Page 12 - Pharma Industry

Govt launches programme for cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh

The government is launching a pilot programme to provide cashless treatment to road accident victims, under which they will be entitled to cashless treatment up to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh per accident, an official statement said on Thursday. The statement further said the pilot programme -- being initiated in Chandigarh and developed under the aegis of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) -- is aimed at establishing an ecosystem for providing timely medical care to the victims of road accidents, including during the golden hour. "The broad contours of the pilot programme are -- victims entitled to cashless treatment up to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh per accident per person for a maximum period of 7 days from date of the accident," it added. The statement said claims raised by hospitals for providing treatment will be reimbursed from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. According to the statement, the pilot project will be applicable to all road accidents caused by the use

Aurobindo Pharma to start production of Pen-G at its Andhra plant in Q1FY25

Aurobindo Pharma expects its Rs 2,400 crore Pen-G (penicillin) plant in Andhra Pradesh to start trial production in April and commercial production in a couple of months and ramping up of production will happen during the second quarter of next fiscal, a senior official of the city-based drug maker has said. Santhanam Subramanian, Chief Financial Officer of Aurobindo Pharma, also said the company is constructing a total of 10 new facilities which are expected to capitalise in the next one to two years. Currently, the firm has a total of 25 manufacturing and packaging facilities at various locations. The plant, which was approved under Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Promotion of Domestic Manufacturing of Critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in the country, will have a production capacity of around 15,000 tonnes annually. "We are doing the Pen-G project. We are in the process of installation and ...

Govt's new code bars unethical marketing of drugs by pharma firms

Medical representatives barred from using 'inducement' or 'subterfuge' to access healthcare professionals

Panel formed to administer pricing reforms for drugs, medical devices

Centre constitutes Committee for reforms in pricing framework for drugs and medical devices

Govt notifies new marketing code for pharma cos to curb unethical practices

The Department of Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday notified a new code which prohibits pharma companies from offering gifts and travel facilities to healthcare professionals or their family members. The Uniform Code for Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024 also bans supply of free samples to those who are not qualified to prescribe such a product. "No gift should be offered or provided for personal benefit of any healthcare professional or family member (both immediate and extended) by any pharmaceutical company or its agent i.e. distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc," as per the UCPMP guidelines. Similarly, no pecuniary advantage or benefit in kind may be offered, supplied, or promised to any person qualified to prescribe or supply drugs, by any pharmaceutical company or its agent i.e. distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc, it added. Besides, the companies or their representatives, or any person acting on their behalf, should not extend travel facilities inside or ..

AstraZeneca, Mankind Pharma sign pact to distribute asthma medicine

AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd and Mankind Pharma Ltd on Monday said they have entered into an agreement for exclusive distribution of the Symbicort brand, an asthma medicine, in India. Symbicort is owned by AstraZeneca, which will retain the intellectual property rights and will continue to be the marketing authorisation holder (MAH) and import license after the agreement, a joint statement shared on BSE by AstraZeneca Pharma India said. "The partnership with Mankind Pharma presents an opportunity to accelerate access and maximise the potential of our asthma drug as well as the turbuhaler which is a simple device, efficient in consistently delivering a higher proportion of respirable particles than the other devices," AstraZeneca India Managing Director and Country President Sanjeev Panchal said. Mankind Pharma has a distribution network, including close to 16,000 field forces and more than 13,000 stockists, across India providing access to quality pharmaceuticals across the country,

Hindustan Syringes launches Dispojekt to reduce needle stick injuries

Company aims to capture 60-70% of disposable syringes market in India

US FDA approves Eyenovia's eye drops to reduce pain: Formosa Pharma

Eyenovia acquired US commercial rights of the drug last August from Formosa

Max, Fortis, Apollo: Why are hospital stocks bleeding in a firm market?

Nifty Healthcare has outperformed Nifty50 and some individual healthcare stocks have doubled investor wealth in FY24

Advent PE begins merger process of Suven Pharma and Cohance Lifesciences

The merged platform will have mid-30s EBITDA margins, 30 per cent Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) and stable cash flow generation over FY20-23, the statement said

Strong medicine

Patanjali ad ban is the right remedy

Takeda injects hope: Dengue vaccine clinical trials set to begin in India

Biological E will increase manufacturing capacity to up to 50 million doses a year, accelerating Takeda's plans to manufacture 100 million doses annually within the decade

Several pharma cos step up corrective action plans after crackdown by govt

The orders in the state have now been revoked, with the companies undergoing corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes

Still facing strong headwinds, 2024 sales flat to lower, says Novavax

The company posted a larger-than-expected fourth-quarter loss as revenue lagged analysts' estimates, sending its shares down 26.3% to $4.44 in early trading

Roche Pharma launches new drug for multiple sclerosis treatment in India

With the launch of the new drug, the global pharma company hopes to expand its neurology portfolio and cater to the untapped need of patients facing the disease in India

India to have largest R&D presence outside US by 2025: Bristol Myers CEO

Bristol Myers also operates a research and development centre in Bengaluru in partnership with the Biocon Group's Syngene International

Traditional system of medicines gaining worldwide acceptance: Sonowal

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said traditional medicines like Ayush have gained a new lease of life, and are being recognised worldwide for their efficacy. He also said that the traditional medicine sector of India has grown beyond geographical boundaries and reached a global market, under the BJP-led central government. The Union Minister of Ayush was speaking after inaugurating a centre of excellence at the State Ayurvedic College and Hospital here. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has taken leadership position in the revamp of traditional medicines worldwide... This has helped our traditional medicine sector to grow out of its regular geography and communities to reach a wider population across communities from different parts of the world," Sonowal said. He said prior to 2014, the market value of Ayush products in India was limited to Rs 24,000 crore. But now, the country's Ayush products have gained a market of Rs 4.50 lakh crore ..

Zydus Lifesciences gets USFDA nod for generic drug to prevent chest pain

Zydus Lifesciences Ltd on Friday said it has received final approval from the US health regulator to manufacture and market its generic Isosorbide Mononitrate extended-release tablets used to prevent chest pain in patients with a certain heart condition. The approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) is to manufacture and market Isosorbide Mononitrate Extended-Release, of strengths 30 mg, 60 mg, and 120 mg, Zydus Lifesciences said in a regulatory filing. Isosorbide mononitrate is used to prevent chest pain (angina) in patients with a certain heart condition, coronary artery disease, it added. The product will be manufactured at the group's formulation manufacturing facility at Ahmedabad SEZ, the company said. Isosorbide Mononitrate extended-release tablets 30 mg, 60 mg, and 120 mg had annual sales of USD 47 million in the US, Zydus said citing IQVIA December 2023 data. PTI RKL.

India's stand on IPRs, pharma help promote growth of generic industry: GTRI

India's stand on intellectual property rights (IPRs) and pharma issues in proposed trade agreements balances innovation with public health needs, ensures availability of affordable medicines and promotes growth of generic medicine industry, a GTRI report said on Friday. Think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that by opposing demands of developed nations on issues like 'data exclusivity' and 'patent linkage' in free trade agreements (FTAs), India ensures that generic drug manufacturers get greater market access and cost of life-saving medicines gets reduced significantly. "India's approach underscores a commitment to balancing innovation with public health needs, adopting a flexible interpretation of TRIPS to align with its developmental goals, and preventing the establishment of unfair monopolies, especially in the pharmaceutical sector," the GTRI paper said. It added that this stance reflects a broader effort to protect traditional knowledge and ensure the ...

Govt rejects EU FTA's data exclusivity demand to protect drug cos' interest

India on Thursday said it has rejected the demand of the four European nations EFTA bloc for inclusion of a 'data exclusivity' provision in proposed free trade agreements, stating that it always protects the interests of the domestic generic drugs industry. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said there is no Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in which India will go against the generic drug industry. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The bloc is negotiating a trade agreement with India. "They want that there should be data exclusivity, we rejected their demand. We are with our generic industry. "There is no fear for Indian generic industry (from this agreement). In fact, it is our very important objective to see that generic drug industry flourishes," he told reporters here. The secretary said the industry is contributing significantly to India's exports, which are also growing. "So we are there to protect the interest o