Industry leaders including Sanofi's ex-CEO and the chiefs of Sun, Lupin, Glenmark, Dr Reddy’s and Cipla discuss how India could leapfrog its pharma R&D efforts. Could the South Korea model or a hybrid approach including bringing back top talent bolster the country’s efforts to emerge as a global innovation hot spot?

Strides’ CEO tells Scrip Merck’s molnupiravir and Pfizer’s Paxlovid are not seen impacting COVID-19 vaccine uptake as boosters and immunization for travel will drive continued demand. The Indian company expects to book Sputnik Light sales from Q4. Meanwhile, US revenue guidance of $225-250m has been pushed back by a year to FY23.

Dr Reddy’s indicates it is close to break-even between “the investment made and what we gained” for Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V in India, with Sputnik Light, boosters and pediatric shots seen as the new growth drivers. The company’s fully vertically integrated operations also puts it in prime position for supplies of antiviral molnupiravir.

In this week's podcast edition of Five Must-Know Things: Pfizer’s mixed Q3; delayed US approval for Janssen/Legend’s CAR-T; promising new data in RSV; Dr Reddy’s lays out more COVID product plans; and experts dissect decentralized trials.