s and
been decided that the entire of India (RailTel) with the patients will have the
AYUSH sector will work together implementation of hospital benefit of accessing all their
to achieve price and quality management information medical records on their
competitiveness to boost AYUSH system (HMIS) an integrated mobile device. RailTel and
exports. The government has clinical information system Ministry of Railways have
stated that trade and commerce for its 125 health facilities signed a Memorandum of
in the AYUSH sector needed to and 650 polyclinics across Understanding (MoU) with
upscale quickly in order to meet India for improved hospital regard to the modalities for
the growing demands from India administration and patient execution of the work. The
and abroad, and to serve the larger healthcare. The features of open source HMIS software is
number of people, who are now the software extend from to be deployed over the cloud.
looking up to these systems for
maintaining their health. In line
with this, Ministry of AYUSH will
work in collaboration with the
Bureau of Indian Standards to
develop international standards
for AYUSH products as well as
services. The government has also
advised the industry leaders to
work simultaneously on the quality
and pricing of their products, so
that they become increasingly
competitive in the global market.

10 POLICY AND REGULATORY NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

NITI Aayog releases Karnataka
compendium for aims 50%
COVID-19 management contribution to
BioEconomy
NITI Aayog has recently released UTs was supplemented with a target of $100B
a compendium of practices from comprehensive literature review.
states and union territories The practices in the compendium The first Karnataka BioEconomy
(UTs) that details information have been disaggregated under Report (KBER) 2020 was
about various initiatives six sections: (i) public health and launched at the Bengaluru Tech
implemented by states, districts, clinical response (ii) governance Summit 2020 event on November
and cities in India for containing mechanisms (iii) digital health 20. The report estimates that
and managing the COVID-19 (iv) integrated model (v) welfare the state’s bioeconomy size is
outbreak. In preparing the of migrants and other vulnerable at $22.6 billion and growing.
compendium of practices, NITI groups (vi) other practices. Karnataka is the first state in the
Aayog reached out to all states A summary of the relevant country to measure the impact
and union territories by email guidelines has been included for of the biotechnology industry,
and telephonically, requesting the aforementioned categories, its products, and services on its
them to share any practices wherever applicable. economy. The state’s bioeconomy
that they believe had been has grown by 14 – 17 per cent
useful for COVID-19 mitigation in the previous two years, and
and management. Additional contributes 10.3 per cent to the
information was provided by gross state domestic product
some states during review (GSDP) of $221.82 billion.
meetings with Member (Health), Nationally, the bioeconomy
NITI Aayog. Sourcing of valued at $62.5 billion contributed
information directly from states/ to 2.3 per cent of India’s $2.8
trillion GDP in 2019. Another
Cabinet approves MoU with highlight of the report is that
Israel on health, medicine Karnataka contributes more
than one-third to the national
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has bioeconomy. Now the Karnataka
approved the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) government is targeting it to
between India and Israel on cooperation in the field of health and raise state’s bioeconomy share
medicine. The MoU covers the exchange and training of medical doctors to 50 per cent of the national
and other health professionals; assistance in development of human bioeconomy revenue target of
resources and setting up of healthcare facilities; exchange of information $100 billion by the year 2025.
The key recommendations of the
regarding regulation of pharmaceutical, report are to establish a vaccine
medical devices and cosmetics; sharing hub and a biomanufacturing hub;
expertise for vulnerability assessment for enable agritech ecosystem by
health of citizens against climate risk and supporting application of agri-
public health actions targeted towards biotechnological tools like CRISPR
mitigation and adaptation; sharing of Cas9, molecular breeding, etc.,
expertise for facilitating climate resilient more value addition in marine
infrastructure as well as providing support biotech; to set up a biomedical
for development of ‘Green Healthcare’ cluster to make important
(climate resilient hospitals); promote mutual research in various diagnostic and medical devices;
relevant areas; and any other area of cooperation as may be mutually an integrated biorefineries cluster
decided upon. Each Party shall encourage the participation of the to use available biomass; and
representatives of their countries in round tables, seminars, symposia, value-added agriculture systems
workshops and conferences on issues of cooperation, organised by the in Hassan, Dharwad and Belagavi
other party’s relevant bodies. areas.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com COMPANY NEWS 11

Cipla unveils Covi-G Dr. Reddy’s acquires
for COVID-19 rapid select anti-allergy
antibody detection brands from Glenmark

Cipla has signed a licensing agreement with a Hyderabad based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has
Belgium based firm Multi G for the distribution announced that it has entered into a definitive
of their COVID-19 Rapid Antibody test kit, across agreement with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to
most emerging markets and Europe. This licensing acquire, subject to completion of certain precedent
agreement is part of Cipla’s efforts to enhance global actions and closing activities, brands Momat
access to life- saving treatments and diagnostic Rino (for Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan),
infrastructure for patients in need. As part of this Momat Rino Advance (for Russia), Momat A
agreement, Cipla will be responsible for distribution (for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan), Glenspray
and Glenspray Active (for Ukraine), along-with
of the COVID-19 rapid rights to the trademarks, dossiers and patents
antibody kit that will for the territories mentioned. The acquired
be manufactured by brands represent two types of products, (a)
MultiG. It is marketed mometasone mono product and (b) combination
under the brand name of mometasone with azelastine, and are indicated
Covi-G, this was among for the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic
the earliest antibody rhinitis. The new brands are a great addition to
kits to declare CE- Dr. Reddy’s product portfolio in Russia, Ukraine,
compliance and is Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which are important
awaiting approval core markets for the company. Momat Rino, the
by ICH country largest brand acquired, has recently received
regulators. It has been OTC registration in Russia and this will enable
commercialised in 20+ accelerated access of this product to patients.
countries already, with sensitivity and specificity
exceeding 92 per cent. It tests for both IgM and IgG
antibodies, using a single-prick blood test using of
the test result indicator visual interpretation. The
kit gives results within 10 minutes. Cipla’s expansive
reach, network and partnerships with public health
authorities as well as private institutions will help in
ensuring the seamless access of these kits across 25+
markets in Asia, Middle-East and North Africa, Latin
America, EU and Australia.

TCS deploys blockchain solution to scale up COVID-19 testing

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Diagnostics (InDx), and aims capacities to be able to
has deployed a blockchain-based to build a robust, scalable indigenously produce a million
digital supply chain platform supply-chain ecosystem of test kits a day. As C-CAMP’s
that powers an ambitious new Indian MSMEs capable of technology partner, TCS has
project launched by the Centre producing large quantities of developed and deployed a
for Cellular and Molecular reagents and other components dynamic digital supply-chain
Platforms (C-CAMP) in needed for RT-qPCR-based platform to manage the MSME
Bengaluru to scale up indigenous and other diagnostic test kits ecosystem, powered by the TCS
COVID-19 diagnostic test-kit for COVID-19. The project Data Marketplace solution. The
production capacity to a million entails eliminating supply-chain solution enables organisations to
test kits a day. C-CAMP’s newly bottlenecks, and handholding embrace new ecosystem-based
launched project, funded by MSMEs to help them bridge business models, giving them the
the Rockefeller Foundation, capability gaps, meet necessary ability to democratise data and
is called Indigenisation of quality standards and expand monetise it to create value.

12 FINANCE NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

SCHOTT opens new glass melting
tank in Gujarat with €25M investment

SCHOTT AG has inaugurated has been constructed within a pharma packaging products.
a new melting tank in its span of one year, to enable a 25 The melting tank is a part of
Gujarat based facility with per cent increase in the facility’s the company’s commitment
an approximate investment overall production capacity, to to invest over €47 million
of €25 million. The new tank support the pharma industry that in its Indian facility, and
would help increasing the is facing a huge demand surge for to double its capacity
plant’s production capacity of producing the highly
by 10,000 tonnes to reach an specialised FIOLAX tubing
annual capacity of 40,000 material for both domestic
metric tonnes. SCHOTT AG and export demands.
has been a frontrunner in the Despite the pandemic induced
global fight against coronavirus, lockdown, SCHOTT employees
with commitment to provide its and engineers continued working
specialised pharma glass used at the Jambusar facility to enable
for storing billions of COVID-19 the construction of the new tank
vaccines. The melting furnace in the defined timeframe.

Allana Group, AliveCor raises
$65M to expand remote
Adar Poonawalla cardiology platform

invest Rs 130 Cr US based AliveCor, with operations in India, has announced
a $65 million series E financing led by existing investors
in Wellness Forever Omron, Khosla Ventures, WP Global Partners, Qualcomm
Ventures and Bold Capital Partners. Proceeds from this
Wellness Forever raised Rs 1.3 billion financing will be used to accelerate growth of AliveCor’s
(Rs 130 crore) from Allana Group, Adar remote cardiology platform both domestically and around
Poonawalla. Existing investors include the world. The company’s AI-powered electrocardiogram
banker and renowned investor Rajiv (ECG) determinations will be augmented with telehealth
Dadlani and venture capitalist Sajid services, as well as with detection and condition
Fazalbhoy. The company is promoted by management services for providers and institutions. The
Gulshan Bakhtiani, Ashraf Biran and Mohan enhanced partnership with Omron will also position the
Chavan. The Mumbai based company has company to include hypertension management within its
been profitable since inception, growing service portfolio. To date, AliveCor products have served
35 per cent Year-on-Year with best in class more than one million customers around the world, and
retail metrics, employs over 4000 people recorded more than 85 million ECGs. This vast data set
among, which are over 800 qualified gives the company a meaningful advantage in building
pharmacists and has over one million loyal new AI-based services to drive a new age of advanced and
paid customers. From being a mere startup improved cardiological care.
a decade ago, to clocking revenues of over
Rs 1000 crore for the current fiscal year,
Wellness Forever has swiftly expanded its
footprint to over 200 stores in Maharashtra,
Goa, Karnataka. The company aims to add
over 150 more stores in the next year and
1000 retail outlets in the next three years.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com START UP NEWS 13

Ratan Tata invests HopeQure expands
in healthtech footprints in US markets
startup iKure
HopeQure, a startup based in New Delhi, has achieved
Kolkata based healthtech startup iKure Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
has raised an undisclosed amount of (HIPPA) security certification. Armed with HIPAA
funding from Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata certification, HopeQure now plans to launch its operations
Group. The startup plans to rapidly scale in the US where the company is in advance stage of
its operations across India and globally. It discussion to finalise its partners for growth. Bringing
is looking to provide healthcare services the global best practices and international security and
to over 10 million people in the next five confidentiality standards in mental health domain in India
years. iKure delivers primary healthcare, was necessary as this is customers’ topmost concern while
wellness and prevention services to rural, dealing with mental health related issues. HopeQure is the
semi-urban and urban population through fastest growing and highly admired online mental health
its hubs-and-spokes clinic model. It also video counselling platform for behavioural, psychological,
provides training to community health emotional and relationship counselling. Its fully automated
workers equipped with point-of-case (POC) advance tech online video counselling platform is preferred
devices, enabling them to provide door- by psychologists and clients for its pre and post counselling
step monitoring and diagnostic support. assistance while it is preferred by corporates for fully
Leveraging the power of information automated and customizable corporate employee mental
and communications technology, iKure wellness programme.
has developed a medical collaboration
platform called Wireless Health Incident
Monitoring Systems (WHIMS).

Doceree launches text-based programmatic ads for Rx drug marketing

Doceree Inc has launched first ways of working. This will help campaigns. Rx drug brands
Text-based Programmatic Ads facilitate ease of approval and are behind the curve in digital
for Pharmaceutical brands ease of optimisation, resulting adoption compared to consumer
with a view to making Rx drug in better efficiency of digital brands, which have gained
marketing effective and efficient. significantly by implementing
The New Delhi based startup digital technologies. As Rx drug
is on a mission to accelerate brands work under the ambit of
digital adoption among Rx stringent rules and regulations,
drug brands globally. With they already remain guarded with
the latest product release, digital marketing campaigns.
Doceree is aiming to cut the On top of it, strict branding
high level of approvals required guidelines further delays the
for making a digital campaign digital campaigns, making it
live and create an environment tough for Rx drug brands to
that is conducive for digital embrace the digital change.

14 WORLD NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

ADB partners with Sri Lanka to receive
Pakistan to support COVID-19 vaccine
healthcare sector from COVAXX

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a Memorandum Sri Lanka will receive 4.2 million
of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Punjab doses of a COVID-19 vaccine under the
in Pakistan to jointly promote public-private partnership World Health Organization’s COVAXX
(PPP) projects in Punjab’s healthcare sector through ADB’s programme. According to the Health
transaction advisory services. Under the MoU, ADB’s office of Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Sri
public private partnership (PPP) will screen potential hospital Lanka has already joined the Global
PPP projects in ten major cities in Punjab including Bahawalpur, Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation
Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Mianwali, (GAVI) and the
Multan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, and Sargodha and will provide government is
transaction advisory services to identify, prepare, structure making efforts
and tender the top priority hospital projects to develop PPP’s. to make the
ADB will also provide holistic support in undertaking capacity COVID-19 vaccine
building and development of a potential project pipeline by available to 20 per
mobilizing technical assistance funds. ADB’s advisory support cent of Sri Lanka’s
for the first hospital PPP project in Punjab is intended to help population initially. The vaccine doses
unlock investments in the sector by creating a model case will be available as soon as they receive
with development of template project documents based on approval from international medical
international best practices. bodies including the World Health
Organization. A national committee had
been appointed to look into COVID-19
vaccines despite vaccines still being in
trial stages with no fixed date for when
they will be available to the public. In
terms of other measures implemented
by the Sri Lankan government to
contain the spread of COVID-19, there
are currently 34 PCR machines, 1,020
ventilators, and 704 ICU beds in the
country’s state hospitals.

US provides 15 state-of-art ventilators to Bhutan

The US government has announced case-management, providing providers and lab personnel,
that it will donate 15 new, state- and developing communications
of-the-art ventilators to the Royal virtual training for health care materials on COVID-19 prevention,
Government of Bhutan to assist readiness, and response. The grant
the country in its fight against also includes micro, small, and
COVID-19. The donation builds medium-sized enterprise (MSME)
upon the $1 million that United support initiatives to assist with
States Agency for International Bhutan’s economic recovery from
Development (USAID) committed the pandemic. In September,
to the Bhutan Foundation in USAID, in coordination with the
April to support COVID-19 relief Bhutan Foundation, also donated
efforts. In coordination with 200,000 cloth masks to Bhutan
Bhutan government, USAID for distribution to vulnerable
and the Bhutan Foundation communities, including the
are strengthening diagnostic elderly and pregnant women, to
laboratory capabilities and clinical prevent the spread of COVID-19.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com COVID-19 15

Vaccine: A cure
or leap of faith?

The efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines are based on clinical trials conducted, there is no real world
evidence so far as the vaccines have been developed within a very short time frame. Real world
data about the efficacy of the vaccines will be available soon, once mass inoculation is initiated.

The world has waited with bated breath for the Fund (UNICEF), Delhi is of the opinion that
cure of COVID-19, and finally we are on the vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed at
brink of a major breakthrough not only in an unprecedented pace. “COVID-19 vaccines are
terms of a vaccine but also the advancements that we available in less than a year whereas earlier it took
have seen in the last one year when it comes to how about ten years. Regulatory authorities including
the future is going to be going forward. WHO and ICMR have repeatedly emphasised that
there is no compromise on safety standards. Though
COVID-19 not only scarred the year 2020, but it all measures to ensure safety have been taken in fast
has left a lasting impression on every individual for tracking COVID-19 vaccine development”, he says.
years to come. Everything else took a backseat as
COVID-19 ravaged through nations. The UK has gone ahead and approved Pfizer’s
vaccine for emergency use authorisation (EUA)
The pharma and healthcare fraternity were baffled having an efficacy of 95 per cent. It has also been
with what SARS-CoV-2 was capable of doing. Initial approved in the US, Singapore and Canada. Russia’s
treatments were just experimental drugs that were Sputnik V, the first vaccine that was registered with
repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19 infections the WHO for the treatment of COVID-19 as well has
as they showed promising results. Scientists an efficacy of 91.4 per cent. The frontrunners to the
and researchers spent sleepless nights trying to COVID-19 vaccine have been in different phases of
understand the virus to combat it. trial and will be awaiting approvals once the data is
submitted.
Currently as per the World Health Organisation
(WHO) there are 52 vaccine candidates (as on
December 10, 2020) that are in different phases of
clinical trial and another 162 candidate vaccines in
preclinical evaluation.

India has five vaccine candidates in advanced
phases of human clinical trials. COVAXIN, being
developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech
in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR), COVISHIELD developed by Pune
based Serum Institute of India, ZyCoV-D developed
by Ahmedabad based Zydus and Hyderabad firm
Biological E’s novel Covid-19 vaccine, and Russia’s
Sputinik V in association with
Dr. Reddy’s Labs.

Dr Sanjiv Kumar, Chair,
Indian Academy of Public
by Health, Delhi and
Gurugram based Indian
Alliance of Patients Group;
Former Senior Advisor,
United Nations Children’s

16 COVID-19 BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Dr Ambarish Dutta, and infections in the three months post vaccination
Additional Professor – are markers to show short term protection. Similarly,
Epidemiology, Indian long term safety data will emerge only over time.”
Institute of Public Health
(an institution of Public We may or may not have a perfect vaccine for
Health Foundation of the COVID-19, but the world is better prepared than
India), Bhubaneswar, says, ever to deal with pandemics in the future. COVID-19
“The efficacy of the vaccine has been a wake- up call for major investments in
is likely to change with data R&D and a better healthcare infrastructure striving
emerging from longer follow-up periods (though towards UHC.
unrelated with mass inoculation as it does not depend
how many people get. The herd immunity depends The long term implications of the vaccine are yet
on that and not vaccine efficacy). That will determine to be determined. This is mainly due to the short time
whether repeat shots will be needed or not.” frame that vaccine developers
have had to test the vaccines in
The cure to pandemics of the past has mostly the long run. Talking on this Dr
been herd immunity or a vaccine. The world was put Bharesh Dedhia, Consultant,
on notice and we had a herculean task at hand, to Critical Care, Hinduja
find an effective cure to save mankind from a virus Hospital, Khar, Mumbai
that just jumped from animal to humans. According says “Long term impact of
to David Wallace- Wells, Journalist, Author, The vaccines will only be available
Uninhabitable Earth, Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine retrospectively, after a few years.
was ready by January 13, 2020 just two days after But there is no question that
the genetic sequence had been made public. Yet that preventing COVID-19 through vaccines is far safer
wasn’t all. The vaccine still had to undergo trials to than allowing natural immunity by getting infected.”
determine the efficacy of the vaccine, once the trials
were over, the vaccine would have to be approved, In the coming days as more trials are completed
commercialisation, availability, supply chain to the and approvals granted by authorities, the number of
masses were some massive challenges. COVID-19 vaccines will see an upsurge. Depending
on the country and also the availability, people are
Dr Debkishore Gupta, going to get vaccinated eventually. In the following
Consultant Clinical months, there will likely be a steep decline in the
Microbiology, Infectious number of COVID-19 infections and deaths.
Disease and Head of
Infection Control, CK Dr Soumya
Birla Hospitals, Kolkata Swaminathan, Chief
mentions, “As per the normal Scientist, WHO, Geneva,
norms, usually above 60 per Switzerland says, “We hope
cent efficacy is enough but the vaccine will prevent infection
with recent data most of the so that transmission is cut as
vaccines are reaching up to 90 per cent, which we well, but as of now we don’t have
did not expect in the beginning and seems to be the evidence to prove that. So it’s
encouraging.” really important that everyone
who gets the vaccine continues
The trials that have been conducted is nothing to take precautions.”
short of a miracle as per today’s standards. To
develop and perfect a vaccine usually would take Currently the challenge is to complete the clinical
about ten years. Yet today we have 52 vaccine trials with stringent measures following all protocols,
candidates that will be approved in the coming days then making it available to the masses for inoculation.
depending on the data from the trials and their Experts have shown confidence in the vaccines based
efficacies. on the data of clinical trials conducted. The data has
been promising, volunteers developed antibodies
Dr Anup R Warrier, once they were vaccinated with major side effects or
Senior Consultant Infection reactions. The other challenge that still needs to be
Control, Aster Medcity, addressed is how long will the antibodies remain in the
Kochi opines, “The trials have body after vaccination. Currently there isn’t enough
limitations in the time required data on how long the antibodies last. Most vaccines
to identify long term efficacy. will be available in two doses for maximum efficacy.
But both antibodies production
Prabhat Prakash
[email protected]

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com COVER STORY 17

SETTING WAVES
OF GLOCAL
Much of the world has spent the last two
The pandemic has forced the life quarters under some form of lockdown
sciences industry to move beyond its hoping for a therapy or vaccine that will
traditional methods of operating, thereby put an end to the pandemic. While most industries
setting new trends for 2021 in the form have been struggling with the impact of COVID-19
of strengthening API manufacturing, and the slow moving economy, there is one industry
that has quickly adapted itself so as to control the
building diagnostic & medtech situation i.e. the life sciences industry.
capabilities, increasing collaboration,
The pandemic has made India realise the
enhancing drug development and importance of biomedical resources for the
adopting digital transformation. India is healthcare system and research community.
all set to embrace a glocal approach by It has pushed India to optimise the latent
capabilities it possesses across the public and
bracing the local talent and delivering private sector to promote indigenous development
global standards. and manufacturing particularly in the space of

18 COVER STORY BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“THE VISION FOR 2021 Secondly, the pandemic has forced the pharma
WILL BE MORE HOLISTIC” industry to move beyond its traditional methods
of operating. For instance, as the confidence over
The vision for 2021 will be more holistic, the the Chinese supply chain weakened, manufacturers
hospitals must be sectoral and should be started examining alternative sources for active
vertically split into infectious prone area and pharmaceutical ingredients (API) outside China,
non- infectious zone. We have to rely and particularly for India which is the largest producer of
invest on technology, teleconsultations & generic medicines catering to over 60 per cent of the
digital way of operations. Technology could world’s demand.
be harnessed to ensure good quality of
outcomes in all the programmes announced Although, the dependence on China for APIs
by the government. We will have to focus on has been an ongoing concern for the industry, the
outbreak of coronavirus disease turned around as a
schemes like financial inclusion wake-up call for the India’s pharmaceutical industry,
as well as strengthening asking for a holistic ecosystem to capitalise on the
last-mile delivery in full potential of its API manufacturing capabilities.
healthcare services.
These together will lay Revival of India’s API industry is another major
the foundation for trend to look forward to in 2021. It seems likely
sustained growth and to be possible especially with the government
opening opportunities set to establish three bulk drug parks, each with
for private investment. an investment of Rs 10,000 crore, to reduce the
We need to fit the dependence of the Indian drug manufacturing
hospital in retrofit companies for API, especially from China.
or forward format
where we can “The Indian API industry has been struggling
change the settings for a long time because of high dependence on
in as short a China, which accounts for the bulk of the total
period as possible. imports. Because of this, API prices have been very

DR ALOK ROY

Chair, FICCI, Health Services Committee &
Chairman Medica Group of Hospitals, Kolkata

diagnostics and medical devices. The current
situation has come across as a catalyst to reinforce
the Make in India initiative.

The building of indigenous diagnostic and
medical technology capabilities is a major trend to
look up to in 2021 especially after the government
having given approval for setting up four medical
device parks with a view to support Make in India
initiative and provide world-class products at
affordable price for treatment.

“One of the new high growth sectors where
export driven world class manufacturing facilities
can be established in India is the medical devices.
India ranks in top 20 in the world by market size.
Indian medical devices industry is growing at a
CAGR of 16 per cent against global growth rate of 4
per cent in the sector. The industry is valued at $5
billion and contributes only 4-5 per cent of India’s
total healthcare sector of $97 billion”, points out
Sudhir H Kapadia, National Tax Leader, EY India,
Mumbai.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com COVER STORY 19

volatile and we have seen prices of APIs going up “THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS
by more than 100 per cent in the recent past. India TO TURN THE PRESENT CRISIS
needs a conducive ecosystem to rebuild its API INTO AN OPPORTUNITY”
manufacturing capabilities, which would require
favourable policies from the government and a The year 2020 has forced all of us to introspect
supportive financial ecosystem to boost private and and appreciate the simple, but important
foreign investment”, says Sujay Shetty, Partner, things in life. In order to achieve the GDP
Health Industries, PwC India, Mumbai. growth goals, a “healthy” & “balanced”
healthcare sector is essential, as an insurance
Another trend likely to be adopted in 2021 against future pandemics. The government
is increased collaboration and partnership. At intends to turn the present crisis into an
present, the need to accelerate the development and opportunity by increasing the GDP spend
production of COVID-19 vaccines has given rise to on healthcare from the present 1 per cent to
several public and private partnerships. The industry
is also witnessing a rise in novel cross-sectoral 2.5 per cent over the next five
partnerships. years. Investing in medical
education now, will start
For example, Pune based Serum Institute of yielding results over 3
India is manufacturing doses for a COVID-19 vaccine to 7 years in the form of
candidate developed by the University of Oxford sufficient medical staff to
in the UK. Similarly, Hyderabad based Biological population ratio. Digital
E has partnered with US based Baylor College of technology will help to
Medicine to scale-up the manufacturing process leverage the efficiency of
and undertake further development of a COVID-19 medical personnel & the
vaccine candidate. These are just a few examples out present situation has
of the many local and global partnerships India has already pitchforked
witnessed in 2020, owing to the ongoing pandemic. its acceptance
among the
Talking about the prospects for the medical
fraternity.

DR VISHAL BERI

CEO, Hinduja Hospital Khar, Mumbai

biopharmaceutical industry for 2021 Dr K V
Balasubramaniam, Life Sciences Consultant and
former Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals
Ltd, Hyderabad said “The COVID-19 pandemic and
the remarkable response of the vaccine industry to
offer cost effective solutions marks a new chapter
in the history of the global vaccine industry. I
expect that with strong economic recovery and
increased government spending on healthcare
in India, and specifically with large purchases of
COVID-19 vaccines, the vibrant vaccine industry
in India will witness huge growth in revenues and
profitability. The same will hold for biotherapeutics
and diagnostics also. I expect that new players
seized with the good business prospects will enter
the biopharmaceutical market resulting in increased
competition intensity”.

“India can leverage its strength in manufacturing
and science & technology capabilities. India can
be primed to be the hub for research, innovation
and shared services; and an integral partner of

20 COVER STORY BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“India needs a conducive ecosystem to “As AI moves from a “nice to have” to a “must
rebuild its API manufacturing capabilities, have,” companies and their leaders should build
which would require favourable policies from a vision and strategy to leverage AI, then put in
the government and a supportive financial place the building blocks needed to scale its use.”
ecosystem to boost private and foreign - WENDELL MIRANDA
investment.” Senior Analyst, Deloitte, Mumbai
- SUJAY SHETTY
Partner, Health Industries, PwC India, Mumbai global R&D chain. Today, more than ever, there
is a pressing need for industry, government,
“One of the new high growth sectors where academia, and startups to come together to create
export driven world class manufacturing facilities innovation hubs in the country where research
can be established in India is the medical can be undertaken. This can happen when we
devices. India ranks in top 20 in the world by create a strong IP and regulatory ecosystem
market size.” with a heightened focus on digital innovation,
- SUDHIR H KAPADIA biotechnology, and thrust on R&D partnership
National Tax Leader, EY India, Mumbai models”, shares KG Ananthakrishnan, Director
General, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers
“India can leverage its strength in manufacturing of India (OPPI), Mumbai.
and science & technology capabilities. India can
be primed to be the hub for research, innovation Adding on, the need to reinvigorate drug
and shared services; and an integral partner of development and boosting the R&D ecosystem
global R&D chain.” will require more attention in 2021. Companies
- KG ANANTHAKRISHNAN would need the right technology and solutions for
Director General, Organisation of Pharmaceutical advancement of drug research. In the race to find
Producers of India (OPPI), Mumbai vaccines, drug repurposing has emerged as the
fastest route to deliver drugs to the market.

Researchers need to work on building a central
repository of information about drugs being
repurposed to speed up the process of getting drugs
to market and helping pharma companies make
informed decisions. Setting a perfect example is New
Delhi based Indraprastha Institute of Information
Technology (IIIT) that has developed an artificial
intelligence (AI) based model to repurpose existing
drugs for COVID-19 treatment.

This new trend of drug repurposing brings the
focus on the growing adaptability of the new age
technologies such as AI, machine learning, big
data, robotics, 3D printing, blockchain etc., that are
likely to be the front runners for 2021. For example,
Mumbai based IT firm Tata Consultancy Services
(TCS) has recently deployed a blockchain based
digital supply chain platform to scale up indigenous
COVID-19 diagnostic test-kit production capacity to
a million test kits a day.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com COVER STORY 21

“Growth in the telehealth space will be sustained “Blockchain has shown potential in tracking
beyond the COVID-19 pandemic for the vendors and tracing products right from creation to sale
who can deliver practical applications of AI and in various industries. If adopted in the pharma
robotics, and deployment of big data analytics.” supply chain, it can help companies foresee an
- VICTOR CAMLEK unexpected surge in demand which can help in
Healthcare Principal Analyst, Frost & Sullivan, US identifying the source of disruption.”
- SUBHRO MALLIK
“Blockchain has shown potential in tracking Senior Vice President & Global Head of
and tracing products right from creation to sale in Life Sciences, Infosys, US
various industries. If adopted in the pharma supply
chain, it can help companies foresee an unexpected “I expect that with strong economic recovery and
surge in demand which can help in identifying the increased government spending on healthcare in
source of disruption”, says Subhro Mallik, Senior India, and specifically with large purchases of COVID-19
Vice President & Global Head of Life Sciences, vaccines, the vibrant vaccine industry in India will
Infosys, US. witness huge growth in revenues and profitability.”
- DR K V BALASUBRAMANIAM
According to a recent global survey conducted Life Sciences Consultant and former MD,
by Deloitte, more than 60 per cent of life sciences Indian Immunologicals Ltd, Hyderabad
companies spent over $20 million on AI initiatives
in 2019, and more than half expect investments in “With the pharma and med device industry getting
AI to increase in 2020. The survey also revealed that increasingly connected, the need of the hour is focused
43 per cent of the life sciences companies reported on cybersecurity & measures to prevent security
having successfully used AI to make processes more breaches or in compromising the company’s systems.”
efficient. - TANAZ BUHARIWALLA
India Director, IDA Ireland, Mumbai
“As AI moves from a “nice to have” to a “must
have,” companies and their leaders should build a
vision and strategy to leverage AI, then put in place
the building blocks needed to scale its use. These
include the right IT infrastructure, the right talent
and skill sets, and creating ecosystems and alliances
to access or build AI capabilities”, points out
Wendell Miranda, Senior Analyst, Deloitte, Mumbai.

It is evident that these new age technologies
will gradually become the prerequisite for all
enterprises. The future will require the industry to
act in real-time. This means that companies have to
evolve rapidly and leverage emerging technological
capabilities to reach that stage. For instance,
cybersecurity is already witnessing a high demand
as the industry has switched to work-from-home
mode and conducting virtual clinical trials. Network
and operations must be secured to prevent any data
breach making cybersecurity an important mandate.

On this note, Tanaz Buhariwalla, India Director,
IDA Ireland, Mumbai says, “Technologies that

22 COVER STORY BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

TOP 5 TRENDS FOR 2021 continue to be in focus and will remain so through
2021 include robotics, automation, machine
● Reviving API industry learning and AI for preventive and predictive patient
● Building diagnostic & medtech capabilities management to bring efficiencies in manufacturing.
● Increasing collaboration Supply chains will need to be transformed and
● Digital transformation automation will play a major role here. With the
● Enhancing drug development pharma and med device industry getting increasingly
connected, the need of the hour is focused on
TOP TRENDS IN THE cybersecurity and measures to prevent security
GLOBAL LIFE SCIENCES/ breaches or in compromising the company’s
BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY systems.”

1. Personalized medicine through advancements Cloud is another frontier in the drive for
in genetics. digitization. Considering the amount of research and
resources life sciences companies employ in bringing
2. Collaborative innovation of various life the products to the market, they certainly need a
sciences companies. reliable and robust technological solution such as
cloud on which they can depend on.
3. Advancement of drug research.
4. Increased volume of life sciences research. Lastly, it is proven that telemedicine and
5. Increased digitalized assessment, diagnosis, telehealth are going to be the new normal. The
ability to quickly connect with a doctor virtually is
and treatment of patients. turning out be a new trend setter. Doctors are now
6. Value-based pricing of products. prescribing medicines online that can be further
7. Data management and integration. brought from an online story or e-pharmacy.
8. Improvement of drug approval timelines. The market is changing rapidly and the pharma
9. Incorporation of genetics in treatment. companies must find solutions to seize this moment.
10. Heightened focus on immune cell function.
“Growth in the telehealth space will be sustained
Source: linchpinseo.com beyond the COVID-19 pandemic for the vendors
who can deliver user-friendly sensors and remote
IMPORTANT STATS IN THE diagnostic equipment, practical applications of
GLOBAL LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY AI and robotics, deployment of big data analytics
that can help researchers learn more about the
1. The total spending on medicine is $428 billion way COVID-19 progresses among diverse patient
dollars. populations, and adherence to cybersecurity and
privacy regulations that avoid data breaches following
2. The nutraceutical industry is a large the use of telehealth services”, shares Victor Camlek,
subcategory of the life sciences that still Healthcare Principal Analyst, Frost & Sullivan, US.
clamors for more ntific evidence.
The present situation is expected to lead to a new
3. There is also an increased need for hybrid model of healthcare in which primary care
public awareness and innovation in the will be given virtually while hospitals will become a
environmental nces sector. point of emergency care. Nevertheless, digital and
analytical tools will see greater adoption in the near
4. There are still uncharted territories in marine future. And so the industry needs to be prepared
biology. to counter similar challenges that might unfold in
the coming years. It also requires the industry to
5. 1 in 6 global deaths are caused by cancer. embrace a glocal approach by bracing the local talent
6. The modern biotechnology industry was and deliver global standards.

started by Genentech. As we step into 2021, BioSpectrum brings to
7. Life sciences industries impact economy and you the elaborate plans of the industry players that
will help them to adopt the new trends, stay more
job growth. resilient in the long run and embrace the glocal
8. The top pharmaceutical companies in the US approach to go forward.

are located in New Jersey and Connecticut. Dr Manbeena Chawla
9. Investors should be wary of fraudulent biotech [email protected]
(with inputs from Prabhat Prakash,
startups.
10. Neurological disorders account for 10% of Pooja Yadav & Akshay Nayak)

deaths worldwide.

Source: linchpinseo.com

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com BIOPHARMA / PHARMA 23

Reviving API sector and investing in new solutions

Vaccine companies are currently in the limelight while scaling up COVID-19 vaccine plans for local and global
needs. In addition, the pharma industry is being pushed to access the benefits of digital technology including
artificial intelligence & big data analytics to support the virtual world, rejuvenating the telemedicine platforms,
reviving Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) sector and investing in new solutions to drive differentiation in
an increasingly competitive market. BioSpectrum brings to you plans of the leading pharma/biopharma players

for 2021.

“Launching new generic “Rolling out 2 dose schedule for COVAXIN”
formulations in the US”
The Phase III human clinical
Looking ahead, we expect the trials of COVAXIN began in
generic formulations business to November, involving 26,000
continue to drive growth, based volunteers across India. This is
on new launches in the US for India’s first and only Phase III
products, which are currently efficacy study for a COVID-19
under regulatory review. We also vaccine, and the largest Phase
plan to commercialise III efficacy trial ever conducted
Remdesivir in India as part of our for any vaccine in India. COVAXIN trials are based on
commitment towards providing treatment for a 2-dose schedule, given 28 days apart. The vaccine
COVID-19. We have submitted drug master files for efficacy will be determined two weeks after the
three APIs in the US and seven APIs in other markets. second dose. We should look at the COVID-19
We also received licenses from MHRA, UK, to import vaccine distribution as a global public policy. There
and distribute products there. This is in line with our should be a logistical strategy wherein there is also
plans to commercialise our formulations directly in less impact on our environment.
the UK. The construction of a greenfield facility in
Visakhapatnam for immunosuppressant APIs has DR KRISHNA ELLA,
been slightly impacted due to delays by our vendors
on account of COVID-19. We expect this facility to be Chairman & Managing Director,
commissioned by CY 2022. Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad

SIDDHARTH MITTAL,

Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director,
Biocon, Bengaluru

“Saving countless lives
with COVISHIELD vaccine”

As promised, before the end of
2020, we have applied for
emergency use authorisation for
the first made-in-India vaccine,
COVISHIELD. This will save
countless lives. COVISHIELD is by
far the most advanced vaccine in
human testing in India. We have
already manufactured 40 million doses of the vaccine,
under the at-risk manufacturing and stockpiling
license from Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

ADAR POONAWALLA,

Chief Executive Officer,
Serum Institute of India, Pune

24 BIOPHARMA / PHARMA BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Continuing digital trend” “Working with USFDA
for clinical trials of PegiHep”
In 2021 we expect continuation
of the digital trend that started We are encouraged by the
in 2020 to further develop and results of Phase II study of
become a constant in the Pegylated Interferon alpha 2-b
healthcare space. Face to Face (PegiHep), which has shown the
and digital interactions will potential to reduce virus titres
coexist and our commitment is when given earlier in the
to ensure that integrity remains COVID-19 disease. We have now
one of our foundational behaviours. commenced the Phase III trials
that will be conducted on 250 patients across 20-25
LUCA VISINI, centres in India. We are working with the United
States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to
Managing Director, Eli Lilly and open an Investigational New Drug (IND) application
Company India, Gurugram for PegiHep in order to initiate appropriate clinical
trials in US. In addition, we will be conducting Phase
“Increasing capacity for vaccine supply” I trial on ZYIL 1, a small molecule new chemical
entity (NCE) positioned for management of critically
With an investment of Rs 75 ill COVID-19 patients. Also, the Phase II clinical trials
crore in the upcoming facility in of Desidustat in the management of COVID-19 is
Genome Valley, we expect to underway at Mexico.
increase our capacity to supply
additional quantities of high- DR SHARVIL PATEL,
quality and safe vaccines. The
new facility will be specially Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare, Ahmedabad
designed as a multi-product
facility and to cater to the need for viral vaccines in “Expecting to sustain momentum”
the pipeline that includes dengue, zika and varicella.
We have also recently inaugurated a new sterile We are very pleased with the
filling facility that was commissioned last year at an strong recovery of our business
additional investment of Rs 75 crore. This facility will in 2020, demonstrated by
increase our capacity to supply lifesaving vaccines sequential growth across all our
such as the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) – Abhayrab. As geographies, in particular US
a part of the expansion plan, we will add over 150 and India. This marks the start
new positions, bringing the total staff strength close of monetization of our complex
to 1,500. The new facility will boost the production generic pipeline with the launch
capacity by over 35 per cent and increase the supply of Etanercept biosimilar in Europe and generic
capacity to key markets where rabies vaccine is Albuterol in the US. We expect to sustain the
critically needed. The new plant is expected to be momentum on margin improvement led by
ready for operation by October 2021. optimization efforts underway and robust growth in
our key businesses.
DR K ANAND KUMAR,
NILESH GUPTA,
Managing Director,
Indian Immunologicals, Hyderabad Managing Director, Lupin, Mumbai

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com BIOPHARMA / PHARMA 25

“Aiming to access SGLT2 cattle farmers. We are currently working towards
inhibitors market of diabetes” developing a vaccine against LSD. We have
already received the test license for evaluation of
Diabetes is a key area of focus safety & efficacy of the vaccine. We have plans to
for Micro Labs and with the commercially launch the vaccine in 2021. Also, our
recent launch of the anti- developmental activities are ongoing for the
diabetic drug combo human COVID-19 vaccine with Indian Institute of
Dapagliflozin plus Metformin Technology, Guwahati. Discussions are on with
tablets under the brand name various human vaccines manufacturing
ZUCAPRIDE- M, we aim to companies to take the vaccine development and
access the Rs 1000 crore trial activities further.
SGLT2 inhibitors market, by providing an effective,
high quality and world-class treatment option to RAJIV GANDHI,
patients in India. Besides, strong R&D efforts have
helped us develop our own API, which is at par Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director,
with the innovator brand. Hester Biosciences, Ahmedabad

ASHOK JAIN, “Rolling out digital solutions”

Executive Director, Micro Labs, Mumbai AstraZeneca will continue
to prioritise investments in
“Offering potential option its focus areas in-line with
for prophylaxis of COVID-19” its global growth platforms.
To detail out further:
We have initiated a Phase I/II innovating with partners
clinical trial of the COVID-19 and piloting new ideas at
subunit vaccine candidate in scale and rolling out digital
India following approval from solutions to benefit large numbers of patients.
the Drugs Controller General We will also focus on improving the Healthcare
of India (DGCI). The results of Professionals (HCPs) experience, orchestrating
this clinical trial are expected across both digital and F2F; continue to work
to be available by February on the ecosystem around the HCP with virtual
2021. We are very happy indeed to transition our care clinics, e-pharmacy support and
potential vaccine candidate to clinical trials and importantly the patient education initiatives
offer one more potential option for the prophylaxis (Tele-Educators); develop end-to end supplies of
of COVID-19. our oncology products and strengthening the
patient support services with supplies to
MAHIMA DATLA, paramedics on home-day care for essential
oncology products; continue to leverage
Managing Director, Biological E, Hyderabad technology and accelerate innovative science
by educating and empowering HCPs and
“Launching vaccine against connecting with national and international
Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle” experts through virtual continued medical
education meetings/conferences/workshops.
We expect to grow in the Similarly, for patient’s as well as educated and
market by expanding our empowered patient’s will play an important role
reach, improving our product in shaping healthcare policies and treatment
performances and adding protocols to improve health outcomes for
new products and offering community. Product or new indication
new solutions in our portfolio. launches from conventional ways have gone
In line with global health into virtual platforms and have been quite
practices to move away from successful in reaching out effectively.
antibiotics, we will focus on herbal products. Most
new products would be natural or herbal in nature GAGANDEEP SINGH,
for our poultry as well as animal division. Lumpy
Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle is an emerging disease Managing Director,
in India, which is of economic importance for AstraZeneca Pharma India, Bengaluru

26 BIOPHARMA / PHARMA BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Making Sputnik V available with import “Housing data scientists
and indigenous production model” to support drug discovery”

Our research teams are working As a company, we have
on several potential remedies accelerated our use of digital
for COVID-19 in addition to the solutions and platforms during
already launched products. We the pandemic. We now use
have seen a year-on-year digital media more extensively
growth of 21 per cent and than before for customer
sequential growth of 46 per engagement and multiple other
cent, which is primarily on processes. We plan to build on
account of revenues from the acquired business of the progress made in 2020 on several fronts. We
Wockhardt and contribution from new products already have a good presence in India through our
including the Avigan (Favipiravir) and Remdesivir three global R&D support groups in Bengaluru, and
launched for treatment of COVID-19. We have have just announced the opening of a global
further strengthened our development pipeline for capability centre in Bengaluru. This centre will
COVID-19 treatment drugs including the vaccine house data scientists and analysts, who will support
candidate Sputnik V. We are working towards our drug discovery efforts.
making the vaccine available with a combination of
import and indigenous production model. SRIDHAR VENKATESH,

GV PRASAD, Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceuticals, Mumbai

Co-chairman & Managing Director, “Working on various digital
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad transformation initiatives”

“Seeding multiple products With its rapidly evolving
across various regions” healthcare system, India
remains a core market for
Glenmark Life sciences has Takeda. We are keen to offer
successfully developed the API innovative therapies, especially
for Favipiravir (FabiFlu) for the within rare diseases, oncology
treatment of COVID-19 in India. and vaccines, to serve critical
We continue to look at unmet medical needs. We are
opportunities with various also looking at expanding our current immunology
partners and has been seeding and hematology businesses and continue to build
multiple products across various on our launch pipeline. As digital has been the new
regions. During 2020, we have submitted one drug normal, Takeda is working on various digital
master file (DMF) in Japan, four in the rest of the transformation initiatives both internally and
world (ROW) markets and two in gulf cooperation externally to bring added value to our employees
council (GCC) markets. The company is looking to and partners.
file at least 12 -15 DMFs in 2021.
KOKI SATO,
GLENN SALDANHA,
Country Head & General Manager,
Director, Glenmark Life Sciences, Mumbai Takeda India, Gurugram

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com BIOPHARMA / PHARMA 27

“Investing more in research work” “Collaborating with
government to contain AMR”
As we step into the new normal,
organizations like ours have Globally, we have been working
shed age-old monitoring with partners and suppliers
mechanisms and brought in across the value chain, to
work ethics, accountability, and improve antimicrobial
responsiveness and introduced resistance (AMR) awareness and
more innovative employee raise standards through policies.
engagement practices. Our In this context, we have set an
early success with the equine antibodies’ project has internal target of meeting the
given us confidence that we must invest more in science-based targets for antibiotic discharges in
research work. BSV has also been conducting Phase effluents, also defined as predicted no effect
III trials on Ulinastatin. More recently, global research concentrations (PNEC), for all our own wastewater
teams have shared their belief in Ulinastatin streams, as well as those at our supplier sites, by
potentially preventing the cytokine storm that 2021. We are well on track having already met the
causes death in COVID-19 patients. These PNEC targets for Centrient’s largest Active
developments reinforce my faith in the calibre of our Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) product range of
scientists. I’m certain that most other players in semi-synthetic Penicillins. In line with that, in India,
healthcare have had similar experiences. India is we will keep collaborating with central and state
blessed to have a brilliant team of scientists and governments as well as other stakeholders in the
technocrats and if our government continues to ecosystem to support their initiatives in the
provide more grants to nurture R&D culture, our containment of AMR and ensuring that during the
country could be a burgeoning research hub over current pandemic, antibiotics continue to save lives.
the next year or two.
REX CLEMENTS,
SANJIV NAVANGUL,
Chief Executive Officer,
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Centrient Pharmaceuticals, The Netherlands
Bharat Serums and Vaccines, Mumbai

“Building on digital innovation”

The digital medium has played
a very important role, which was
an underutilized asset prior to
COVID-19. We moved to digital
interaction out of necessity and
we have realized our
stakeholders are more
welcoming and available to
interact via digital. Leveraging this opportunity, we
have launched several digital platforms to interact
with our customers and employees and sharing
content, which is meaningful and engaging. The key
focus for 2021 is to ensure a strong business recovery
post COVID and continue to build on the digital
innovation to drive our marketing initiatives and
customer interaction. We have learnt a lot during
COVID and we can continue to imbibe the good
practices, which have evolved in the area of
employee engagement and empathy to drive
organisational culture.

SURESH PATTATHIL,

Managing Director, Allergan India, Bengaluru

28 BIOSERVICES BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Shifting to a new era of technology-based work

The coming time is expected to create an optimistic impact on the global market for contract development
and manufacturing organization. Several companies will be in an attempt to speed up their productivity to
fulfill the growing demand, after the end of the pandemic. In addition, as sites, sponsors, and clinical research
organizations shift to a new era of technology-based work, the groundwork is being laid for continued adoption
of remote processes long after the pandemic has gone. BioSpectrum reaches out to the bioservices industry for

its plans in 2021.

“Creating a skilled force employee testing programme introduced in 2020 will
in biomanufacturing” help ensure Syngene operates with minimum
disruption. We will continue to build on our expertise
Being the preferred partners in in advanced technologies such as sophisticated
biomanufacturing, we are immuno-oncology assays, integrated drug discovery
committed to invest and and CAR-T design for research of next generation
support in a big way to nurture therapies as well as build on our capacities to serve
the emerging biotech sector the growing requirements of our clients.
with the best of our ability. We
will continue to invest in tools DR MAHESH BHALGAT,
and technologies globally that
will accelerate and advance therapeutics in Chief Operating Officer,
biologics, vaccines, plasma, cell and gene therapy. Syngene International, Hyderabad
The collaborations that are lined up with the top
academic labs and centre for excellence in India will “Scaling up to next level”
be a game changer in meeting the vision of creating
a skilled force in the niche areas of A major lesson learn from the
biomanufacturing, drug discovery and automation. pandemic is to adopt according
We will explore to collaborate with our local partners to markets requirement at
to meet the new policy frame work designed by the current situations and to try to
government. convert the adversity as
opportunity. In 2021, we plan to
VAGGU RAGHAVENDRA GOUD, scale up the organisation to
next level, diversify the services
General Manager, Cytiva South Asia, Hyderabad and increase the top line of the organisation.

“Building expertise in DIVYA CHANDRADHARA,
advanced technologies”
Chief Executive Officer, BioAgile Therapeutics,
Syngene today is actively Bengaluru
engaged in supplying reagents
and proteins for use in “Hoping to continue on
diagnostic kits. We are also same growth trajectory”
working with partners on
advanced therapy programmes We hope to continue on the same
such as neutralizing antibodies growth trajectory in the next year
and developing models for use and use all that we have learnt
as innovative research tools. Our Ace2 receptor during the pandemic to address
model and pseudovirion based assays are all our customers’ needs better. The
outcomes of the COVID-19 related needs and COVID-19 pandemic has been an
opportunities. As for next year, it will depend on the accelerator of change for building
speed and effectiveness of the vaccine deployment a stronger and more resilient
programmes that different countries are taking up. healthcare ecosystem. It has strengthened the value
This will in turn play an important role in the proposition and importance of having an agile and
subsequent waves of COVID-19 and the ability to innovative life sciences industry. As we prepare to
return to normalcy. Regardless, the 100 per cent transition to stability, the world will pivot in many ways
through shifts in behaviour and preferences, and

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com BIOSERVICES 29

adoption of technology. We will continue to stay close models by increasing revenue contribution from
to our customers, employees, suppliers and partners product or platform subscriptions and investing in
to understand their needs and continue to deliver on making our solutions more technology-intensive
all fronts. and value-accretive; establishing US operations; and
developing deeper relationships with our key clients.
AMIT MOOKIM,
ANANDBIR SINGH BRAR,
Managing Director, IQVIA India, Mumbai
Chief Executive Officer, Excelra, Hyderabad
“Opening new facilities”
“Using real world data
We are in the midst of an to accelerate innovation”
organization wide transformative
initiative Sai Nxt. Guided by the 2021 will be the year of
insights and feedback from our opportunities. Our world,
customers, we are investing pivoting in response to the
upwards of $150 million to pandemic, has demonstrated
top-grade every aspect of our great resilience and has shifted
organization. We have already quickly to work in new and
added 172 KL API & intermediate manufacturing different ways to accelerate new
capacity, expanded our geographic footprint with therapies. Moving forward with
R&D facilities in Boston and Manchester, and opened a patients-first approach, it will become imperative
a new 83,000 sq. ft. integrated research & technology to design studies keeping in mind patients’
center in Hyderabad. In 2021, we continue this convenience and safety. Decentralized trials and
journey of transformation with Sai Nxt adding new improving capabilities in cell and gene therapy
facilities, enhancing operational excellence, and research will be instrumental in creating state-of-
expanding customer outreach. The new facilities the-art infrastructure to conduct clinical trials.
scheduled to open this year include high potent R&D Parexel is at the forefront of using real world data
and manufacturing capability, clean room block and (RWD) and real world evidence (RWE) to accelerate
200KL additional manufacturing capacity. In recent innovation and improve efficiency in the new global
months, we have expanded our customer outreach in regulatory environment.
newer markets and will further strengthen it in the
coming months. Our investments in hard SANJAY VYAS,
infrastructure are being backed with substantial
investments in people development, automation, Senior Vice President, India Country Head &
data systems, process improvements and shop-floor Managing Director, Parexel, Bengaluru
transformation.
“Implementing automation initiatives”
KRISHNA KANUMURI,
We will create new alliances in
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, niche areas. We are currently
Sai Life Sciences, Hyderabad assessing options and are in
talks with some companies. We
“Making our solutions will continue with
more technology-intensive” implementation of automation
initiatives with the aim of
Excelra’s business goal remains bringing them to market in the
transforming life science data coming year. We will bring internal efficiencies to
into actionable insights for our the way current processes are being handled, with
clients. Our offerings run the eventual benefit received by our clients, project
through ‘from molecule to optimize is what we call it. While growing the SIRO
market’ essentially catering to family, we would strive to continue building a
the entire pharma R&D value culturally strong and happy organization.
chain all the way up to
commercialization. Our short term goals include AKSHAY DAFTARY,
focusing on the new growth areas such as value
evidence and tech solutions; evolving new business Director of Business Development,
SIRO Clinpharm, Mumbai

30 BIOSERVICES BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Offering more contract possible, even in the post-COVID world. Our
manufacturing services” broad future plans include focus on technology
enablement. This is achieved by integrating
Tex Biosciences is actively disparate systems usually used in clinical trial
leveraging on its systems and which supports us in providing the
manufacturing capabilities and real-time insights and also data-driven decisions,
offering more contract which are made for the studies. Through this we
manufacturing services of are fully driven in terms of executing the next-
biotech products to principal gen clinical trials. We also plan to make a shift in
companies. In this regard, we our approach towards clinical development. Key
have been able to add new lessons learnt during the pandemic and the way
clients to our list and expand the range of products we have executed the six COVID-19 studies have
we now manufacture. Apart from contract made us more adaptable and flexible in terms of
manufacturing, we have been able to expand into study management. We will be future proofing
new geographical areas through exports of with real time insights - driven optimization to
products in leather, animal feed, water treatment, inform sponsor team and executive
paper, textiles and detergents. management with real time status decisions
and deliver quality outcomes. There will be
ARAVINDHA PRAKASH KRISHNAMACHARI, greater implementation of patient engagement
tools and remote monitoring.
Director, Tex Biosciences, Chennai
SRINIVASAN H R,
“Expecting 300 per cent growth”
Vice Chairman and Managing Director,
In 2020, we have expanded TAKE Solutions, Chennai
our portfolio to many more
industries. Also, we have “Opening large animal
added new territories for our facility for medical device testing”
operations. Now, we’re
working with more 25 Post COVID-19, the growth of
countries globally. Recently in the healthcare and preclinical
light of the coronavirus, we contract research
have developed a specialised enzymes based organizations (CRO) services
multipurpose disinfectant which has been put market is expected to grow
into focus a lot. This product has found great due to increase in number of
acceptance and utility. Even in these COVID clinical trials and increasing
times, we expect a 300 per cent growth this year. expenditure in R&D and
Our diversification strategy in terms of outsourcing activities worldwide. 2021 is going to
geographies and industries has helped us give a huge stimulus to CRO industry. The
achieve this. massive efforts to develop vaccines, new
diagnostics, medical devices, repurpose existing
ADARSH DESAI, anti-viral drugs and develop new drugs is the
new hope and opportunities for Vipragen to
Managing Director, Infinita Biotech, Vadodara explore. We have put a foot forward in the areas
of medical devices, analytical chemistry,
“Focusing on technology enablement” Inhalation toxicology, in vitro toxicology and
other areas of preclinical discovery and
The CRO Industry is at an development which will take major shape in the
inflection point as COVID-19 coming year. We are coming up with a large
has changed clinical trials animal/non rodent facility for safety and medical
forever with technology- device testing. We as a CRO plan to be more
enabled services being in agile, how to de-risk our R&D and show early
the forefront as the new successes.
normal. We are witnessing
the beginning of a DR CHAITRA HARSHA,
restructuring of the clinical trial landscape.
Returning to the traditional models will not be Managing Director, Vipragen Biosciences, Mysuru

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com BIOSUPPLIERS 31

Innovating new offerings for the industry

Despite the ongoing crisis, the biosuppliers sector has stayed focused on developing and delivering the
required consumables, reagents, equipment etc. in this fight against COVID-19. While few players are still
reviving their business plans, others are innovating new offerings for the industry. BioSpectrum brings out the

upcoming plans of the biosuppliers industry for 2021.

“Addressing growing pharma “Actively evaluating overall supply chain”
concerns of new impurities”
As a global provider of tools and
As one of the leading equipment for the
partners for the life sciences biopharmaceutical industry, we
industry, our focus remains remain committed to providing
on bio-therapeutics and the necessary research tools
helping the industry find and reagents, diagnostic
solutions to combat well products, therapy
known and emerging manufacturing products and
diseases. As the Indian vaccine development products that aid the fight
government increases focus on the sector, and against this novel virus. Employee safety will remain
India develops new technology parks, the life a top priority. We will continue to support our
sciences industry is poised for good growth. Also, customers in India working on COVID-19 projects
Agilent has recently launched certain unique and life-saving therapies. Our 59 manufacturing
technologies like the Vaya Raman system for sites and more than 100 distribution centres around
contamination tracing, as its area of focus. Life the world remain operational to serve our customers
sciences companies are facing the emergence of in these difficult times. Our global task force is
certain new impurities, such as nitrosamines. We mobilized to actively evaluate the overall supply
have also established products and solutions to chain of both our products and key raw materials to
address these growing complexities by creating mitigate any potential disruption. Leveraging
mass spectrometry systems and laying our focus business continuity plans, we remain dedicated to
on bio-pharmacy, and smart labs. Furthermore, serving our customers and sharing our expertise
the power of innovative analytical technologies, through skill development in high-end technology
guided workflow and software libraries are to aid in scientific response to future disease
helping our customers to analyze the entire situations in the country.
product lifecycle and define the root cause of
genotoxic impurities. SUNIL PUNJABI,

BHARAT BHARDWAJ, Country Speaker and Head of Research
Solutions, Merck India, Bengaluru
Country General Manager – India,
Agilent Technologies, New Delhi

“Awaiting to revive growth plans”

Before COVID-19 impacted,
BD South Asia was on a
growth path with several
investments lined up. We
had put them on hold to
navigate through the crisis.
We are eagerly awaiting to
revive these plans and get
back to a growth path.

PAVAN MOCHERLA,

Managing Director, BD India/South Asia, Gurugram

32 BIOSUPPLIERS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Developing omni channels and tools” “Churning out best
molecular diagnostic solutions”
The pandemic has been a great
burning platform to drive The clinical diagnostics sector
change. Digital transformation has made a major leapfrog
has been accelerated by at least jump to molecular diagnostics
3-4 years. The fundamental during COVID-19 pandemic. We
ways that teams across the have invested in molecular
company work will change. I biology R&D over the last 14
personally see that in online years. Post the pandemic,
meetings, more opinions and views are heard, HiMedia started to focus on
thanks to the chat functions as opposed to in person churning out the best molecular solutions from
meetings where only one person’s opinions can be HiGenoMB for delivering on the opportunities in the
heard at a time, making these interactions richer diagnostic sector rather than on focusing on the
and more democratic. A deeper understanding of areas like academics and research, which closed
the interconnectivity of the products and processes down during the pandemic. We have received a very
will be developed, with a focus on delivery, supply prestigious grant of Rs 25 crore from the National
chain stability, business continuity planning from Biopharma Mission to develop Chemically Defined
end-to-end. Companies will create and develop Serum Free Media (CDSFM) to grow CHO/NS0 cells
omni channels and tools as they seek to interact, for production of monoclonal antibodies, which are
communicate, train, support and sell to their the magic bullets for the treatment of cancers and
customers. many chronic diseases. Additionally our media for
T-cell expansion for CAR-T cell therapy is also ready
CHETAN MAKAM, and this is very much needed for anti- cancer
treatment using cutting edge cell based therapies.
Managing Director, Terumo Penpol, We plan to expand our horizons by reaching every
Thiruvananthapuram country with sensitive, innovative and user- friendly
molecular diagnostic solutions.

DR GANGADHAR M. WARKE,

Founder and CMD, HiMedia Laboratories, Mumbai

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com STARTUPS 33

Strengthening disease monitoring systems with technology

Although over the last few months the startup space saw a rough time as funding ran low for many, few of
them have been supporting the healthcare infrastructure and strengthening disease monitoring systems
with innovations enabled with technology. On a positive note, there has been a massive increase in the uptake
of innovations. As a result, healthcare startups are making their strategies for the coming year. BioSpectrum

brings to you plans of the startups for 2021.

“Looking to expand and “Deepening our diagnostic network”
adding new verticals”
The pandemic has proven that
From an industry or consumer telemedicine is not only a tool for
angle, the pandemic has made patients with non-critical
it very evident that customers emergencies, but can also be an
are moving online faster than effective tool to ensure
ever before. As a tech-first continued care for patients
healthcare provider, DoctorC is afflicted by chronic conditions
at the forefront of this market such as diabetes, hypertension,
transformation that’s etc. In 2021, we will be scaling up our presence across
happening in the healthcare space. The pandemic key cities in India, partnering with strategic hospitals
has led to a rapid expansion of the company across that would enable high quality Outpatient
verticals. Before the pandemic, we were a team of Department (OPD) care to be accessible to an even
150, today we are nearly 300. We are currently in 10 greater number of patients. We plan to expand our
cities and are looking to expand to 20+ cities in 2021. doctor network as well as deepen our diagnostic
We are also adding new verticals beyond network across the country. We would also be
diagnostics. creating detailed continuous care programmes for
several chronic conditions prevalent in India- such as
NEEHAR CHEERABUDDI, diabetes, Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), thyroid,
hypertension to name a few.
Chief Executive Officer, DoctorC, Hyderabad
PRASAD KOMPALLI,
“Investing another $20M for expansion”
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, MFine, Bengaluru
Owing to the unprecedented
demand for our mobility & “Reaching out to everyone in rural India”
virtual healthcare services, we
are investing another $20 While 2020 was a challenge, 2021
million to add a 20 plus new is not going to be easier. At least
services for our subscribers. This the initial two quarters of the
strategy will propel our growth year will still be consumed in
in health tourism for recuperating the businesses and
international patients, urban crowds and more going back to normal. The
importantly provide underserved regions access to telemedicine sector has a lot to
our exclusive services. Besides mobility services, we emphasize on and build an
will roll-out home diagnostics, doctor, nurses and ecosystem that is healthier, safer and digitally
nutritionists’ consultation on call. Plans are equipped to attend all sorts of medical needs. Tattvan
underway to expand our Intelligent Monitoring provides primary healthcare service and advanced
Analysis Services Quarantine (iMASQ) services, offer healthcare opinion in rural areas and small towns,
no-cost ambulances for the needy, and subsidised tier-2 and tier-3 cities. We are continuing with the
services across healthcare in partnership with same motive to make it a bigger revolution in the
hospitals. healthcare industry and reach out to everyone in
rural India with our best services.
DHARMA TEJA NUKARAPU,
AYUSH MISHRA,
Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
Vera Smart Healthcare, Hyderabad Chief Executive Officer, Tattvan e-clinics, Gurugram

34 STARTUPS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Raising funds & expanding our footprints” programme’s promise. From straining to perform a
few thousand tests, nationally, we are now aiming
COVID-19 happened out of the for a million a day. In 2021, we will continue to work
blue, impacting almost every towards bringing world-class innovations to society
sector. For a player like us that and to explore collaborations to bring global
deal in the digital arena, it perspectives to India’s bio innovators and bio
worked to our advantage. researchers.
Pharmaceutical brands had
been very hesitant in adopting DR TASLIMARIF SAIYED,
digital technologies, but the
pandemic provided the required push for Rx drug Chief Executive Officer & Director,
marketers to look for digital avenues and adopt Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms
digital methods to stay relevant to Physicians not
just at times like these, but also to optimize their (C-CAMP), Bengaluru
business outcomes in the future as well. COVID-19
has made one thing crystal clear for the pharma “Expanding into AI
sector that digital is here to stay, and any marketing based digital capabilities”
strategy would be incomplete without it. In the year
ahead, we are aiming at raising funds and SeekMed has gained significant
expanding our footprints to South Asian and traction in building itself as a
European markets, besides launching new features credible global tele-medicine
that bring effectiveness and efficiency in platform for professional and
pharmaceutical marketing. ethical medical advice. As we
look at 2021, we’ll continue to
DR HARSHIT JAIN, build on the momentum and
focus on expanding our
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Doceree footprint on all fronts- establish SeekMed as the
platform of choice for second opinion; expand
“Continuing exploring global collaboration” geographic outreach outside India; expand into AI
based digital capabilities for targeted patient
We were thrown into the education and tele-medicine offerings; grow our
pandemic without the tools we network of most admired super specialist doctors by
needed. Not enough diagnostic 150 per cent and explore tie-ups to broaden our
kits, ventilators or state-of-the- value-based offerings; and expand tie ups with all
art sanitization technologies. major hospital chains of India.
That is when C-CAMP
instituted the C-CAMP ALOK AWASTHI,
Innovations Deployment
Accelerator (C-CIDA) to harvest world-class Founder, SeekMed, New Delhi
innovations growing in our own backyard. However,
niggling issues remained like the bottlenecks in “Digital maturity and
the supply chain of key reagents, enzymes, Active innovation at forefront”
Pharmaceutical Ingredient (APIs) and other crucial
kit components that go into the making of a 2021 would be the year of
RT-PCR kit. Even as India’s vaccine development renewal, digital maturity and
programme is nearing clinical approval, enzymes innovation. It is an exciting time
are short of supply. A case of the ‘missing reagent’ for our industry as well as for
aptly sums up our current situation. C-CAMP is CORE Diagnostics. Innovation
anchoring two major programmes to change this and the use of advanced
scenario- National Biomedical Resources technology would continue to
Indigenization Consortium (NBRIC) and Rockefeller be amongst the top trends in
Foundation supported Indigenization of India as well as across the globe. There has been a
Diagnostics (InDx) programme. InDx is helping visible shift of consumers from brick-and-mortal to
scale up manufacturing capacities for indigenous digital services. We believe end-to-end doorstep
diagnostic kits to effectively meet the country’s delivery of diagnostic services will come up as a
testing needs. A million test kits a day is the major trend. In terms of infrastructure, the smaller
labs have limited financial capabilities for advanced
equipment. Hence, organized players are expected

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com STARTUPS 35

to register higher growth along with consolidation expanding the scope of our data science to
and acquisition of smaller labs by established ones. ensure Dozee can accurately predict specific
The large scale public-private partnership, one of the disorders, esp. in neurology, pulmonology and
significant developments in our industry this year, is cardiology space. On the hospital front, we are
also expected to continue and further grow in seeing good traction this year and we have
varying models in the year 2021. partnered with over 30 hospitals already. We are
planning to scale across the country and have
DINESH CHAUHAN, our devices at many more wards. Currently in
India, only one lakh beds are being continuously
Chief Executive Officer, monitored and there are about 19 lakh beds,
CORE Diagnostics, New Delhi which are dependent on human intervention.
We hope to bridge this gap in the coming years.
“Working on expanding beyond India” We are also targeting Tier II cities as the doctor
to patient ratio is extremely skewered here and
The pandemic created an having our device in such regions will ensure
unprecedented challenge to that hospitals run efficiently by automating the
everyone, which in turn triggered vitals monitoring process.
innovative thinking. At NIRAMAI,
we saw a decline in the number MUDIT DANDWATE,
of screenings as women hesitated
to walk into hospital OPDs for Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder,
non-emergency needs. We also Dozee, Bengaluru
did not conduct screening camps for many months in
order to reduce crowding during the lockdown. “Planning to enter APAC
However, the need for breast health will not change. market through partners”
So, we came up with a new way of reaching out to
people directly by launching our home screening We have recently introduced
service in partnership with home care providers. Since our first range of novel
we work in thermal imaging, which is a mandatory COVID-19 diagnostics
COVID-19 screening requirement, we innovated on the products in the form of RNA
product front too. We launched a new product for Wrapr. It is a molecular
automated temperature screening called Niramai transport medium for
FeverTest. Niramai is now clinically proven and COVID-19 sample collection,
established itself as an expert in breast health in many developed as part of the
cities. In the coming year, we plan to scale up our COVID-19 response team from Indian Institute of
services pan India to provide Niramai test in many Science. RNA Wrapr inactivates the virus
more cities and focus on creating further awareness immediately only preserving DNA/RNA content
about breast health in women. We also plan to work on required for RT-PCR tests. The product is safe to
expanding beyond India. handle even during unexpected accidental
spillage or handling errors. Developing countries
DR GEETHA MANJUNATH, can collect samples in centres without BSL2 or
BSL3 certifications. It is priced at Rs 99 in India,
Chief Executive & Technology Officer, aligned with the price of one litre of petrol, to
Niramai, Bengaluru help the diagnostic centres upgrade from viral
transport media (VTM) to molecular transport
“Expanding scope of our data science” media (MTM). We plan to enter the APAC market
through partners with $9 and $6 pricing plans
We plan to continue working per test. Azooka is striving to provide a safer
on our AI so that it becomes molecular grade transport medium that is at sub
even more efficient in Rs 100. We are appealing to a segment of users,
decoding the health data who care about the safety of their frontline
and identifying illnesses and healthcare workers.
diseases faster. We also plan
to extend our suite of DR FATIMA BENAZIR,
services in the future to
provide consumers with a holistic platform for all Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer,
their healthcare needs. We are especially Azooka Labs, Bengaluru

36 HEALTHCARE BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

There is an urgent need to elevate the
patient awareness levels regarding diseases

The healthcare infrastructure needs drastic improvement to meet any unexpected circumstances. The
importance of strong supply chains in healthcare has become a top focus area. There needs to be increased
investment towards technology and innovation along with a shift from reactive to proactive care. In addition to
this, the Indian consumer is still ill-informed. There is an urgent need to elevate the awareness levels regarding
diseases, their symptoms, possible diagnostic tests available and treatment options. BioSpectrum reaches out

to leading healthcare players for their plans in 2021.

“Adding more stores & retail outlets” Processing Laboratories coming up basis careful
planning of market demand, turnaround time (TAT)
With the new round of funding requirement and workload balancing. In 2021 we will
by the Allana Group and Adar also direct our efforts to focus on quality across our
Poonawalla, we plan to channel, beyond lab, renewed focus on
strengthen our private labels communication, audit and training. With more
that have gained popularity over focus on training of staff for better competence and
the years. We will continue to efficiency, which will also help in upgrading the
add more retail stores and reach overall customer Service experience.
out to our customers not just
through brick and mortar outlets but also through ARINDAM HALDAR,
online channels. From being a mere startup a
decade ago, to clocking revenues of over Rs 1,000 Chief Executive Officer,
crore for the current fiscal year, Wellness Forever has Thyrocare Technologies, Mumbai
swiftly expanded its footprint to over 200 stores in
Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka. The company aims to “Planning to open facilities
add over 150 more stores in the next year and 1000 in few African & West Asian countries”
retail outlets in the next three years.
Our main focus will continue to
GULSHAN BAKHTIANI, be strengthening our centers of
excellence in the fields of
Founder & Director, pathogen identification,
Wellness Forever Medicare, Mumbai proteomics, genomics,
metabolomics, digital pathology
“Restructuring business and personalized medicine.
development team” Presently, we are operating in
India, United Arab Emirates, United States and South
We are aiming to deliver Africa. In India, we are looking to expand rapidly in
sustainable growth in 2021. This the North and Western parts of the country with
will entail restructuring and sizeable number of touch points. Also, by next
reconfiguring of the sales and financial year, we have plans to open diagnostics
marketing departments to facilities in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana by
make them more focused and next financial year. In West Asia, we are looking to set
productive. We are also aligning up lab in Kuwait and a new facility in Abu Dhabi. To
two separate field sales teams cater to the patient’s new age demands, we plan to
with national footprint – focused on hospitals/ introduce IT infrastructure. The next year is dedicated
medical clients & on franchisee collection centres to the people of Neuberg. Continuous learning and
named as Thyrocare Service Providers. Restructuring development programmes, reward and recognition
the office based business development teams will programmes, etc. will be at the core of Neuberg’s
ensure focus by priority channels. In 2021 we will also mission this year. We want to strengthen our digital
see COVID facility in National Capital Region (NCR) interaction platform and encourage people to start a
apart from Mumbai and will also have future plans conversation around various ailments and get expert
in Bangalore and Kolkata to have presence in all advice from the doctors. Another campaign we will
regions. More processing facilities – Regional be promoting is the virtual “DOST (Diagnosticians

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com HEALTHCARE 37

Overseeing Specialized Treatment)”. Through this
programme, we plan to raise awareness about the
role of a diagnostician in chronic diseases
management.

AISHWARYA VASUDEVAN,

Group Chief Operating Officer,
Neuberg Diagnostics, Mumbai

“Strengthening our technology platforms” “Bringing transformation
with digital pathology”
During this pandemic
technology has provided us The ongoing crisis has
major support in all areas of reinstated the fact that the
work. Whether it is to connect healthcare and diagnostics
with patients remotely during sector can reap out great
lockdown or managing in- profits for a country like India.
patient beds, ventilators in Our country can very well be
acute care or helping us bring turned into the ‘Laboratory of
out studies, articles, case reports at lighting speed the World’ with the
technology was indeed acted like a backbone. It government joining hands with the private sector.
helped us learn from each other and help patients The area where we would bring in one of the
across the globe. Getting back to normal life will be biggest transformation in diagnostics space will
a major focus in 2021. Getting our staff vaccinated be digital pathology. In the post COVID scenario
will be our top priority. We will further work on we would like to explore possibilities where some
strengthening our technology platforms and our of our pathologists, oncologists, and radiologists
systems and processes so that we are more could work from home. This is where digital
prepared than before to handle any such challenges pathology would play a vital role. Our work with
that future holds in store for us. Microsoft will also pave way to this transformation.
SRL has recently launched the second phase of AI
DR CHANDRIKA KAMBAM, solution development engagement with
Microsoft, with the aim to effectively reduce the
Director, HCG Cancer Hospital, Bengaluru subjectivity to screening digital pathology slides,
and link up to a Big Data system to find out
“Building multinational network” references to similar cases reported in any part of
the world. Besides, in 2021 we will continue to
NephroPlus has recently utilize our people and technological resources to
acquired majority stake in Royal withstand our leadership in the reference
Care Dialysis Centers, Inc laboratory segment with a focus on next
(RCDC) the Philippines. We are generation diagnostics.
excited to add the team from
RCDC to our network. Working ANAND K.,
together with this leadership
team of RCDC, we are now Chief Executive Officer, SRL Diagnostics, Gurugram
aiming to become the largest dialysis network in the
Philippines in next 5 years. We have already started
talking to several dialysis centers in the Philippines
to fuel our expansion plans. With this entry into the
Philippines, we reiterate our commitment to build a
dominant multinational network across Asia, Middle
East and Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) geographies.

VIKRAM VUPPALA,

Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
NephroPlus, Hyderabad

38 HEALTHCARE BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Strengthening the IT infrastructure” “Looking forward to early effective vaccine”

We aim to coordinate with Technology has played an
government agencies to important role in the pandemic.
administer the COVID-19 Telemedicine/Teleconsultation
vaccine, giving priority to made consultation easier for
healthcare workers, the armed primary and secondary level
forces personnel, and the care for both clinicians as well as
vulnerable population of our patients during this pandemic.
community. Despite the This also ensured contactless
ongoing vaccination, we will try to ensure no consultation between patients and their doctors.
slippages in safeguards to prevent the The latest buzz is now regarding the potential
retransmission of COVID-19. We will also continue COVID-19 vaccine. India being the largest vaccine
maintaining oversight on the supply chain, manufacturer in the world and having a well-oiled
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) count, etc.; machinery for universal immunisation is better
and be prepared for any possible eventuality of a placed than any other country in the world, to
new wave of COVID-19. Going forward we need to deliver the vaccine to masses. The world, including
focus more on non-COVID-related medical us in India, is really looking forward to an effective
procedures. We are also gearing up for the rebound early vaccine. Focusing on the road ahead in the
in patient volumes once the flight connectivity year 2021, new innovations in the field of
resume with regard to medical value travel. With technology and more stringent government policies
an aim to outreach and enlarge the integrated will be playing an important role in the development
healthcare model, we are strengthening the IT of the healthcare infrastructure and management
infrastructure with a focus on homecare, in India.
teleconsultation, diagnostic services etc.
DR SANDEEP BUDHIRAJA,
DR HARISH PILLAI,
Group Medical Director, Max Healthcare, New Delhi
Chief Executive Officer, Aster India,
Aster DM Healthcare, Bengaluru

“Resuming expansion plans”

2020 has been a tough year for
the health care sector with
COVID-19 pandemic flaring up
many issues & challenges in the
year. While hospital operations
were hindered a lot by the
COVID-19 pandemic, and people
fearing to venture out even for
emergencies, maintaining the follow up of critical
cases was a choppy ride across the year. June 2020
onwards we saw a little light at the end of the tunnel
with more and more patients being able to access
corrective eye care and treatments. Every patient
who walked in was treated with the utmost care and
safety protocols. We stopped all our outreach
programmes, which are mass vision check camps, to
avoid risks of infection. We stalled all our expansion
plans, which were conceived at the beginning of the
year and rescheduled it to the year 2021.

DR GSK VELU,

Chairman, MaxiVision Group of Eye hospitals,
Hyderabad

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com HEALTHCARE 39

“Our products are reusable “Making presence more
and washable upto 6 months” robust using teletherapy”

COVID-19 has been undoubtedly Undoubtedly, this pandemic
the most devastating public has made people more aware
health emergency of recent and cautious about the mental
times. The pandemic is far from health issues in all age groups.
over, and we must not forget During the lockdown period, we
the lessons it has taught us. reached out to 50,000
Even if people are vaccinated, underprivileged families and
they can be silent spreaders of provided uninterrupted and
the virus. So, wearing masks and maintaining basic seamless support to their children with special
hygiene are still key preventive measures. We needs. As we enter the year 2021, we strongly hope
understand the environmental hazards caused by to resume our business as usual. We are also
disposable masks, gloves, PPEs and other medical expecting that the vaccine would stabilize the
kits. Therefore, our products are reusable and COVID-19 situation. We will look forward to
washable upto 6 months, effectively replacing 210 vaccinating our employees especially the frontline
single-use masks and gloves. India has already workers and further plan to open all our 100 centres
generated 18,006 tonnes of COVID-19 biomedical across India with utmost care and precautions. Since
waste in the last four months. People must be we have successfully delivered our online training
responsible and should always use products that programmes during this pandemic, we also aim to
minimize environmental impact, while ensuring make our presence more robust across India using
ultimate protection. teletherapy. We aim to expand the number of
integrated centres from 100+ to at least 300+ while
SANJEEV SWAMY, working alongside inclusive schools.

Inventor, Founder and CEO, Livinguard AG, NITIN BINDLISH,
Switzerland
Founder & Chief Executive Officer,
Mom’s Belief, New Delhi

“Planning to launch at
least 2 more satellite labs”

In an effort to reduce
turnaround times for tests
related to pregnancy health
checks including COVID-19
testing, we announced the
launch of our brand new
modern diagnostic laboratory in
Bengaluru dedicated to the
complete protection of mother and child. As an
exclusive lab for mother & child, this new facility will
also offer tests for assessment of pregnancy health
inviting genetics testing and RT-PCR testing apart
from other routine diagnostic tests. It is our
paramount commitment to set up pan-India
satellite labs to become more accessible to our
customers and offer them exceptional services in
such unprecedented times. We further plan to
launch at least two more satellite labs in the next six
months.”

MAYUR ABHAYA,

Managing Director, LifeCell, Chennai

40 MEDTECH / DIAGNOSTICS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Showcasing immense potential to become global producer

Due to COVID-19, India has showcased immense potential to become the global producer and supplier for
quality indigenous medical equipment and diagnostic technologies. We have witnessed mass production of
innovative medical products along with awareness of diagnosis and diagnostic tests that will help improve the
quality of health in the future. The leading players of the medtech/ diagnostic industry share their plans for 2021.

“Investing in digitalization” “Producing millions of
syringes for vaccination”
We expect to have a few
important additions to our The front runner COVID-19
portfolio this year and will vaccines being launched in
continue to invest in our India would need a 0.5ml auto
digitalization journey as we look disable syringe for
to further scale up commercial intramuscular drug delivery, as
models and stay focused on we are informed. In addition to
supporting doctors and patients the annual procurement of
in making procedures safer and effective. 300-350 millions of these
syringes by the government for the universal
SHISHIR AGARWAL, immunization programme, additional orders have
been placed on us by the health ministry. We are
Managing Director, Terumo India, Gurugram informed that the government is in discussion with
their other two suppliers also to place additional
“Expanding plant to locally orders or seek to prepone deliveries of already
manufacture testing kits” placed orders with them. We are on track to
produce 177.6 million 0.5 ml KOJAK AD syringes for
In October 2020, we by March 2021 and 60 million are already in our
announced an investment of stock.
Rs 1,300 crore in India, the
largest we have ever made in RAJIV NATH,
the country. We are setting up
an innovation hub in a new Joint Managing Director,
campus in Bengaluru that will Hindustan Syringes & Medical Devices, New Delhi
combine our existing R&D
operations with an ultra-modern medical imaging “Bringing diagnostics
factory. The innovation hub at Bengaluru will to a device on your palm”
include centres of competence in digital
technologies such as data analytics, artificial We have made significant
intelligence, immersive technologies like investments in R&D to develop
augmented and virtual reality, user experience, and innovative products to change
cybersecurity. It will be one of the four innovation the face of diagnostics in India
hubs of Siemens Healthineers, with other hubs and at globe. To start with, we
located in the United States, Germany, and China. plan to launch the v 2.0 of
To expand our digital capabilities, we plan to add Compact XL - the molecular lab
up to 1,800 digital talents in the next ten years, in in a box concept. This version
addition to our normal growth. We have already would integrate the PCR capabilities into the
made good progress on this front adding over 100 current model, further improve the design and a
digital experts over the last few months. We are major facelift. This machine will allow small labs to
also expanding our manufacturing plant in Baroda set-up and conduct molecular tests without
to locally manufacture testing kits, which we incurring a huge capital cost and save on the
currently import from our factories in Europe and referral samples they outsource to bigger labs.
the U.S. Further, small blood banks will also be able to take
benefit of this and do NAT testing in-house. We will
GERD HOEFNER, also roll out the truly mobile molecular labs which
can travel to villages and small cities to test for
Managing Director, Siemens Healthcare, Bengaluru

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com MEDTECH / DIAGNOSTICS 41

various types of infections and diseases. Further, we companies globally to have ‘Total Solutions in
are planning to bring a complete range of new Laboratory Diagnostics.’ Furthermore, providing
tests that would allow us to improve diagnostics for end-to-end solutions and services with an emphasis
COVID as well as other infections. These tests will on training of all lab personnel will continue to
be more accurate that the current paradigm and remain most relevant to us. Transasia has set up the
will match the current costs. Finally, there are two “Erba Institute of Laboratory Technology” to fill the
important projects that are still in our labs, driven acute shortage of qualified and well trained lab
by cutting edge technologies which have the technicians. We plan to further expand this facility to
potential to bring diagnostics to a device on your benefit more individuals.
palm.
SURESH VAZIRANI,
HASMUKH RAWAL,
Chairman & Managing Director,
Managing Director, Transasia-Erba group, Mumbai
Mylab Discovery Solutions, Pune
“Aggressive plans for
“Making wound care molecular diagnostics space”
products available across 50 cities”
We have aggressive plans for
As the first Indian company to the molecular diagnostics space
launch an indigenously such as RNA extraction manual/
developed emergency automation kit, RNA extraction
haemostat for trauma care, Axio automation system, LAMP
Biosolutions has been steadily based instrument, LAMP based
disrupting the wound care and COVID-19 tests, LFA based
wound healing market. COVID -19 tests, LAMP based TB
Responding to the growing Assay, LAMP based Malaria, Dengue and Leptospira
demand for healthcare solutions that align with assays; indigenization in hematology segment such
changing realities and challenges of the pandemic as one more 3 part hematology system, Entry level 5
world, we have entered the retail space in India. We part heamatology system, 200 T /H fully auto clinical
are all set to make the best-in-class wound care and chemistry system, cartridge based CLIA analyzer,
COVID essential products available for Indian homes cartridge based specific protein analyzer and IOT
across 50 cities in 2021. based semiautomated analyzer.

LEO MAVELY, THOMAS JOHN,

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Managing Director,
Axio Biosolutions, Bengaluru Agappe Diagnostics, Ernakulam

“Coming up with Total “Bringing diagnostic solution
Lab Aautomation solution” based on gut microflora”

Our global team is working on We are South Asia’s first
our next big plans to make microbiome company. Our gut
Erba-Transasia a global IVD microbiome test, called
leader. We will continue to focus BugSpeaks is a non-invasive gut
on providing reliable and microbiome test that provides
affordable diagnostic solutions insights into the health of an
worldwide and soon become a individual. We plan to conduct a
total diagnostic solutions few clinical trials and address
provider. In the next 12-24 months, our R&D labs in some of the lifestyle based chronic diseases like
France, UK, USA, Austria and India, will launch over diabetes, obesity. Secondly, we would also come up
10 new, exciting, state-of-the-art systems in the with novel diagnostic and therapeutic solutions
fields of CLIA, molecular, high-end hematology, based on the gut microflora.
artificial intelligence, LIS, among others. Also in the
offing is a “Total Lab Automation” solution aimed at KUMAR SANKARAN,
mid and large size laboratories. All these will soon
make Transasia-Erba one among the top five Chief Executive Officer, Leucine Rich Bio, Bengaluru

42 MEDTECH / DIAGNOSTICS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

“Launching medical “Hoping to record
devices at affordable cost” 50% growth trajectory”

We are focused on enabling We are India’s fastest
our users with tools to growing in-vitro
effectively monitor chronic diagnostic company
ailments and improve their manufacturing and
lifestyles. We plan to develop delivering a wide range
and launch more innovative of analytical and
medical devices at an diagnostic analyzers,
affordable cost. point of care devices,
reagents & consumables that are at par with
SAURABH GOYAL, global standards. We plan to introduce the
non-existing, but essential products locally
Director, Nureca, Mumbai manufactured in India, which can bring the
cost of analyzer to procure and annual
“Adding more diagnostic products” maintenance in the affordable price range,
maintain the quality as dictated by
We will be adding international standards, expand electrode
COVID-19 based and other menu, flexibility of the analyzer (to upgrade or
diagnostic products in our downgrade it), position the brand amongst
portfolio. We will focus on the established international players, provide
indigenous manufacturing the schemes like buyback or upgradation at
of lab disposables nominal costs. This helps us grow at 40-60
products. We are also per cent and help us retain the customer
planning on consolidation loyalty. Currently we are recording a
of exports. In FY21, we are expecting a growth consistent growth trajectory of 40 per cent
of 50-60 per cent. and assuming this to be picked up to 50 per
cent in next year.
RAJESH BERI,
PAVAN CHANDRA NAGOOR NARALASETTY,
Director, Recombigen
Laboratories, New Delhi Commercial Director, Sensa Core
Medical Instrumentation, Hyderabad
“Planning to move ahead with IPO”
“Launching new products
The company started with for biochemistry & diagnostics”
the manufacturing of surgical
blades and is now a leading We have gained
supplier of a huge range of considerable expertise in
disposable products. In manufacturing and
recent COVID-19 times we marketing of in-vitro
started manufacturing of diagnostic reagents. The
3ply and N95 face masks. We company is targeting
export to over 80 countries, have 40 distributors sales of Rs 50 crore by
and 400 dealers across India. While people are FY22 and has already
indoors and complacent, we are on the roads launched many COVID-19 products. We have
trying to expand. Our future prospect is 3X5Y to planned for increasing the share of exports
grow 3 times in 5 years and then plan to move out of total sales. Being a manufacturing
ahead with an IPO. We look forward to grow by 15 company, we have targeted to launch new
per cent this year over last year despite of products in biochemistry and diagnostic
COVID-19 where other companies we hear are range.
facing losses.
ABHINAV THAKUR,
SHAILY GROVER,
Managing Director,
Managing Director, Accurex Biomedical, Mumbai
Paramount Surgimed, New Delhi

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com SPEAKING WITH 43

“We expect to grow
by 50 per cent in 2021”
New Delhi based Abdos Labtech is a
manufacturer of high quality lifesciences «
laboratory products. Established in 2009,
the company has been prototyping, designing, Shrey Agarwal,
developing and manufacturing high quality Chief Executive Officer
laboratory products for use in life sciences & Director,
laboratories around the world. In addition to Abdos Labtech,
plastics, Abdos also markets large variety of bench New Delhi
top instruments and products for safety & utilities
for use in the laboratory. The company has recently of Abdos were laid off or fired. We supported our
completed 10 years of its existence, following team in the pandemic, additionally we hired over 65
which BioSpectrum had a detailed interaction with more team members in our company. We did a lot
Shrey Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer & Director, of CSR activities in terms of distribution of PPE kits
Abdos Labtech, New Delhi. Edited excerpts; to medical centres and hospitals, distributing food
packets and contributing large sums in the PMCARE
Congratulations to Abdos for completing 10 fund.
years. How has been the journey so far?
We expanded our market share in diagnostics
We are very thankful to the life sciences community and healthcare space. We also won some WHO
to make Abdos journey a great success in the last (World Health Organization) contracts for few
10 years. With our 50 years of manufacturing of our products and services. We built more than
background in different fields we ventured into the 100 million Filter Tips for COVID-19 testing. We
life sciences space. We started our manufacturing supported leading kit manufacturers in their R&D,
unit in Roorkee with our corporate office in New kit manufacturing and VTM Kits. We increased our
Delhi. Starting with few products and now we have marketing reach via digital platforms through our
close to 1800 products. Abdos lifesciences was started Mobile App, Website and Virtual meetings with
with a sense of purpose for “Creating Products and customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. I urge
Services for Lifesciences” but that has expanded everyone in the scientific community to download
to “Ensuring, Empowering Health & Hygiene for our fully featured Mobile App which is informative,
People” in the recent past. We were supplying in few creative and fun filled.
cities in India and now we have customer coverage
in over 65 countries together with our logistics Abdos fully recognizes the vision of our Prime
subsidiary in Europe based out of Netherlands. From Minister Narendra Modi in “Make in India” &
few machines to South East Asia’ s largest cleanroom “Atmanirbhar Bharat”. Abdos lifesciences and
facility for plastic laboratory products; from a few Abdos group strives in that direction with 7 world
people to about 250 people now in our company. The class manufacturing facility and employs over 2500
journey has been very interesting and full of events people. We do export in over 65 countries and bring
but overall quite satisfied with where we are in 10 foreign exchange revenues to India. We will also be
years. among top 5 Indian manufacturers in the plastic life
sciences space, contributing richly in reducing the
What were the key highlights at Abdos dependency on imported goods in making India self-
Labtech in 2020? reliant and Atmanirbhar.

We began 2020 with key success stories in the Did the company launch any new products
international business with agreements in South this year? If yes, what was the R&D
Korea and Japan. Then the pandemic hit India in expenditure?
March and everything changed as the lockdown
started and the need for testing COVID-19!!!. We launched 25 new products with three new product

During the pandemic in 2020 no team member

44 SPEAKING WITH BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

lines. Some of the key products we added are Trace vaccine manufacturing globally. I
Metal Free (TMF) Centrifuge Tubes, Screw Cap tubes, believe that in the second half of
Biofiltration products, and new range of Biopharma 2021 we could see the case count
related lab consumables. Due to the huge demand of COVID-19 ease and the need for
for RT PCR tests we launched PCR workstations also. testing could reduce slightly. We
All of the new products saw tremendous response expect to grow every year by 25 per
from our consumers both in India and globally. We cent in the Indian market and 40
invested $7 million in our expansion at the end of per cent in the international market
2019. The demand kept on increasing and thus we in the next 3-5 years which we
invested $5 million again in Q2 2020 to keep up with expect through our routine business
the required demand to serve our customers. in Academic, Pharmaceutical,
Health and Applied.
How much revenue was generated during the
FY19-20? How much growth is expected in How has been your service
FY20-21? during the ongoing pandemic
situation?
In the year 2019-20 we were doing relatively well and
we were hoping to close the year with a growth of 25 I am very glad to say that, even
per cent, unfortunately COVID-19 hit us and India in this pandemic situation where
went into a lockdown in the last 15 days of March so there is major disruption in supply
we could grow by only 15 per cent. In 2020-21 due to chain our commercial and logistics
the need of testing, research, vaccine and diagnostic team have done a phenomenal job
kit manufacturing the demand of our products has hit and ensured that 85 per cent of our
record peaks and therefore we expect to grow by 50 orders have been dispatched within 3-5 days. In our
per cent in 2020-21. international sales, 90 per cent of our goods have left
within the standards delivery and lead times as per
What are the major plans in store for 2021? customer’s commitment. We continue to work with
our operations team to keep improving our customer
If the demand continues in the same fashion, service and happiness.
we again continue to expand our manufacturing
capabilities in year 2021. We are adding major What has been the impact of COVID-19 on
manufacturing lines in the liquid handling products. the bio supplier industry?
In 2021 we will launch about 10 new product lines
in Cryo Techniques, Storage Techniques and Bio COVID-19 has changed the landscape of the world
Pharma range to cope up with the demand for and affected families, businesses, and the way of
our lives. We at Abdos are genuinely inspired by the
selfless healthcare workers around the world who
have been the front liners and worked tirelessly to
care for the people in need. Life sciences and the
biotech industry have been the frontline industry
providing necessary products and services to fight
this pandemic. The bio supplier industry is helping
to fight COVID-19 with necessary consumables,
equipment’s, reagents, vaccine manufacturing
consumables and necessary consumables for making
molecular diagnostic kits. I believe most companies
in bio supplying industry should have grown in
high double digits keeping in mind the present
market demands. During this time all manufacturers
have increased capacity and new manufacturers
have entered in the Biosupply space which will
result in demand supply gap in the market in the
post COVID-19 situation. I expect the BioSupplier
Industry will go through a lot of transformation post
COVID-19 also.

Pooja Yadav
[email protected]

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com PEOPLE NEWS 45

Medanta ropes in robotic thoracic Ujala Cygnus
surgeon Dr Arvind Kumar appoints
Shashank Saini
Furthering its vision of trauma among others. Dr to lead
delivering world-class holistic Kumar pioneered robotic chest digital health
healthcare, Gurugram based surgery in India in 2008, when
Medanta has recently appointed he was a Professor of Surgery Ujala Cygnus Group of
renowned robotic thoracic and Head of Thoracic and Hospitals, based in New Delhi,
surgeon Dr Arvind Kumar as Robotic Surgery Unit at the has appointed Shashank Saini,
Chairman, Institute of Chest All India Institute of Medical a technology specialist with a
Surgery, Chest Onco-Surgery Sciences (AIIMS). A keen cross-industry experience of over
and Lung Transplantation. He academician and researcher, a decade, as its Head of Digital
will also co-chair Medanta’s Dr Kumar completed his MBBS Health. The new appointee will
Robotic Institute. Dr Kumar and Masters in Surgery (MS) further firm up the technological
along with his team of four from AIIMS, New Delhi and foundations of the company as
consultant chest surgeons will served there as a faculty member it aims at expanding its reach
help strengthen Medanta’s for 24 years. Prior to joining across the country over the next
cohort driven approach Medanta, he was the Chairman few years. Saini brings with him
of providing end-to-end of the Centre for Chest Surgery deep and cutting-edge knowledge
diagnosis and treatment for and Lung Transplantation and of technology, engineering and
thoracic diseases such as lung Director of the Institute of analytics across IT, print &
cancer, thymomas, pulmonary Robotic Surgery at Sir Ganga electronic media including digital
tuberculosis, empyema, chest Ram Hospital, New Delhi for marketing services. Cutting his
wall deformity, and chest eight years. teeth spanning a number of
functional roles ranging from
Cadila appoints Dr Sanjeev Dixit chief sales officer, head of sales,
for human capital management zonal sales manager, and vice
president to general manager,
Cadila Pharmaceuticals has strengthened its human resources he has had an illustrious and
(HR) function with the addition of Dr Sanjeev Dixit as the Global eventful career. Saini led the
President of Human Capital Management. Dr Dixit is a global HR sales vertical at DocOnline, OYO,
leader, culture coach, and a published author of Plan C, a highly DocTalk Solutions Inc, Practo and
acclaimed culture transformation book. He completed his PhD Airtel. He has a wide interest in
in Human Resource Management from the Academy of HRD, healthcare and in his last stint,
he headed the sales division at
Ahmedabad. He comes with a rich DocOnline. He is also an active
diversified and global experience member of Project StepOne, a pan
of strategic corporate HR India health initiative of many
experience from varied industries doctors and technologists.
and geographies. He has also
achieved Chartered Fellow
status from Chartered Institute
of Personnel & Development
(CIPD), UK and Fellow Certified
Practitioner in Human Resources
from Australian Human
Resources Institute. Before
joining Cadila Pharma, Dr Dixit
worked with The Himalaya Drug
Company, managing their International Business HR, covering 70+
locations. Prior to that, he was the Chief People Officer at Allied
Blenders & Distilleries. In a career spanning 24 years, Dr Dixit has
worked with companies such as Hindalco, Philips, PT Indorama -
Jakarta, PepsiCo and Alstom.

46 PEOPLE NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Agilent honours biopharma scientist from IIT-D

Agilent Technologies has conditions.Theiractivity,stability,
and other physicochemical and
honoured Prof. Anurag Rathore, toxicological characteristics are
heavily influenced by the level
a scientist at the Indian Institute and position of their amino
acid modifications. He is an
of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), active member of the Parenteral
Drug Association (PDA) and
with an Agilent Thought Leader American Chemical Society
(ACS) and have authored more
Award, for his contributions to than 400 publications and
presentations in these areas.
the field of biopharmaceutical Prof. Rathore obtained his PhD
from Yale University, US, in
research and his work with 1998 and then worked in the
Process Development groups
advanced methods for molecular at Pharmacia Corporation
and Amgen before joining
characterisation of biosimilars. the Department of Chemical
Engineering, IIT-D in 2009.
He is the first researcher in India

to receive this award. The work at

Prof. Rathore’s lab focuses on the

best practices towards molecular

characterisation of monoclonal

antibody-based biosimilars.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)

include an important and growing

group of biopharmaceutical drugs

used to treat several diseases and

Waters Corporation A Ganesan steps
announces in as Group Vice
CFO transition Chairman at Neuberg

Waters Corporation has announced that Chennai based Neuberg Diagnostics has announced
Sherry Buck will step down as Chief Financial the appointment of A Ganesan as the Group Vice
Officer (CFO), effective December 31, 2020, Chairman. In his new role, Ganesan will continue to
in order to pursue another opportunity play a key role and be actively involved in the business
at a privately held company. Upon her expansions. Ganesan is a Chartered Accountant with
departure, Michael F Silveira, Vice President over 33 years experience in Assurance and Advisory
and Corporate Controller of Waters, will practice and also a veteran in healthcare field having
assume the role of interim CFO. Sherry handled in the past M&A deals for Metropolis Group,
Buck will work alongside Silveira in order Trivitron Group and Maxivision Eye Hospitals. At
to facilitate a smooth transition. Waters has Neuberg, in his previous role as
been actively working with a leading search Director of Finance, his broad
firm to identify a permanent CFO, and the vision and pro-active efforts
process is advancing well with several strong have enabled the company
internal and external candidates. Silveira to win several accolades
joined Waters in 2004 as Assistant Corporate and making it one of
Controller. He was appointed Vice President the top 4 diagnostics
& Corporate Controller in 2013, and, in companies in the
2018, gained increased responsibilities country. He is presently
including oversight of treasury, tax and on the Board of Trivitron
corporate financial planning and analysis. Healthcare, Kauvery
He is a Certified Public Accountant and has Hospital and Maxivision
held several senior financial management Eye Hospitals. He was also
positions with Astro-Med, Inc (nka a Director on the Board of
AstroNova), Textron, Inc and KPMG. Silveira Metropolis Healthcare, which he
received a BS in Accounting from Providence had relinquished in 2015.
College.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com ADVERTORIAL 47

Announcing the release of SigmaPlot v14.5

Inpixon is pleased to announce the release of SigmaPlot 14.5, a new version of the
most advanced scientific graphing and statistical analysis software SigmaPlot®

"A globally acclaimed Statistical & Graphical software Sigmaplot 14.5 - key features offered for
endorsed by the scientific & research community for Biotech and Pharma industry:
over 30 years” £ Plasma Protein Binding
£ Pharmacokinetics
SigmaPlot® is a scientific data analysis and graphing £ Clinical Trials
software package with advanced curve fitting, a vector- £ Antibiotic Determination
based programming language, macro capability and £ Calculate reciprocal of Serum
over 50 frequently used statistical tests. SigmaPlot has £ Repeated-dose Toxicity Studies
the analytical features necessary to extract important £ Exploratory Enzyme Inhibition Analysis
information from your research data. With over 100
graph types and a user interface which allows detailed l ROC Curves Analysis
manipulation of every graph object, you can create the l Standard Curves Analysis
exact graph to present your results. l Using Global Curve Fitting to Determine Dose

SigmaPlot offers: Response Parallelism
£ Complete Advisory Statistical Analysis £ SigmaPlot Compliance: FDA Title 21 CFR Part 11
£ Award-Winning Technical Graphing Capability
£ Powerful and Easy-to-use Data Analysis l SigmaPlot Software Validation
£ Ability to Customize every Element of Graph l Password protection of data and macros
£ Precise Publication-Quality Graphs l Displaying Password Protected Data
£ Ability to Publish your Work Anywhere l Time-stamped Audit Trail Capability
£ 21 CFR Part 11 is the United States Food and Drug
Administration’s (FDA) requirement for electronic
record keeping.

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Email: [email protected], website: https://systatsoftware.com/

48 ACADEMIC NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Rishihood University set to
launch healthcare school

Rishihood University in be housed in the state-of-the-art
25-acre Rishihood University
Haryana has announced Campus in Sonipat. The
university also plans to enter
the upcoming launch of the into strategic partnerships with
leading hospitals, R&D labs and
Rishihood School of Healthcare. healthcare providers, to ensure
ample training opportunities for
Considering the need, both at students, as well as providing
the necessary exposure to the
the national and international latest healthcare technology.
The programmes will focus
levels, the university is upon some emerging areas in
healthcare management such
launching its state-of-the-art as blockchain, digital health,
3-D printing, m-health, to name
School of Healthcare for its a few. Rishihood School of
Healthcare will be exclusively
2 IITs jointly first cohort, from the academic dedicated to provide best in
offer doctoral class education, aligned with
programme session 2021-22 onwards. industry best practices, to future
healthcare professionals.
The School of Healthcare

will be offering various UG

& PG degree programmes,

such as BSc Cardiovascular

A Memorandum of Understanding Technology, Medical

(MoU) has been signed between Laboratory Technology, MBA

the Indian Institute of Technology in Healthcare Management,

(IIT) Guwahati and IIT (BHU) amongst others, under the

Varanasi. Under this MoU, both allied healthcare domain.

institutes will start a joint doctoral The School of Healthcare is a

programme in July 2021. This is the residential programme and will

first time in the country that two

IITs have come together to offer a IIT-D inks research
collaboration with RCB
joint degree programme. The vision
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) and Regional Centre
behind this is to build a network of for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to establish RCB-IITD Collaborative Platform
excellence of all IITs rather than for initiating wide-ranging collaborations involving academic,
research, and human resource development, which will have a
each one striving to become a tower profound social and economic impact for the country. Under the
MoU, both institutions will collaborate to carry out joint research by
of excellence. The IIT Council
submitting joint research proposals
accepted the proposal to start joint to external funding agencies; to make
intramural funding for the projects
degree programmes. Through this in both IITD and RCB, and to initiate
the collaborative research among
academic collaboration, both the different biological and engineering
disciplines of these two institutions.
institutes are expecting significant The collaboration also aims to jointly
organize seminars, conferences,
boost in high quality research and workshops, and short-term continuing
education programmes on mutual interest topics with participation
foundation for further academic from faculty from both sides; to guide research candidates registered
in either of the institutions for doctoral and post-graduate programs
collaborations. Under the National with joint-supervision; to cooperate on any other activities that may
be identified on a consensual basis as and when such an opportunity
Education Policy (NEP2020), such arises; and to access the research facilities for each institution.

educational reforms and academic

collaborations between premier

educational institutes will promote

multidisciplinary academic

programmes and research for

encouraging and promoting a

knowledge-based economy of the

country. IIT-BHU is considering

starting a joint MTech programme

on similar lines to provide multi-

institutional and multidisciplinary

MTech programmes. IIT-Guwahati

has also agreed to be part of this

initiative.

BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com SUPPLIERS NEWS 49

Qiagen offers Beckman Coulter
QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 unveils semi-
for COVID-19 research quantitative Ab
test for COVID-19
Qiagen has announced the launch of its QuantiFERON
SARS-CoV-2 RUO solution that can detect T-cell Beckman Coulter has launched its Access
responses of the human immune system to the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assay that measures a
that causes COVID-19, which could help researchers patient’s relative level of antibodies (Abs) in
find out more about immunity levels and disease response to a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.
progression. QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 RUO is a The new capabilities of this assay enable
flexible, modular system designed to meet a wide range clinicians to establish a baseline to evaluate
of research demands. It is based on QIAGEN’s easy- an individual’s immune response to the
to-use QuantiFERON technology, pioneered in the SARS-CoV-2 virus based on a numerical value
QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test for latent tuberculosis and assess relative changes of an individual’s
and recognized worldwide for its ability to detect immune response to the virus over time. The
interferon gamma that T-cells release upon contact with assay may also help researchers as they begin
certain pathogens. It is a crucial addition to QIAGEN’s to understand the levels of IgG antibodies
growing COVID-19 portfolio that already provides sample- needed to be considered protective. Access
preparation technology, infection testing with polymerase SARS-CoV-2 IgG II semi-quantitative assay
chain reaction (PCR) technology, antibody and antigen provides a numerical result in Arbitrary
tests, enzymes and automation solutions. Units (AU) from 2.00- 450 AU/mL as well as
a qualitative result and offers the same high
level of quality as Beckman Coulter’s Access
SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM serology tests
already on the market. The assays use the
receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike
protein. Beckman Coulter selected the RBD
of the spike protein as it is critical for viral
entry into human cells and has been shown
to be the target for neutralizing antibodies in
a surrogate model.

PerkinElmer introduces chromatography solutions to improve workflows

PerkinElmer has introduced the LC 300 platform arenas. The LC 300 system’s auto-sampler features
and SimplicityChrom software, bringing together a built-in column oven and high-visibility, colour
advanced high-performance liquid chromatography LCD screen displaying key status results without
(HPLC) and ultra-high performance liquid having to log into chromatography data system
chromatography (UHPLC) capabilities with (CDS) software. The versatile platform features
intuitive instrument control and data analysis. The multiple detector options and third-party driver
new solution accelerates throughput, streamlines support for commercially available CDS systems.
testing and enables user-friendly operation to The accompanying PerkinElmer SimplicityChrom
enhance productivity for labs in CDS software was architected after performing
multiple industries working to meet
quality and regulatory goals and extensive user experience and interface research.
requirements. Designed to deliver It delivers highly intuitive and
ultra-precise gradient flows and customisable workflows aimed
low levels of dispersion, the new at enhancing productivity and
LC 300 system delivers fast and streamlining result analysis.
accurate results for customers The software provides the tools
across the food, cannabis, needed to ensure 21 CFR Part
pharmaceutical and chemical 11 compliance, helping save
time, effort and investment.

50 SUPPLIERS NEWS BIOSPECTRUM | JANUARY 2021 | www.biospectrumindia.com

Foxx Life Agilent unveils global
Sciences biomarker pathologist
opens facility training programme
in Hyderabad
Agilent Technologies has increase from 2019, and more
Foxx Life Sciences has recently announced the launch than 50 per cent of targeted
announced that it will open of the Biomarker Pathologist therapies currently in clinical
the new international Asia Training Programme, a global trials are being co-developed
headquarters in Hyderabad. initiative created to empower with a predictive biomarker.
The latest expansion comes with pathologists to score biomarkers The programme will enable
strong growth and performance accurately and confidently. pathologists to gain confidence
in Asia and the continued This training programme with scoring methodologies to
expansion of biopharmaceutical incorporates Agilent’s unique enable the pursuit of the right
manufacturing in the region. expertise in companion treatment for patients. It will
Foxx will continue to invest diagnostics and partnership with initially be available in Europe
based on the strong demand top pharmaceutical companies. and North America, followed by
growth forecast in India Biomarker testing has profoundly China and Asia, utilizes a digital
and Asia markets for Foxx influenced the practice of platform, Pathcore Scholar,
Custom Single Use Technology both pathology and oncology where attendees can navigate
(SUT) uniquely designed to today. Targeted therapies have both standard and challenging
support biopharmaceutical seen a more than 30 per cent cases.
and bioprocess companies.
To address the rising demand Thermo Fisher launches high-
for products such as EZwaste, precision isotope ratio MS system
vactrap and the patented
autofill vacuum filtration units, A new inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
the company is aggressively instrument has been designed to enable scientists working in earth
hiring additional sales, sciences, nuclear safeguards and biomedical research to conduct
manufacturing and engineering reliable, high-precision isotope ratio analysis across a wide range of
services personnel for its new applications, without compromising sensitivity, stability or ease-of-
20,000 square feet facility use. The Thermo Scientific Neoma Multicollector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-
in India. US based Foxx Life
Sciences is a privately-held MS) system combines
world leader in custom single- innovative features
use systems (SUS) including from the field-proven
tubing, bag, bottle, flask, and technology of existing
carboy assemblies, filtration, Thermo Scientific
fluid management, laboratory variable multi-collector
safety products, stainless steel, instrumentation.
and glassware for the research, A new level of
biotech, and pharmaceutical automation with
industries. the integration of
peripherals makes
access to reliable,
high-precision isotope
ratio data easier and more efficient, leading to enhanced research
productivity and novel applications. The new instrument offers
the flexibility to quickly change between a broad range of isotopic
systems, which is a key consideration for productivity in multi-user
facilities. It greatly increases accessibility to the wealth of information
that isotope ratio data can provide, which will benefit geoscientists as
well as researchers from numerous scientific disciplines.