Vasant ‘Vas’ Narasimhan, the Global CEO of Novartis, revealed that the company has 12 medicines in the launch pipeline over the next few years. Of these upcoming launches, which are part of 10 positive phase three studies, many will be in Indian markets.
However, the pharma company is still figuring out the financial support for these launches, “I think the biggest question is the reimbursement environment. Can we get enough financial support to launch the next wave of medicines? But I think we have an obligation to figure it out.”
Narasimhan said, “We know that these diseases impact large populations in India. I would also say that Indian investigators and Indian clinical trialists have supported us in getting these medicines forward.”
Citing an example, Narasimhan mentioned that lipoprotein (a) or LP(a), a form of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, is one of the reasons for Indians suffering heart attacks at younger ages. Novartis’ medicine, Pellet Carson, which targets LP(a), is yet to be launched in India, as the company is still figuring out a way to make it affordable and feasible for people if the government or insurance companies could reimburse this medicine.
Narasimhan said, “We need to find a way with the government or with insurance companies to really find ways for Indians to be able to reimburse or afford these medicines. These are newer technologies; these are not small molecules. These are the medicines that I think are often available,” he said.
“The cost of goods is higher; therefore, the prices are higher and so we need to somehow find a solution space there. But I think we have to figure it out. Because I think there’s so many people who need these medicines in India,” he added.
First Published: Mar 21, 2024 11:04 PM IST
