HYDERABAD: Noting that India ranks third globally in pharmaceutical supply by volume but only 14th by value, Dr N Madhusudhan Rao, CEO of the Atal Incubation Centre at CCMB, stressed the need to enhance both volume and value through quality-driven innovation, advanced R&D, and the use of AI and non-animal therapeutic models.
Dr Rao shared his insights at a roundtable organised by Savishkar Telangana on Thursday on the theme “Innovations in Healthcare: The Future of PharmaTech” at CSIR – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad. The event was held in collaboration with CSIR – Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) and VSS Trust.
Dr Srinivasa Reddy, IICT Director, highlighted that India is the third-largest global supplier of pharmaceutical drugs, with one in every three tablets sold internationally being produced by Indian companies. He emphasised the importance of domestic production of raw materials to maintain the sustainability of this ecosystem.
Uma Chigurupati, executive director at Granules India, underlined the value of industry-academia collaboration and the integration of AI, robotics, and blockchain. She highlighted the convergence of data analytics for digital health and R&D transformation and called for reduced taxation on R&D to accelerate clinical trials and drive innovation.
