The pharma company has robust financials and a decent corporate-governance record, but the cherries on the cake are four big brands, which account for 80%-85% of the company’s domestic formulations business. The game changer for KKR will be to leverage its connections and create lucrative revenue streams beyond the big four.
The pharma company has robust financials and a decent corporate-governance record, but the cherries on the cake are four big brands, which account for 80%-85% of the company’s domestic formulations business. The game changer for KKR will be to leverage its connections and create lucrative revenue streams beyond the big four.
For a country known for making affordable, quality medicines, India’s contribution to global efforts in developing a Covid-19 vaccine has been rather lacklustre. A dearth of human talent is not the challenge before the country. To lead the drug-development race, besides building quality infrastructure, India needs to allow testing on larger animals such as dogs and monkeys.
His broad plays — a global business of contract manufacturing; making critical-care medicines used in hospitals; and selling OTC drugs in India— all have the potential for significant scale, but they come with their share of challenges. Also, a re-entry in the domestic pharma formulations business won’t be as easy as popping a pill.
AUDIO SUMMARY
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01:31
AUDIO SUMMARY
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01:31
The Piramal Enterprises chairman recently said global private-equity major Carlyle Group would pick up a 20% stake in its pharmaceutical unit for INR3,700 crore.
Data shows that coronavirus testing in India is far lower than it needs to be. Testing has to be ramped up to include more people who are not acutely ill. Then the data has to be shared immediately across the country. These two steps are critical for governments and local bodies to fine-tune their response for maximum impact.
When policies have to be diluted and clinical trial protocols compromised for drugs to get quick approvals, the patients may have to pay a high price for it. However, in the frenzied pursuit of an anti-coronavirus vaccine or medicine, a handful of companies are not giving into the temptation of falling for instant gratification over safety.
There are no models or templates that can forecast the number of Covid-19 cases with accuracy. Many models, including the one used by the health ministry, assume that the doubling rate of cases and deaths don’t change during the forecast period.
The country hopes to counter any second wave of infections by building production capacity while vaccines are still in the works. AnGes is developing a DNA vaccine that will use genetic material from the coronavirus to stimulate the production of human antibodies against the disease. The vaccine is expected to begin clinical trials soon.
Over the past three months, private diagnostic labs have been grappling with shifting government protocols for coronavirus testing, logistical issues, and a sharp decline in non-Covid-19 business. The lockdown, manpower crunch, and increase in costs worsened the situation. However, a quick recovery is expected, as demand for testing is likely to remain firm while the lockdown eases.
Mumbai-based Qure.ai’s AI-powered solution can identify 20 different abnormalities in a chest X-ray, including the Covid-19 infection. The tool reduces the need of a trained technician and processes results in a minute. For a country in need of an affordable and effective mass-screening product, this could be the way forward.
AUDIO SUMMARY
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01:35
AUDIO SUMMARY
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01:35
