India Multinational life science firms have been present in India for decades. However, they have often eschewed bringing their latest products to a country that has long prioritised affordability above innovation. Now though, as India’s GDP and market value soar and the policy environment shifts towards prioritising the domestic development of…

France After offloading its consumer healthcare division in 2022 and in view of the gradual erosion of its top seller, Somatuline, Ipsen opted to aggressively seek external assets to enrich its pipeline. With an FDA green light for its 2017-acquired Onivyde and an expected approval for its Genfit-partnered therapy this year,…

Global Susanne Schaffert’s over 20-year stint at Novartis culminated with her presidency of the Swiss giant’s global oncology division, but when the company underwent a major restructure in 2022, she found herself out of a job.  Now, after joining the boards of several biotechs, including Galapagos, Schaffert returns to big pharma,…

France France is the third most significant clinical research destination in Europe, participating in 50 percent of the trials initiated across the continent. While favourable government policies and unique strengths such as the National Health Data System contribute to France’s competitiveness, obstacles to further growth remain. In conversation with PharmaBoardroom, Hubert…

Portugal While not a major player in clinical trials at the European level, Portugal has untapped potential in this field, leveraging a first pioneering centre in Braga, the country’s strong scientific community, a growing openness to collaboration with industry, and access to a European patient database. Considering the remarkable progress that…

USA In late 2023, The Wall Street Journal published the article Generic Drugs Should Be Cheap, but Insurers Are Charging Thousands of Dollars for Them. This article examined interactions between patient health insurance prescription benefits, pharmacies, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and their collective impact on the prices that patients pay for their prescription…

Africa Writing in the February 2024 edition of the DIA Global Forum magazine, Verena Pfaffinger and Ilona Baraniak-Lang of PharmaLex examine how the drug shortages seen in the global south during and after the COVID-19 pandemic can best be overcome through the adoption of decentralised manufacturing.   The COVID-19 pandemic exposed…

Europe Rainer Westermann of venture capitalist coalition Life Sciences Acceleration Alliance reviews the potential impact of the EU’s general pharmaceutical legislation on the investment climate for the EU life sciences sector. Building on his insights from last year, Westermann urges stakeholders to seize the opportunity caused by a delay in the…

USA US Congress has highlighted Chinese biotechnology firms, including giants WuXi and BGI, as posing a risk to the country’s national security. PharmaBoardroom takes a look at why the US is now targeting these companies and the potential impact of a proposed US Biosecure Act on US-China biotech ties.   Protecting…

Switzerland For the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic), one of the world’s leading regulatory authorities, 2023 was an important year. Not only did the agency gain recognition from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Swissmedic also saw a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) agreement between Switzerland and the US FDA come into…

China The biggest pharma industry stories coming out of China, including the impact of the US Biosecure act on Chinese giants WuXi AppTec and WuXi Bio; Novartis’ acquisition of SanReno Therapeutics; the first orphan drug designation for a Chinese herbal medicine-based therapy, and AstraZeneca’s new production line in Taizhou.   Eisai…

Saudi Arabia As the GCC’s largest market, Saudi Arabia, with its growing population, strong healthcare infrastructure and government commitment to developing the economy beyond oil through its Vision 2030, is increasingly attractive for multinational pharma and local players alike. In 2024 government reforms will continue to encourage investment and local production while…