As India revealed finer details of two schemes to promote bulk drug production, Mankind Pharma and Aarti Drugs spelled out a preference for chemical synthesis products – they are likely to be joined by more companies reluctant to invest in some that are fermentation-based. Whether a “plug and play” format for bulk drug parks will attract foreign investment remains to be seen.

As India revealed finer details of two schemes to promote bulk drug production, Mankind Pharma and Aarti Drugs spelled out a preference for chemical synthesis products - they are likely to be joined by more companies reluctant to invest in some that are fermentation-based. Whether a “plug and play” format for bulk drug parks will attract foreign investment remains to be seen.

While the traditional players such as Pfizer and GSK, as well as newcomer AstraZeneca, are hot in pursuit of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Swiss major is sticking to drugs, the area where "we do have deep expertise," CEO Vas Narasimhan told journalists.

German reimbursement of COVID-19 confirmatory tests has been reduced by one third, a decision that has frustrated both the testing labs and the diagnostics manufacturers who jointly provided the basis of the system that kept the coronavirus to within manageable proportions nationally.