Category: Pharmaceuticals

Indian-Origin CEO Reshma Kewalramani on Fortune’s List with Ambani

Staff ReporterBusiness, Cover, Pharmaceuticals 0

Reshma Kewalramani’s remarkable journey from Mumbai to becoming the CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals highlights her influence as one of the most powerful and wealthy women of Indian origin in global business.

Reshma Kewalramani, an Indian-origin CEO, stands as a testament to global leadership in biotechnology. Having moved to the United States at the age of 11, she now leads Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a distinguished Fortune 500 biotech company. Kewalramani’s breakthrough career trajectory is marked by her notable rise in the business world, fortified by her academic accomplishments and professional competencies.

Kewalramani, MD, FASN, serves as both the Chief Executive Officer and President of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Entering the company in 2017, she rapidly ascended the corporate ladder, initially serving as Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Global Medicines Development before assuming the CEO role in 2020. Her tenure has been transformative, securing approvals for five groundbreaking drugs aimed at treating the root causes of cystic fibrosis (CF), thereby significantly improving the quality of life for numerous patients.

Kewalramani’s educational journey is rooted in medicine, having obtained her medical degree with honors from the seven-year program at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She further honed her skills, completing both her internship and residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by a fellowship in nephrology as part of the joint program between Mass General and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her leadership capabilities were enhanced by completing the General Management Program at Harvard Business School, adding significant value to her diverse skill set.

A recognized Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology, Kewalramani’s contributions to healthcare and leadership have garnered significant recognition. Her inclusion on both the TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World and TIME 100 Health lists underscores her lasting impact and visionary stature in the biotech sector.

Within this elite corporate sphere, she shares global influence with notable leaders such as Jensen Huang, CEO and co-founder of Nvidia, who topped Fortune’s 2025 list of the world’s 100 most powerful businesspeople. Huang, along with other technology titans like Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, and Huawei’s Ren Zhengfei, epitomizes fierce competition at the pinnacle of corporate leadership, all striving for advancement and innovation.

Source: Original article

Tariffs on the Rise as Trump’s Trade Deadline Passes

Staff ReporterBusiness, Pharmaceuticals 0

A Thursday stock market rally faltered as President Donald Trump released letters demanding pharmaceutical companies address drug pricing.

A rally in U.S. stocks lost momentum Thursday afternoon following social media posts by President Donald Trump, who shared letters to executives at several U.S. and European pharmaceutical corporations, calling for immediate action on drug pricing issues.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 275 points, or 0.6%, marking its fourth consecutive day of losses. The S&P 500 dipped 0.4%, sliding into negative territory, while the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 0.15%, despite previously rising by as much as 1.5% earlier in the day.

In his communications to companies such as Pfizer, Trump outlined a timeline for addressing concerns related to drug prices. His letter demanded, “Moving forward, the only thing I will accept from drug manufacturers is a commitment that provides American families immediate relief from the vastly inflated drug prices and an end to the free ride of American innovation by European and other developed nations.”

Initially, the S&P and Nasdaq indexes found support from gains in tech giants Meta Platforms (META) and Microsoft (MSFT), which rose 12% and 4%, respectively. However, the broader market weakened as pharmaceutical stocks declined.

Shares in Merck (MRK) dropped by 4%, dragging down the Dow. Meanwhile, shares of Eli Lilly (LLY) and Pfizer (PFE) fell by 2% and 1.6%, respectively. U.S.-traded shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) and AstraZeneca (AZN) also saw declines, falling 5% and 3.6%, respectively.

According to CNN, the stock market’s performance was influenced by the pharmaceutical sector, which faced pressure due to heightened scrutiny over drug pricing policies.

Source: Original article

Dr. Reddy’s to Launch Generic Obesity Drugs in 87 Countries

Staff ReporterPharmaceuticals, Ammu's Hearty Treats, Cover, India 0

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories plans to launch a generic version of Novo Nordisk’s popular weight-loss drug Wegovy in 87 countries next year, focusing initially on emerging markets.

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, an India-based pharmaceutical company, announced plans to introduce a generic version of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight-loss medication, Wegovy, to 87 countries in the following year. This strategic move, disclosed by CEO Erez Israeli, signals the company’s ambitions to capture a significant portion of the burgeoning global obesity drug market, projected to be worth approximately $150 billion by the early 2030s.

Initially, Dr. Reddy’s intends to release its generic semaglutide version—the active component in Wegovy and the diabetes treatment Ozempic—in countries such as Canada, India, Brazil, and Turkey, among various other emerging markets. This rollout is contingent upon the expiration of relevant patents, Israeli highlighted during a press conference discussing the firm’s earnings. He further noted that while the U.S. and European markets would open to these generics later, full access to other Western markets was expected between 2029 and 2033.

The company anticipates that sales of their generic drug will generate “hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to Israeli. The patent for semaglutide is expected to expire in multiple countries, including India in March of next year. Notably, in May, Novo Nordisk filed a lawsuit against Dr. Reddy’s, alleging infringement of its semaglutide patent, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.

Dr. Reddy’s has already submitted the necessary regulatory applications in all countries where it plans to launch the generic version. This aggressive expansion strategy aligns with broader industry trends, as several Indian pharmaceutical companies—including Cipla, Lupin, Biocon, and Sun Pharma—also aim to launch generic weight-loss medications, mirroring the success of Novo and its U.S. competitor, Eli Lilly.

Recently, Novo launched Wegovy in India, closely following Eli Lilly’s introduction of Mounjaro for weight-loss and diabetes management. Both Wegovy and Mounjaro belong to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which help manage blood sugar levels and slow digestion, contributing to prolonged feelings of satiety.

In addition to Wegovy’s generic, Dr. Reddy’s aims to launch 26 other GLP-1 drugs over the next decade as part of its long-term strategy, Israeli revealed. This expansion indicates the company’s proactive approach in capitalizing on the rapidly growing segment of obesity and diabetes treatments.

These developments underscore Dr. Reddy’s commitment to broadening its footprint in the global pharmaceutical market while addressing the escalating demand for affordable obesity medications.

“AstraZeneca Pulls Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Globally Amid Legal Battles and Rare Side Effect Concerns”

Staff ReporterHealth, Pharmaceuticals 0

AstraZeneca has declared the withdrawal of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine globally, weeks after acknowledging its potential rare side effects. The decision, highlighted by The Telegraph, stems from commercial motives, indicating that the vaccine is no longer in production or distribution due to newer versions designed to combat emerging variants.

The withdrawal entails the cessation of the vaccine’s usage within the European Union as AstraZeneca voluntarily revoked its marketing authorization, effective from Tuesday. The application for withdrawal, filed on March 5, has now taken effect, signaling the end of an era for the vaccine developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford.

Legal battles loom for the pharmaceutical giant as it faces a class-action lawsuit alleging severe adverse effects, including Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a condition associated with blood clotting and low platelet levels. Despite mounting legal pressure, AstraZeneca maintains that the timing of the withdrawal isn’t connected to ongoing court proceedings or the acknowledgment of TTS risks, dismissing any correlation as coincidental.

The vaccine’s journey, marked by highs and lows, saw its development in partnership with the University of Oxford as AZD1222, later known as Covishield in India and other economically disadvantaged nations, manufactured and supplied by the Serum Institute of India under license.

Acknowledging the vaccine’s rare side effects, AstraZeneca conceded to the High Court in February that TTS could occur in very limited instances. This admission fueled legal claims branding the vaccine as “defective” and challenging its efficacy, a stance vehemently opposed by AstraZeneca, which refuted allegations of overstated effectiveness.

The legal battle intensifies with 51 cases filed in the High Court, seeking substantial damages, estimated at £100 million, as reported by The Telegraph. Sarah Moore, a partner at Leigh Day law firm representing claimants, criticized AstraZeneca and the government for allegedly prioritizing legal maneuvers over addressing the profound impact of the vaccine on affected individuals.

In response, AstraZeneca reiterated its commitment to patient safety, expressing condolences to those affected while emphasizing adherence to rigorous regulatory standards ensuring the safe usage of medicines, including vaccines.

In essence, AstraZeneca’s decision to withdraw the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine globally reflects a strategic shift driven by commercial considerations and the emergence of updated vaccine formulations. Amid legal challenges and controversies surrounding rare side effects, the pharmaceutical giant maintains its stance on prioritizing patient safety and compliance with regulatory protocols.

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