The eighth edition of the FDD Conclave organised by Express Pharma witnessed a very interesting panel discussion on Injectable Therapies 2.0: Driving patient-friendly parenteral drug delivery, which brought together FR&D leaders and scientific experts from across India’s pharma landscape.
The session focused on the evolving innovations in injectable drug delivery systems and the urgent need to place patient convenience, safety, and adherence at the heart of product development.
Dr Rakesh Bhasin, Head – Generic Formulation R&D, Biocon served as the moderator, setting the tone by underlining how injectable formulations, once viewed purely from an efficacy and stability perspective, must now be reimagined to improve user experience, especially in chronic therapies. He highlighted that the injectables segment is ripe for disruption through thoughtful innovation. Makarand Avachat, EVP, Lupin India; Dr Ravikumar N, EVP, MSN Laboratories; Dr Sukhjeet Singh, Chief Scientific Officer, Acme Formulation; Dr Mallinath S Harwalkar, VP – R&D, Hetero; Dr Amarender Reddy Donthidi, VP & Head – R&D Injectables and Ophthalmics, Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Dr Krishna Bhavanasi, VPF&D, Torrent Pharmaceuticals were the other esteemed panelists for this discussion.
Among the key innovations discussed were long-acting depot injections, which allow for weekly or monthly dosing intervals, significantly improving patient adherence in therapies requiring sustained drug delivery. These formulations are redefining the treatment paradigm in areas like psychiatry, diabetes, and oncology, informed the panelists, who also emphasised that fewer administrations translate into better compliance and reduced healthcare burden.
They also spoke about the growing relevance of smart injectables and wearable injectors, which are enabling patients to administer drugs at home with minimal risk and greater ease. We are seeing strong momentum in automated, wearable delivery devices that offer precise dosing while enhancing comfort and safety, noted the experts.
The experts added that with the rising popularity of biologics and biosimilars, there’s an increasing need for novel delivery mechanisms that can accommodate larger molecules, ensure stability, and maintain efficacy.The trend toward complex injectables necessitates advancements in delivery platforms that are compatible with sensitive molecules and patient-centric in design.
The panel discussion also addressed the innovations in painless injections, an area where the industry has seen only incremental progress, calling for disruptive thinking in drug-device integration. We need to look at injectables from a lifecycle and systems perspective, ensuring they’re not just effective but also environmentally responsible and userfriendly, urged the experts.
They stressed the need for a supportive innovation ecosystem. True breakthroughs require aligned incentives — from regulators to investors to academic collaborators. We need platforms that reduce risk, speed up timelines, and reward innovation focused on the patient, opined the panelists.
Unanimously, panellists agreed that while the injectable therapies segment has seen considerable progress, it is still largely driven by incremental enhancements. A bold shift is needed—from improving known delivery systems to developing radically new solutions that meet unmet patient needs.
The discussion closed with a call to action: Indian pharma must leverage its strengths in manufacturing, scientific talent, and market understanding to move beyond ‘me-too’ products and become global leaders in patient-friendly injectable innovations. In line with the theme of the conclave, ‘From Lab to Life: Bridging Science and Care’, the panel underscored that innovation must not stop at the lab bench. It must be designed with the end-user in mind, translating into therapies that are safer, simpler, and more aligned with real-world patient needs.