Indian pharmaceutical companies are increasingly investing in anticancer research and drug innovation as part of their strategy for future growth. With the global oncology market expected to expand significantly, Indian pharma firms are focusing on R&D, biosimilars, and novel drug development to tap into this high-growth sector.
Dr Rahul Maheshwari, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy and Technology Management, NMIMS Deemed to be University, Jadcherla, Hyderabad, the cancer product market is expected to reach $580 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 12.4%. The expenditures of US at $6.56 billion investing in 2024 on anticancer research, development, and manufacturing are very high compared to India.
This year’s World Cancer Day on February 4 theme was United is Unique highlights personalized care and treatments to cater to each individual's unique needs.
Our pharma industry is known for generic product development and contribution to finding new anticancer products is limited. In India, 1.40 billion people are suffering from the deadliest diseases, and an estimated 1.5 million new cancer cases reported annually. This warrants an equal contribution from India in anticancer R&D and product development growth. By 2025, India's cancer incidence is expected to increase from 1.39 million to 1.57 million, according to the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), he added.
Although India's pharmaceutical sector accounts for $50 billion, only 8% of total revenue is utilized for anticancer R&D. This indicates the need for more investment to get the new products claiming Indian origin. In contrast, global companies like Pfizer and Roche invest 20% of their profit in R&D. Higher investment in R&D has always contributed significantly to discoveries and groundbreaking anticancer medications such as CAR-T therapy. Innovating in India is hampered by low profit and investment ratios, Dr Maheshwari noted.
The country’s pharma policies should be warranted to encourage the Indian manufacturer to dive deep to get some meaningful therapies. There is need for multidisciplinary collaboration between academia, industry, and government. Unlike countries like the US, where public-private partnerships thrive, India’s ecosystem is fragmented. This realizes the need for more cohesive efforts to overcome the limitations in the futuristic development of onco-products from India. However, specialized expertise is another requirement to develop breakthrough cancer products, and it is high time to realize the adequate availability and involvement of Indian scientists/researchers compared to the US, China, and other developed countries, he said.
However, developing a new anticancer product was never easy, as it cost around $2.6 billion, but it has no alternative. In contrast, Indian companies often focus on cost-effective generics rather than high-risk, high-reward, innovative drugs due to limited financial incentives and support. High-end research facilities and clinical trial infrastructure are essential for drug development. India’s infrastructure is under development, with only a fraction of global clinical trials conducted here, said Dr Maheshwari.
Global giants control 18-21% of the cancer products in the global market with breakthrough products like Herceptin, Tecentriq, Novartis' Kymriah and Merck's Keytruda are well-known new age-targeted anticancer therapies. In India, initiatives like Ayushman Bharat and the National Health Mission, have gained success and popularity but are largely unfocused on cancer. This realizes an urgent need for the development and promotion of cancer-centric research. Government funding and private sector efficiency can ensure long-term innovation growth, Only prioritization of R&D in India can promote anticancer research and India can become a global leader in oncology medication with its strong pharmaceutical base and talent pool, said Dr Maheshwari .
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