Biocon Limited has launched its GLP-1 peptide, liraglutide, for the treatment of diabetes and obesity in the Netherlands, as the biopharmaceutical firm positions itself as a global player in the fast-growing diabetes and obesity market currently dominated by the likes of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
The fiscal tilt towards capex benefits companies in investment-related sectors like capital goods, defence equipment, engineering & construction and metal & mining. The planned cut in revenue expenditure will weigh on companies in consumption sectors like FMCG, consumer durables and retail.
Lalit Modi posted a social media video from Vijay Mallya's 70th birthday party in London, referring to the pair as the 'two biggest fugitives' of India.
The US Food and Drug Administration's (USFDA)'s new draft guidelines aimed at speeding up and reducing the cost of developing biosimilars - lower-priced, near-replicas of complex biologic medicines - could significantly benefit Indian biotech companies.
Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw met with Karnataka's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister on Diwali, amidst ongoing concerns about Bengaluru's infrastructure.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar responds to criticism regarding Bengaluru's infrastructure, while industry leaders and opposition members voice their concerns.
Bengaluru is at a critical juncture, where its economic model, reliant on attracting and retaining skilled professionals, is directly threatened by a measurable decline in urban quality of life, point out Shishir Gupta and Rishita Sachdeva.
'I want to tell big IT companies and others that such things (pothole issue) are everywhere, we are doing our job. It is there across the country, but we have a duty, we will do it'
'We do not need short-term measures but long-term ones. Companies seem to have given up on the infrastructure part. Long delays are fuelling more traffic crisis.'
India's pharmaceuticals and medical devices industries are still hopeful that trade negotiations with the US could cut a fairer deal for both sides, after President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff rate on India on a social networking platform without divulging the finer details.
An expert committee in Karnataka has concluded that there is no association between premature cardiovascular disease and a prior history of Covid-19 infection or Covid vaccination. The report suggests that common risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and smoking are more likely causes.
'We recently launched Yesintek in the immunology space.'
State Bank of India (SBI), the largest lender in the country, has launched a share sale to institutional investors to raise upto Rs 25,000 crore, the biggest qualified institutional placement (QIP) so far by an Indian firm, and has set a floor price of Rs 811.05, which is at a 2.5 per cent discount on Wednesday's closing price.
'There is no reason why we should break this business up.'
After registering a net profit of Rs 25.1 crore in Q3FY25 and consolidated revenues growing by 7 per cent on a like-for-like basis, Siddharth Mittal, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director, Biocon, told Sohini Das/Business Standard in a virtual interaction that local manufacturing in the US is a trade off between cost and qualifying to do business there.
The CBI has arrested Joint Drugs Controller S Eswara Reddy for allegedly receiving a Rs 4 lakh bribe to waive the phase three clinical trial of the Insulin Aspart injection, a product of Biocon Biologics under development to manage Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, officials said on Tuesday. Biocon Biologics is a subsidiary of the Kiran Mazumdar Shaw-led Biocon. The company has denied allegations. The agency has also arrested Dinesh Dua, director at Synergy Network India Private Limited, who was allegedly giving Reddy a bribe, they said.
Raising overseas debt has become prohibitively expensive due to the depreciating rupee.
When Biocon chairperson Kiran Majumdar-Shaw - well known for raising issues ranging from lack of civic services in Bengaluru to climate change - decided to take on the Indian stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), she forced the Indian corporate world and legal community to take notice. In an interview to Business Standard, Majumdar-Shaw called a Sebi order to impose a fine on insider trading charges against a Biocon employee and an external consultant an "Agatha Christie" fiction, which destroyed the reputation of "innocent people". "The order is pure harassment and has caused huge reputational damage to us and goes against the principles of good governance promised by this government," Mazumdar-Shaw said. "We will certainly appeal this," she added.
'It is not just the US and European opportunity, but it is a huge global opportunity.'
Sebi has barred Allegro Capital and one of its senior executives from the securities market for one year in a case related to alleged insider trading activities in the shares of Biocon. Besides, the market watchdog has directed them to disgorge wrongful gains along with interest. The amount would be more than Rs 24 lakh. Allegro Capital and its director as well as major shareholder Kunal Ashok Kashyap have been fined Rs 10 lakh each, according to an order by Sebi dated July 8.
'The tie-up with Serum Institute Life Sciences brings to the table their strengths in manufacturing and also their vaccine portfolio.'
Industry insiders in India warn that any such move in the pharmaceutical sector could be counterproductive for the US as it may face increased drug shortages if tariffs are imposed on such imports.
A case has been registered against Raju Kapanur, a close aide of Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, and five others in connection with a conspiracy to kill BJP MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu and other leaders. The case was registered based on a suicide note by a civil contractor, Sachin Panchal, who accused Kapanur and his aides of making death threats. The BJP has demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI, while Priyank Kharge has denied the allegations and accused the BJP of politicising Sachin's death.
Singh, who opened up the economy as finance minister and served as prime minister for two consecutive terms, died on Thursday at the age of 92. "History will forever honour his pivotal role in the transformative 1991 reforms that reshaped India and opened its doors to the world.
'The obvious opportunity is biosimilars, which are simpler but more expensive,' says Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon.
'I cannot cope with the demand. It will take us a couple of months to ramp up production.'
Industry leaders including Google's India-born chief executive Sundar Pichai on Wednesday mourned the death of Ratan Tata, saying the veteran industrialist cared about making India better. "He leaves an extraordinary business and philanthropic legacy and was instrumental in mentoring and developing the modern business leadership in India. He deeply cared about making India better," Pichai said in a post on X. Pichai recalled that his last meeting with Tata was at Google's office where they spoke about the progress of self-driving car Waymo.
The company has launched the product in 10ml and 3ml vials, Biocon said.
The Bengaluru-based firm has entered into a definitive agreement with Mylan for an exclusive strategic collaboration for the global development and commercialisation of generic versions of its three insulin analog products, Biocon Ltd said in a statement.
DCGI has approved to market Itolizumab (ALZUMAb) injection 25mg and 5mL solution for emergency use in India for the treatment of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in moderate to severe ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) patients due to COVID-19, Biocon said in a release.
'API prices are dragging down margins and impacting our competitive ability.'
Biocon Ltd on Tuesday said it has earned the distinction of being the only Asian biopharma company to feature among the top biotechnology employers in the world as ranked by Science magazine.
India's largest biotech firm Biocon on Wednesday launched its "recombinant human insulin (r-DNA), Insugen
In India, itolizumab, known by the brand name Alzumab, has been priced at Rs 8,000 per vial. Most patients require four vials for Covid-19 treatment, taking the cost of the therapy to Rs 32,000.
Biotech company denies all charges.
Mazumdar-Shaw left open whether Biocon will go in for a higher stake or will completely take over the company, which is located near Frankfurt and specialises in manufacturing and marketing a unique range of its own patent-free medicines as well as low-cost drugs from Europan Union nations.
Roche said the Indian regulatory authorities had approved Biocon and Mylan's products as Trastuzumab, but it was unclear if these met the criteria for biosimilar products.
'I have added to the covid count by testing positive. Mild symptoms and I hope it stays that way,' the 67-year-old biotechnology industry veteran said in a tweet.
Biocon is the only Asian company to be on the list.