Year first day Update on Pharma

Last month was the worst month in my life as I lost a precious person in my life, who has always supported me and had faith in me that I won’t do wrong, my father passed away in glimpse of 3-4 minutes without giving me chance to fight for him, so this month first day I thought to jot down some thoughts......Pharma industry in the last 6 months has seen less M&A as compared to 2008-09. Just two days back there was a deal at Roche end, what I like about Roche is its corporate organization is similar to GE concept............the best deal which came in the year end was from Sigma-Aldrich....it went to acquire Cerilliant corporation based in Texas to strengthen its analytical chemistry portfolio, Cerilliant, has been a leading supplier of high quality reference standards and materials, which provides products that support the clinical diagnostics, environmental, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, forensic and clinical toxicology market. This will help Sigma –aldrich diversifies and further strengthens its leadership in the specific segment.

Biocon....

Last month I had been to Bio partnering India conference held in Hyderabad and there while having a tea break conversation A woman in Senior position in Bangalore based pharma company was talking to me about how Kiran went on to establish Biocon with UB group stakes and she had to face a lot of things while establishing Biocon as a entity. I felt that the show was Biocon event.

There in the conference Kiran presented Biocon vision and mission and then there was brief introduction to BMS- Biocon collaboration, BMS collaboration has helped Biocon create world class drug discovery excellence and will help it to further establish collaboration with Pfizer and the rest in Top 20 . As Astra and GSK already have their operations in Asia and Merck is establishing its drug discovery spin of operations in India this year thus these companies might not follow game plan of out sourcing.

Biocon latest move was insulin supply collaboration with world's largest life sciences company Lifetech subsidiary Invitrogen and largest pharma manufacturer Pfizer.

Yesterday Biocon has announced investment in Malaysia based Biotech Company so that later this assets investment will help it to penetrate better in the APAC region.

Requirement of health reform in India

Some years back while I was in college my father had his Bypass surgery, after the surgery the doctors were giving him diuretics in the general section while discharging him after 1week of hospital stay they stopped the diuretics intake, nothing happened then but later after 2days he started complaining about chest pain and difficulty in breathing, we immediately took him to hospital. Doctors said that water filled in his chest, we asked him the reason he said normally this happens after bypass, I was not satisfied by the answer and had been periodically checking what all medicines father was taking and then lately I realized they started giving diuretics as BD dose which was earlier given as OD dose….then I went and cross questioned the Doctor he accepted his mistake….but slight harm was already done….What I don’t understand now every big hospital the doctors see the Big money lying on the table they are not bothered about the humanity aspect which they have taken oath, we in India should have health reform bills we should cover patient safety aspect rather than treating them as Guinea pigs

Biosimilar and Biobetter Opportunity

Today I was listening to Podcast by Michael Kamarck President, Head Merck Bio ventures.......he said that at present Bio better and innovative drug have great future and that Merck in recent years has been keen in Bio better development and but in long run like all the big pharma Merck will venture in Bio similar's .......and already Merck in into two Bio similar product development.

 Later on he discussed about Merck pipeline , it already has Antibody in clinical trials for Solid tumours, two antibodies for Anti inflammatory for Phase 2....and now New Merck has many products in pipeline after last year M&A.........

Listen more at:http://biopharminternational.findpharma.com/biopharm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=677150

FICCI- ABLE-Indian Biopharma- Update1

Last week on Monday July 12th I got invitation to attend National Biopharma convention organized by FICCI, ABLE in collaboration with government of India and Indian Biopharmaceutical companies.....

I am going to write the issues in Series so this is the first issue related to the points discussed over the conference.

According to Indian Bio pharma industry there were issues majorly related to
-Operational cost of running a bio pharmaceutical manufacturing plant
-Cost of the instruments and media related to biopharmaceutical development and production
-Involvement of more local players related to development and production of instruments, media and other lab requirements for Biopharma industry.
-Mr Sanjiv, VP product development from Cadila emphasized be one window concept which should be developed for regulatory approval
-Speakers also raised issues related to clinical trial development

India Biopharma Proposal

Currently India is a significant player in the global Biopharmaceutical Industry. To enhance its presence the Indian Industry and the Government need to join hands to address key issues and challenges to achieve and maintain a globally competitive and sustainable industry. FICCI has organized a one day national convention to offer platform to all stakeholders to identify areas where Industry needs facilitation and brainstorm with Government on how it can be done effectively. The conference deliberations will be an input to a Strategy paper being developed by Department of Pharmaceuticals for the Biopharma Industry. Key topics that the convention will cover include

· Manufacturing: Increasing Capacities and Efficiencies

·Infrastructure and HRD: Infrastructure for Product Development and Evaluation & Harnessing Indigenous Skills and addressing talent

·Challenges and Opportunities: Complexity in Development and Impact of Cost Constraint

·Regulations for Biopharma: Ensuring patient safety and enabling growth

The issues identified and discussed during this convention will be compiled and submitted to the Government for support and necessary action.

Next thing i wish pharma

Now a days after coming from office I have become addicted to How met you mother Series, last year this time I had finished sex and the city all seasons....thanks to my cousin in LA Manjul....for introducing me to Jimmy choo, Vogue .......and Carrie Bradshaw

Leaving apart my sense of fashion the following news headlines intrigued my brain

v     Sanofi going for $20 Billion deal in Biotechnology deal and like wise Lilly has also announced for more M&A this year

v     Abbott Laboratories is in market to sell its vaccines unit it gained after acquisition of Solvay Pharmaceuticals ($6.2bn)

v     Eli Lilly driving for enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) market and it is going to acquire of US based biotechnology firm Alnara Pharmaceuticals.

v     Some 5 years back Apt it acquired Quintiles pre clinical business and now Aptuit has again acquired GSK R&D unit in Italy....it’s a very good strategic expansion for a CRO which is majorly into preclinical studies.

After this news update what I am still awaiting for is the next biggest Bio similar deal in Indian peninsula

India Inc. Intra nasal H1N1 Vaccine

Last week Saturday Pune based Serum institute of India launched VaxiFlu-S (purified A (H1N1) flu vaccine) indigenous vaccine in New Delhi, This vaccine will be available in the Indian market within next 10 days, and last year Pune had been the epicenter for Swine flu, hope this year it will have enough resources to fight.

For more read the following link

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article487465.ece