Express Pharma

Ramping up R&D— Key to success

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Rahul Dev, Vice President India, Datwyler, highlights that R&D is of key importance for pharma companies to leverage opportunities and face challenges as new technologies and developments determine the trends in the markets

The healthcare industry is consistently geared towards improving the future with new solutions. Developments and new products are being introduced to the market fast. Those new developments and products often indicate clearly in which direction a market or industry is headed.

For international industrial suppliers like Datwyler, business focus and new developments are defined by current opportunities and industry trends arising in the market. These trends are typically anticipated due to a company’s longstanding experience and expertise. This is especially important in the highly competitive healthcare market, in which pharma and medical manufacturers rely on partners who can assist them in mastering the challenges of the global healthcare industry and enabling them to recognise their full potential. This includes in-depth engineering competence regarding innovative technologies as well as technical knowledge transfer. In addition, close collaboration with partners and customers and their respective research and innovation centres is very important and can make a big difference in how quickly companies can react to new developments and particularly how fast they can launch new innovative products. This collaboration can mutually benefit both parties and create access to new ways of treatment.

Identifying trendsetting market developments

There are several developments which Datwyler identified as important and interdependent trends in the pharma market. One important field is the sector of digital health. Particularly, wearables which allow new ways of administrating and self-administrating drugs are key developments to improve patients’ lives. For e.g., wearables can create a big difference in the way in which diabetes patients receive their treatment. The devices used to treat diabetes are changing and will continue to do so – both to facilitate drug administration and to provide more comfort for the patient.

Patient safety and comfort are at the core of the developments that are happening in the field of digital health, particularly when looking at patients
in emerging markets who may not yet have access to the facilities and infrastructure of the Western world. Safe and secure access to and administration of drugs will be even more essential in the future.

Additionally, wearables will also play a big role when it comes to monitoring patients and their conditions. This allows for a wholesome approach in
diagnosing, monitoring, medicating and drug administration, which will become increasingly important to achieve goals in global health. To make an all-encompassing development possible in the field of digital health, it is
of key importance to invest in research and development and the respective facilities. Whilst those are often still located in the Western markets, emerging markets like India have been gaining importance as locations for innovative R&D centres.

India — A key market for R&D

India is one of the most important healthcare markets and it keeps gaining relevance. The Indian market sees the most US FDA approved products worldwide and this development is more than likely to continue. While the Indian healthcare industry is currently strongly focussing on generics and biologics, the inclination of international companies to set up R&D facilities in the market is strong. Indian manufacturers see this as an important step to further excel in business and concentrate on the production and development of high-end products.
This trend is here to stay as global companies have started to recognise the market’s potential. Many pharma majors are merging with or acquiring Indian pharma companies and are heavily investing in R&D.

Production used to be the main focus, but now a substantial amount of the annual profits is going into R&D investments. Many of the major global players are also setting up own R&D facilities in India. Next to generics, R&D will become a major stronghold for India in future.

Datwyler’s new expansion of its existing facility in Pune will accelerate the company’s efforts to cater to local customers and suppliers with high-end products. The newly extended facility will produce according to the state-of-the-art first line standard that incorporates cleanroom manufacturing on a level that exceeds the most stringent quality standards of the European and US regulatory authorities and is certified to ISO 15378.

In summary, companies are taking the important step of closely evaluating the market and anticipating trends and new developments to shape the future of healthcare and improve patients’ lives. Digital health and the ways it allows new forms of diagnosing, monitoring and medicating patients is a major trend which can transform the industry. R&D is of key importance to face the challenges which new trends and products are bringing to the market. Emerging markets increasingly play a big role as locations for research and development and will therefore also further push the overarching goal of global health.

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