Jiangsu Recbio Technology and Biological E. Limited are partnering for HPV9 vaccine. Recbio will transfer technology to Biological E. Limited. This will allow Biological E. Limited to manufacture and commercialize the vaccine. The goal is to make the vaccine accessible in India and other markets. This collaboration aims to prevent cervical cancer.

Apollo Hospitals is demerging its omnichannel pharma and digital health businesses into a new entity, aiming for a separate listing. This move creates India's largest omnichannel pharmacy platform with a revenue target of 25,000 crore by FY27. The promoter family will hold approximately 36.5% in the new company, with Shobana Kamineni as the executive chairperson.

India's pharmaceutical exports experienced a modest 1.5% growth in April and May, following a significant 31.2% surge in March driven by year-end targets and anticipation of US tariffs. Despite pricing pressures and regulatory scrutiny, shipments to the US rose 20.4% to $10.5 billion.

Torrent Pharmaceuticals is set to acquire JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, with the deal expected to finalize in 15-18 months, pending regulatory approvals. The acquisition, primarily debt-funded, aims to enhance Torrent's presence in the Indian market, particularly in high-growth segments like cardiac and gastroenterology.

Torrent Pharmaceuticals is set to acquire a major stake in J B Chemicals. The deal is expected to finalize in 15 to 18 months. This acquisition will be the second-largest in the Indian pharmaceutical sector after Sun Pharma-Ranbaxy. Torrent will also launch an open offer. Approvals from CCI, SEBI and stock exchanges are awaited.

India's hospital sector is attracting significant investment. Manipal Health is leading the bid to acquire Sahyadri Hospitals. Private equity firms are investing in single-specialty chains in non-metro areas. Hospitals have become a preferred investment destination. The sector's market cap has surged. India requires more hospital beds to meet healthcare demand. The government is promoting medical tourism.

Concerns arose regarding medicine labels. Consumers struggled to read expiry dates. The shiny surface of strips posed readability issues. The Drugs Consultative Committee addressed the matter. A sub-committee will examine packaging in detail. They will assess regulations for packaging suppliers. The government considers voice-assisted QR codes. Braille cards on strips are also under consideration.

India is tightening access to anti-TB drugs Bedaquiline and Delamanid due to rising drug-resistant tuberculosis cases and potential misuse after their patents expired. The Drugs Consultative Committee suggests licenses mandate use per national standards and conditional access via the National TB Elimination Programme. Packaging will include a warning label indicating use within the NTEP to ensure responsible usage.

To tackle fake drugs, the Union health ministry will soon mandate barcodes or QR codes on certain medicines. This applies to antimicrobials, narcotics, vaccines, and psychotropic substances. The Drugs Consultative Committee approved the amendment to the Drugs Rules, 1945. Earlier, barcoding was implemented for some cancer drugs. Top brands already have barcodes for authentication and tracing.

Eli Lilly will soon launch Mounjaro KwikPen in India. This follows regulatory approval for the diabetes and obesity drug. The KwikPen offers a convenient, once-weekly administration. It contains four fixed doses. This launch intensifies competition with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. Mounjaro's dual mechanism may offer superior efficacy. The availability of all six dosage options will support personalized treatment.

Eli Lilly is set to launch Mounjaro in KwikPen, a user-friendly, prefilled pen for weekly administration, in India, following regulatory approval. This offers a convenient option for adults with type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro, a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, aids in blood sugar control and weight management, addressing a significant need in a country with a large diabetic population.

Bharat Biotech and GSK will lower the malaria vaccine price to under $5 by 2028. This is due to better processes and more production. They pledged this to Gavi. Bharat Biotech invested over $200 million to boost production. Twelve African countries will use the vaccine by 2025. This aims to help millions of children and families.

The health ministry is considering strict actions, including immediate license suspensions, for drugmakers producing substandard drugs. This proposal follows concerns about quality control and aims to safeguard public health. Pharma lobby groups have raised objections, citing technical issues and questioning the standards of government testing laboratories, while advocating for a stronger recall mechanism.

Lupin Limited has received the United States Food and Drug Administration approval for its generic version of Prucalopride tablets. These tablets are used for treating chronic idiopathic constipation. The approved strengths are 1 mg and 2 mg. This generic medicine is bioequivalent to Takeda Pharmaceuticals' Motegrity tablets. Lupin will manufacture the product at its Goa facility in India.

The achievement of that goal in India, which ranks third in obesity numbers after the US and China, will shatter the record for prescription brand sales. Keytruda, a breakthrough anti-cancer drug from MSD India (part of the US Merck group), is currently the No. 1 in prescription brands, with annual revenue exceeding Rs 1,600 crore, according to market sources.

Urban India witnesses a surge in dermatology clinic visits, driven by teenagers and young adults seeking solutions for everyday skin concerns beyond chronic conditions. Social media influence and access to information fuel this trend, with consumers actively choosing science-backed skincare. This shift reflects a broader movement towards evidence-based self-care, impacting the skincare market and prompting early dermatologist visits.

Eli Lilly's weight-loss and diabetes drug, Mounjaro, has rapidly gained popularity in India, achieving Rs 24 crore in sales within three months. Young adults in their 30s and 40s are showing significant interest, with many upgrading to higher doses. While experts acknowledge its potential in addressing obesity, they caution about long-term efficacy, side effects, and affordability for the Indian population.

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's plan to Make America Healthy Again faces challenges as government cuts eliminate over a dozen data-gathering programs tracking deaths and diseases. The CDC lost experts monitoring areas like abortions, lead poisoning, and violence. Critics warn that these cuts will hinder the ability to understand and address health issues effectively.

In a devastating incident, an Australian woman unknowingly carried and gave birth to another couple's baby due to a mix-up at a Monash IVF clinic in Brisbane. The clinic attributed the error to a human error during the embryo transfer process.

Donald Trump announced a forthcoming major tariff on pharmaceutical imports, aiming to incentivize drug companies to relocate operations to the U.S. He also stated he warned Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) about potential taxes if they didn't establish U.S. plants. Trump criticized the Biden administration's $6.6 billion grant to TSMC's U.S.