NEW DELHI: Swiss pharma company Novartis is sharpening its strategy in India as a pure-play innovator across core therapeutics segments, including cardiovascular, oncology and immunology, after divesting its stake in its listed arm earlier this year.Significantly, India is increasingly contributing to almost every molecule that Novartis commercializes globally, moving further up the value chain, with early scientific discoveries – Phase I studies starting to take shape in the country, Novartis India President and Managing Director Amitabh Dubey told TOI.In February, Novartis, under a strategic review, announced the sale of its 71% stake in its listed subsidiary, Novartis India, effectively exiting its legacy portfolio worth around Rs 1,446 crore to a group of private equity investors, led by ChrysCapital.
It retained its unlisted trading arm, Novartis Healthcare, to drive its innovative pharmaceutical business in the country.
Typically, India largely serves as a development hub handling Phase II and III trials for MNCs, while early-stage research or innovation-intensive sectors remain concentrated in developed markets.Novartis recently began phase 1 clinical research in Ahmedabad and will continue late phase 2 and 3 programs across its core therapeutic areas, Dubey said in his first interview after the review.
Some of these global treatments, where India has played a major role, include Coartem Baby, the first anti-malarial drug developed for infants, cardiovascular treatment Inclisiran (Sybrava), and prostate cancer targeted radiotherapy Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan (Pluvicto).Novartis operates one of its three global development centers in India (Hyderabad and Mumbai), along with Basel (Switzerland) and the United States.
For example, the Indian Development Center contributed to four critical areas of the Coartem Baby program – clinical operations support, drug development, regulatory submissions, and safety oversight.“Our philosophy was to become an innovative pharmaceutical company. It was not appropriate to retain these (old) brands without proper investments and focus. Our commitment to India remains strong – we have over 9,000 employees, launched two new molecules last year, and plan to launch one this year and two next year.” Dobby added.