Written by A. Nair, a PharmTech correspondent based in Mumbai
After months of deliberation, the Indian government has decided not to cap foreign direct investment (FDI) in the pharmaceutical sector and to continue with the 100% FDI regime. A decision in this regard was taken by an inter ministerial group presided over by India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which sought to allay fears about clearing investments automatically. Read more »
Free trade, always a subject of concern for business, has been a topic of particular interest for the pharmaceutical and allied industries this past week as individual companies and trade associations weigh in on the debate on several free-trade measures. Read more »
Partnerships between US and Asian companies have become a prominent feature of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. To foster relationships between US and Indian biopharmaceutical companies, the US–India BioPharma and Healthcare Summit was held in Cambridge, MA on June 23, 2011. The summit is an annual event, bringing together representatives from large US/European pharmaceutical companies, smaller US companies, academia, and patient interest groups with representatives of the Indian government and industry to discuss issues surrounding US–Indian partnering in biopharmaceutical development. Read more »
This week has seen several pharma companies slashing the prices of important vaccines for use in developing countries, but is the move spurred by simple generosity alone? There are often headlines about pharma companies’ drug donations to developing countries and I think it’s great to see the pharma industry making a difference in this area. However, the price reductions may also stem from something other than generosity: the need to compete with other vaccine manufacturers, particularly at a time where more and more low-cost generic medicines are becoming available. Read more »
Since last Friday, I’m sure almost all of us have been watching as Japan deals with the horrific aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. I was fortunate enough to be in Japan this time last year. I think it’s a wonderful country and it’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening to the Japanese people now. Given the devastation to human lives — 6539 confirmed dead and more than 87000 buildings damaged, according to Reuters — the financial implications seem much less dire to me. However, this is the pharm tech blog so I think it’s a good idea to leave the human losses to other media sources and to concentrate on the effects the disaster has had on the pharmaceutical industry. Read more »
Multinational drug firms have been circling India, waiting for the opportune moment to enter the market. With several domestic pharmaceutical giants ripe for the picking, it is only a matter of time before they may be acquired by global firms. Thus far, price is the primary obstacle holding back suitors such as Teva, Merck KGa, Boerhinger Ingelheim, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline.
Last month, the China Pharmaceutical Industry Research and Development Association (SINO-PhIRDA) and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) signed a cooperation framework that embodies the intent of multinational pharmaceutical and Chinese pharmaceutical companies to continue a regular dialogue to facilitate the two organizations working together. So what is the status of China–US pharma relations? Read more »
China said it will work to crack down on counterfeit products such as software, music, organic corn, and pharmaceuticals, according to an article from the Associated Press. The government will launch a six-month campaign focused on eradicating sales of illegally copied and fake goods, said Jiang Zengwei, a deputy commerce minister, at a news conference earlier this week. Read more »
President Barack Obama’s state visit to India this week underscores the delicate balance in US–Indian economic relations: that is both the opportunity and competition that arises when advancing economic, trade, and business relations between the two countries. This paradoxical relationship is apparent in the pharmaceutical industry, where India is an important cog in pharmaceutical companies’ strategies for growth in emerging markets, but also a competitive force for suppliers, contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), and contract research organizations (CROs) serving the pharmaceutical industry. Is this simply a natural byproduct of a global economy or is there a better resolution? Read more »
FDA issued an alert today that it has detected “excessive levels of peroxide in one lot of Crospovidone (cross linked polyvinyl N-pyrrolidone) manufactured by China-based Tianjin Boai NKY International Ltd.” Although there have not been any related adverse-event reports to date and although the level of peroxide found does not pose a major health risk, said the agency in an advisory statement yesterday, there is concern that elevated levels of peroxide can cause “subpotent finished products.” Read more »
From PharmTech.com