French drugmaker Servier sharpens India strategy, eyes ₹1,000 cr revenue

Servier is stepping up its India push to bring first-in-class and precision medicines, expand global clinical research participation and use India for manufacturing and GCC services

French drugmaker Servier is sharpening its India strategy as it looks to bring more first-in-class and precision medicines into the country, deepen its role in global clinical research, and use India as a hub for manufacturing and global capability centres (GCCs).

 

The company is targeting a turnover of about ₹1,000 crore from India over the medium term, underscoring the market’s rising importance in its global growth plans.

 

India currently contributes about 1 per cent to Servier’s global revenue, but that share is set to climb as newer oncology products are launched and the company expands its footprint beyond its legacy cardiometabolic portfolio. 

The company has been operating in India since the mid-1980s. “India is clearly becoming a strategic geography for Servier, not only as a commercial market but also as a partner in innovation, clinical research and manufacturing,” said Aurelien Breton, managing director (MD), Servier India. 

Servier, which operates as a foundation-owned, non-profit pharmaceutical group, reported global revenues of about euro 5.9 billion in 2024. 

For the year ended September 2025, global revenues are close to euro 7 billion, aided by the growing oncology portfolio. While India remains a small part of the overall top line for now, the company believes its long-term growth trajectory in the country could be steeper than many mature markets.

 

A key trigger for this renewed push is the recent marketing authorisation granted in India for vorasidenib (brand name Voranigo), a targeted oral therapy for Grade 2 IDH-mutant glioma, a rare form of brain cancer.

 

The approval, granted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), marks one of the most significant oncology launches for Servier in India. It comes after decades of any meaningful therapeutic innovation in this indication.

 

“Vorasidenib represents a real breakthrough in rare neuro-oncology. For more than 20 years, there was no major innovation for these patients. With this approval, India now has access to one of the most advanced targeted therapies globally,” Breton said.

 

He added that the company expects commercial availability of the drug in India by early-to-mid 2026, while patients can already access it through named-patient programmes.

 

The vorasidenib approval follows earlier launches such as Tibsovo, Servier’s IDH1 inhibitor for acute myeloid leukaemia and cholangiocarcinoma.

 

“Our ambition is to systematically bring our most innovative oncology assets to India, as close to global launch timelines as possible,” Breton said.

 

To support this, Servier has begun including Indian patients and centres in its global clinical trials roadmap.

 

Senior global teams from regulatory and clinical functions have engaged with Indian hospitals, clinical research organisations (CROs) and diagnostic players to strengthen India’s participation in multinational trials.

 

“When India is part of global clinical trials, it not only gives Indian patients early access to innovation but also helps us accelerate registration and launches in the country,” he said.

Beyond commercial operations, Servier is also looking to leverage India for manufacturing and global support functions.

 

The company has decided to use India as a base for producing certain single-pill combination therapies in diabetes, not only for the domestic market but also for global supply. This is through partnerships with Indian contract manufacturing organisations.

 

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) will largely continue to be sourced from Servier’s global facilities, while formulation and scale-up will be done locally.

 

The company also is exploring the potential for setting up a GCC in India to provide high-value services to its global operations.