How Tech Innovations Impact Cardiac Care

Cardiac care has seen a transformation over the years with technology playing an important role. Armed with Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), cardiac care providers, with the right technology, have received the right impetus to revolutionise treatment mechanisms. Let us delve into the new technologies which the industry is offering to mankind and decipher the way forward.

“R&D outsourcing has become a ‘must have' than ‘good-to have' strategy”

Aragen Life Sciences (formerly GVK BIO), a leading contract research and development organisation headquartered in Hyderabad, is marking its transition to a new brand identity in its 20th year. Established in 2001, the company is poised for growth in the outsourced discovery, development, and manufacturing services sector across both large and small molecule platforms with new investments and collaborations. In conversation with BioSpectrum, Manni Kantipudi, Chief Executive Officer, Aragen Life Sciences, Hyderabad reveals more about the company’s recent rebranding and growth plans. Edited excerpts;

Premas Biotech to commercialise VLP vaccine tech against Delta variant

Gurugram-based Premas Biotech has signed a licensing deal with Oravax Medical for the development and commercialisation of its virus-like-particle COVID-19 vaccine technology.

SARS-CoV-2: A Biochemical Treatise on its Past, Present & Future

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is unprecedented but equally unprecedented is the contribution of scientists who have helped us in understanding the mechanisms by which it infects human beings and also, developing a variety of vaccines to protect the masses, in a year’s time, which can be called truly groundbreaking. This article gives an overview of the progress made by scientists around the world working round the clock in developing an understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 evolution and COVID-19 disease pathogenesis, and also makes an attempt to suggest the possible ways of coping with this pandemic if we have to co-exist with it forever!

Merck launches Pergoveris Pen for fertility treatment in India

Merck Specialties, the healthcare business of Merck in India, has launched Pergoveris Pen for advanced infertility treatment in India.

GUNG-HO PHARMA R&D INVESTMENTS SURPASS $3B

While the pharmaceutical industry helped combat COVID-19, from R&D actions on potential treatment strategies to balancing the medicines supply chain in the time of crisis, it struggled to maintain the natural market flow. As a result, many pharma companies had to abort some of their ongoing R&D investment plans. However for FY20-21, the average R&D expenses constituted 7.2 per cent of the total revenues of the pharma companies, with Lupin, Alembic Pharma and Dr. Reddy’s spending more than others. The cumulative R&D expenditure of the leading 10 pharma companies has been around Rs 10,627 crore ($1.43 billion) in the previous fiscal. This figure eventually reaches an approximate amount of Rs 22,500 crore ($3.03 billion) after considering the cumulative expenditure by other small and medium players of the India pharma industry.

3D printing moulds healthcare innovations

Pharmaceuticals, bio-medicine, aviation, and automobiles industries have rapidly adopted 3D printing over the years, worldwide, to develop new solutions and prototypes. It is also helping many industries, healthcare, in particular, increase productivity. Despite all its advantages, 3D printing technology is currently posing a number of challenges in the market such as initial costs, limitation to the metals and plastics used for 3D printing, lack of policy standardisation, etc.

WHO Updates Guidelines For TB Detection

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an update to its consolidated guidelines on the detection of tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB.

“Our allergic rhinitis drug is technologically superior, masks bitterness and 52% cheaper”

Alok Malik, Group Vice President & Head, India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Mumbai

Pandemic Sets New Benchmarks For Early-Stage Healthcare Startups

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an enabler of this change as care-delivery models had to be quickly revamped to address two concerns – the diseases and the impacts of the virus on the treatment of other diseases. We aim to assess the qualitative and quantitative impact of COVID-19 and other macroeconomic events on the startup ecosystem over the last few years and try to understand the implications for the future.

India proposes BRICS Consortium to tackle NCDs as flagship programme

Experts deliberated on emerging issues in the various fields of Biotechnology and Biomedicine at the fourth BRICS Working Group meeting on the subject area.

LAB AUTOMATION - TRAVAILS IN INDIA

Whether it is the industry or academia, life sciences workers are gradually accepting the fact that lab data digitisation improves processes, simplifies workflows and makes research and development (R&D) more efficient. With increasing advances in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), digitisation in the research environment is set to become an integral part of every laboratory worldwide. But in emerging markets such as India, there are a large number of factors responsible for its slow adoption such as lack of skilled workforce, high maintenance and service costs, limited expertise, data security etc.

Biological E, Canadian firm to jointly manufacture mRNA vaccines in India

Canadian firm Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc. and Hyderabad-based Biological E have announced the execution of a term sheet that sets forth the material terms for a definitive licensing and collaboration agreement.

BDR Pharma launches affordable drug to treat ovarian, prostate cancers

Mumbai-based BDR Pharmaceutical has launched BDPARIB (RUCAPARIB) to treat advanced ovarian and prostate cancers

Dr. Reddy's Launches Sputnik V Vaccine In India

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories announced that the first consignment of imported doses of the Sputnik V vaccine that landed in India on May 1, 2021, received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on May 13, 2021. As part of a limited pilot, the soft launch of the vaccine has commenced and the first dose of the vaccine was administered in Hyderabad on May 14, 2021.

PSA launches community mental-health digital platform

The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India Prof. K VijayRaghavan has virtually launched ‘MANAS’ App to promote wellbeing across age groups.

Premas Biotech, Oramed Announce Oral Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate

Gurugram based Premas Biotech has announced the development of an oral COVID-19 vaccine that has shown efficacy after a single dose, in conjunction with Jerusalem-based Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Vocalising pain is a must

Women have unique health issues. In fact, some of the health issues that affect both men and women can affect women very differently.

“India should focus on innovating drugs and molecules to emerge as a global leader”

The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) has elected S Sridhar as its next President for a period of two years, effective from February 15, 2021. He takes over from Sharad Tyagi, Former Managing Director, Boehringer Ingelheim India Pvt Ltd. Sridhar is currently serving as the Managing Director of Pfizer Limited and is heading Pfizer Inc’s commercial business in India. Sridhar has been a member of the Executive Committee of OPPI for the past six years and has also chaired its Finance and Taxation Work Group. He is a strong voice of healthcare transformation in the country and was the chair of FICCI’s Pharma Committee till recently. In conversation with BioSpectrum, S Sridhar talks about making a difference to patients, the industry and the country via this new role.

Thermo Fisher unveils human plasma-like cell culture medium

Thermo Fisher Scientific has launched the new Gibco Human Plasma-like Medium (HPLM), the first cell culture medium on the market that mimics the metabolic profile of human plasma that is designed to provide researchers with a realistic view of cell growth within the human body.

Building On Biologics Business Growth

In 1990’s when Hasmukh K Chudgar, founder of Intas Pharmaceuticals handed over the company to his sons Binish, Nimish and Urmish, the company’s turnover was less than $1 million.

King Of Vaccines Protecting Children From Birth Onwards

Son of a horse breeder, Cyrus Poonawalla founded Serum Institute of India (SII) in 1966 in Pune when he was just 22 years and got married to Villoo. Over the years, his passion of offering affordable vaccines to the world has motivated to build SII into one of the world’s largest vaccine makers.

BioSpectrum honours INDUSTRY STALWARTS

It is time to celebrate the outstanding contribution and achievements of the Indian Bio Sciences industry leaders and organisations over the past one year.

Mental Health Startup InnerHour Gets $5.2M Fund influx

In a historic first, Mumbai based startup InnerHour has raised $5.2 million from Lightbox and others, making this the largest fundraise in the Indian mental health ecosystem till date.

“We support scientists in all regions researching and developing vaccines against COVID”

Eva van Pelt, Co-CEO & Chief Commercial Officer, Eppendorf AG, Hamburg, Germany

India rolls out vaccines to neighbouring coThe government has opened a new institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) i.e. CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), in New Delhi.untries

The Government of India has received several requests for the supply of Indian manufactured vaccines from neighbouring and key partner countries.

INDIAN BIOPHARMA HITS RS 25,000 CRORE RIDING 15% GROWTH WAVE

The Indian Biopharma Industry, with over 300 companies, is growing at the rate of 15 per cent, which is 3 per cent more than the previous year’s 12 per cent.

Govt launches SARS-CoV-2 genomic consortium to monitor viral mutations

The government has launched the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG), comprising 10 labs namely DBT-NIBMG Kalyani, DBT-ILS Bhubaneswar, ICMRNIV Pune, DBT-NCCS Pune, CSIR-CCMB Hyderabad, DBT-CDFD Hyderabad, DBT-InSTEM/ NCBS Bengaluru, NIMHANS Bengaluru, CSIR-IGIB Delhi, and NCDC Delhi.

Govt works towards AYUSH export promotion council

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of AYUSH have decided to work together to set up an Export Promotion Council to boost AYUSH exports.

BARC develops indigenous Ruthenium 106 plaque to treat eye cancer

Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space has lauded the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai for developing eye cancer therapy in the form of the first indigenous Ruthenium 106 plaque for treatment of ocular tumours.