Panel Discussion 2: From Headwinds to Health Wins —Where Growth Will Come From (2026–2030)
Speakers:
• Dr. Peter Piot, Special Advisor to European Union on Health Security and EU Chief Scientific Advisor on Epidemics
• Mr. Vikrant Shrotriya, MD, Novo Nordisk India
• Mr. Giuliano Perfetti, CEO & MD, Jubilant Biosys Limited
• Mr. Srinath Venkatesh, MD, India and South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Mr. Amit Mookim, CEO, Immuneel Therapeutics Private Limited
• Mr. Hari Buggana, Founder & Chairman, Invascent
Moderator: Mr. Suresh Subramanian, Partner and National Life Sciences Leader, EY
Summary:
Leaders from pharma, biotech, investment, and global health agreed that the next growth phase in life sciences will be driven not by standalone molecules, but by integrated platforms combining discovery, development, manufacturing, analytics, digital tools, and capital.
Dr. Peter Piot said COVID-19 demonstrated that rapid R&D, flexible manufacturing, and accelerated regulatory approvals are possible without compromising quality. However, declining public trust in science and inconsistent funding threaten preparedness. He identified obesity and diabetes as the century’s biggest health threats, calling it a “tsunami,” and stressed prevention alongside innovation.
Vikrant Shrotriya highlighted India’s explosive rise in chronic metabolic diseases, now affecting hundreds of millions and costing up to 2.5% of GDP. GLP-1 therapies represent only the starting point of a broader metabolic innovation wave, shifting focus from lifespan to “healthspan.”
Panelists identified biosimilars as a near-term $100–120 billion opportunity as biologics go off patent by 2030. Evolving US regulations favor analytics-driven approvals over switching studies, creating an opportunity for India if it strengthens analytical depth, manufacturing scale, and regulatory credibility.
Emerging modalities, ADCs, XDCs, oligonucleotides, and cell and gene therapies (CGT) present long-term upside. Amit Mookim noted India has delivered CAR-T therapy at under 10% of global costs, challenging assumptions about scalability and affordability. However, building platform IP and ecosystem infrastructure remains critical.
Investors pointed to regulatory delays as India’s biggest headwind, limiting risk capital inflows compared to China. Faster approvals, stronger academia-industry collaboration, and coordinated ecosystem scaling are essential.
The consensus: India must move from execution excellence to innovation leadership, balancing biosimilars, new modalities, prevention, and global partnerships to structurally reconfigure growth.
