Towards Innovation: Creating Value: Bringing The Healthcare And Lifescience World Together

Both pharma and biotechnology companies are working towards making medicines. The biotechnology industry includes hundreds of global businesses that research and develop drugs, which are complex medicines made from living cells or organisms. Traditional pharmaceutical companies create and sell drugs made from chemical- and plant-based compounds. Now the question comes HOW DO WE INNOVATE LIFE SCIENCES TO MAKE IT STRONGER?

The biotech and pharma industries continue their fast-paced digital evolution, while geopolitical and economic forces present hurdles that require a fine-tuned strategy throughout the supply chain. One segment of the drug-delivery market are advanced drug-delivery technologies, which refer to the technologies used for controlling the rate of drug release, such as modified drug-delivery technologies such as extended release (controlled and sustained release), controlled release, targeted release, delayed release, and pulsatile release.

The outbreak of Covid-19 sparked a mass movement to digital systems, and in 2021 this will continue to become increasingly popular, accelerating the growth of telemedicine as the future of healthcare. From drug discovery and development through to manufacturing, conducting virtual clinical trials and patient treatment, technology will create new opportunities at every stage of the healthcare process. When the pandemic unfolded, researchers from companies and universities around the globe were committed to speedily finding an effective vaccine.

In November 2020, several organizations announced positive results from interim analyses of their Phase III vaccine trials and in early December, the UK became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with the first doses were administered to patients just days later.

ET Life Sciences Conclave

With the theme “TOWARDS INNOVATION: CREATING VALUE: BRINGING THE HEALTHCARE AND LIFESCIENCE WORLD TOGETHER” the virtual summit will initiate thought provoking discussions on science behind vaccine development, drug delivery, technology innovation, formulations and new scientific practices for bio pharma business growth at the time of crisis.

Customer expectations and safety has become the buzzword today for every stakeholder in the life science industry. All are making their business processes and functions automated and innovative to fuel the financial growth. We see an increasing number of pharmaceutical firms and indeed, medical device companies – are partnering and integrating with technology businesses.

Rolling out a vaccine in just a matter of months is one of the biggest achievements for the life sciences industry in history. Pharma companies had to not just research ways of treating a novel disease but also manage complex supply chains, contend with new models for engagement with healthcare professionals, manage remote workforces, and deal with the disruption to many clinical trials.

ET Life Sciences Conclave will bring together the pharmaceutical and biotech development community across countries. At this high-level scientific summit, scientists, pharmacists, and technologists from the pharma and biotechnology community will meet and discuss exciting future innovations and showcase the latest technologies in formulation and drug delivery to improve solubility, stability and bioavailability of drug, enhance the drug design and fasten the drug development process.

Speakers

Gautam Khanna
Chief Executive Officer
Hinduja Hospital

Jai Shankar Krishnan
Vice President-High Growth Markets
Danaher Corporation

Karan Singh
Managing Director
ACG Pharma

Manoj Saxena
Managing Director, Bayer Zydus and South Asia Head
Bayer

Dr. Neeta Verma
Director General
National Informatics Centre

Dr. Rana Mehta
Partner and Leader – Healthcare
PwC India

Prof. S.S. Vasan
COVID-19 Project Leader, CSIRO (Australia) and Honorary Professor
University of York (UK)

Sanjiv Navangul
Managing Director and CEO
Bharat Serums and Vaccines

Dr. Srivari Chandrasekhar
CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT)
Ministry of Science and Technology

Sudarshan Jain
Secretary General
Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance

Vani Manja
Managing Director & Head-Human Pharma
Boehringer Ingelheim India

Yugal Sikri
Managing director
RPG Life sciences

Partners

Agenda

10.00 – 10.10 Opening Address by The Economic Times
10.15 – 10.30

Opening Keynote: Era of Covid-19 – From Virus to Vaccine – Journey so far, and the future ahead

Prof. S.S. Vasan, COVID-19 Project Leader, CSIRO (Australia) and Honorary Professor, University of York (UK)

10.35 – 10.45 Presentation by Jai Shankar Krishnan, Vice President – High Growth Markets, Danaher Corporation
10:50 – 11:40

Inaugural Panel: Towards safer India: Managing Global Health Epidemics Better!

Description: Covid-19 has sent shockwaves through the world and has greatly impacted the way we function. There are many lessons this pandemic has given us. Among a plethora of messages on COVID-19 was a request to God to reboot 2020 as it has a virus. But the reality is that nations across the globe will have to reboot their thoughts and creativity to tackle the deadly spread in a structured way.
At the beginning of 2020, few could have foreseen what would unravel over the following twelve months. The response from the life science & pharma industry to the Covid-19 pandemic has been remarkable, adapting to extremely challenging conditions while stepping-up their efforts with a matter of urgency like never. The session will reflect on the events of the last year and consider their lasting impact on the life sciences and pharma industry in 2021 and beyond.

  • How can we prepare to manage global health emergency more proactively?
  • Digital transformation
  • Vaccines development
  • Impact on other therapy areas
  • Adopting green and sustainable practices

Featured Speakers:

Sanjiv Navangul, Managing Director and CEO, Bharat Serums and Vaccines
Karan Singh, Managing Director, ACG Pharma
Farida Hussain, Business Head- Domestic and Emerging Markets & Chief Marketing Officer, USV India
Sandeep Khandelwal, Head – India Business, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Prashant Nagre, Chief Executive Officer, Fermenta Biotech

Panel Moderator:

Vani Manja, Managing Director & Head of Human Pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim India

11:45 – 12:00

Keynote Address: The Digital Government Transformation – During pandemic & beyond

The pandemic has changed government priorities, forcing agency leaders to re-evaluate digital transformation strategies and plans. Some organizations are embracing digital transformation and accelerating the adoption of new technologies. In several scenarios, organizations will expand the role of digital government platforms.

  • Implementation of various technology- solutions to help the government
  • Digital regulation of Home Quarantine, Containment Zones, COVID Hospitals, issuance of passes during lockdown
  • Going Contactless and work from home measures
  • Latest technology for contact tracing to provision safety of citizens from the pandemic
  • New initiatives and plans of government in technology domain going forward.

Sunil Kumar, Scientist-G, National Informatics Centre
12:05 – 12.20

Spotlight Session: “Diseases Know No Borders” – Importance & Impact of Collaborations in the fight for Life!

In a matter of a few short weeks, the disease has spread rapidly from its origins in China across the planet and has brought the globe unmercifully to its knees. Over a dozen Indian companies are in partnership with other firms and institutes to bring a preventive vaccine into global markets. The session will bring forward the discussions among leaders on the needs of collaboration, concerns and benefits.

  • The need for closer collaboration between departments to quicken the route to market and streamline the supply chain while guaranteeing patient safety.
  • Collaborative R&D
  • Best Practices and Next Steps
  • Collaborations and partnerships towards vaccine development in the pharma Industry
  • Resources, challenges and benefits in place for viable and effective vaccine development system
  • Global health crisis which requires a global solution.
  • How can organizations contribute and benefit?
12:25 – 12.40

Case Study: How Life Sciences 4.0 and global pharma industry is reshaping the health care ecosystem

Gautam Khanna, Chief Executive Officer, Hinduja Hospital

12.45 – 13.35

Panel: How technology can improve healthcare and Pharma Industry- What’s next?

Just a few months into this ‘new normal’, it is already clear that digital tech will have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that the life sciences and pharma industry continues to function to the best of its abilities, providing both healthcare practitioners (HCPs) and patients with the vital support they need. The session aims to provide an overview of the current state of digital in the sector, the value potential for digital solutions, and what’s next from here:

  • Leveraging digital to enhance health outcomes and patient experiences to unlock growth and maximize impact across internal and external engagements
  • Understanding the dynamics of future customer engagements – Driving a personalized customer experience
  • Need for Indian pharma companies to invest in R&D
  • What are the main ways the global Covid-19 pandemic has transformed companies’ digital strategies?
  • Has this need for digital approaches in the context of the pandemic changed perspectives towards technology and its usefulness to the industry in the long run?

Featured Speakers:

Dr S. Chandrasekhar, Director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology
Kiran Anandam Pillai, Advisor (Technology), National Health Authority and CEO and Founder – Drishti
Yugal Sikri, Managing director, RPG Life sciences
Manoj Saxena, Managing Director, Bayer Zydus and South Asia Head, Bayer

Panel Moderator:

Divya Rajagopal, Senior Assistant Editor, The Economic Times

13:35 Closing Address
Mr. Gautam Khanna is the CEO of P.D. Hinduja Hospital and MRC, Mumbai and is also the Head of Hinduja College of Nursing. He is on the board of two Private Hospitals and a Managing Committee Member of a Degree College in Mumbai.
Mr. Khanna has around 30 years of industry experience internationally.

Prior to this role, Mr. Khanna was the Executive Director and Country Business Leader of the 3M Healthcare Businesses for South Asia region.
Mr. Khanna is an active member of various leading Indian Industry Associations. He has held the position of the Chairperson of FICCI Medical Device Forum, Co-Chairman of AMCHAM Medical Device Committee, Chairperson of India Working Group, Advamed and Secretary of Healthcare Federation of India (Nathealth) and was the National Leader of the Services Provider Forum (Hospitals) for Nathealth, India.

Currently, he is the Co-chair of FICCI Health Services Committee and Vice President of AOH (Association of Hospitals, Mumbai.
Mr. Khanna is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIM Calcutta.

Close
Mr. Jai Shankar Krishnan is Vice President, High Growth Markets (HGM) for Danaher Corporation. Danaher is a Fortune 160, NYSE- listed Global Science and Technology Innovator that designs, manufactures, and markets innovative products and services to professional, medical, industrial, and commercial customers with Market Capitalisation of around $150 Bln. Danaher has a strong presence in High Growth Markets (93 Countries) that generates revenues of over $7Bln. Jai is accountable for this HGM Region that contributes to 35% of Danaher’s Global Revenues and over 45% of its Growth. Jai is part of the Danaher Corporation’s global leadership team.

Jai is responsible for driving double digit core growth with strong profitability and innovation. He spends significant amount of his time helping Danaher with capital allocation, forging strategic collaborations, bolt-on acquisitions, JV’s, minority investments across multiple geographies and industries. Jai has successfully closed multiple M&A transactions globally and in India and is currently involved with the multi billion buyout of GE Biopharma business.

Close
In April 2017, Manoj Saxena took over as Managing Director – Bayer Zydus Pharma and Country Division Head, South Asia – Pharmaceuticals. As part of Bayer’s Asia Pacific Leadership Team, he is known for his contribution in driving key growth strategies within the region. With a deep understanding of the healthcare industry, he has wide experience across functions and has taken on senior roles in sales and marketing, business analysis and general management. In his previous role, since July 2015 Manoj was the Managing Director of Bayer Co. (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. and Country Division Head of Pharmaceuticals for the diverse cluster of Singapore & Malaysia. He was also a Board Member of Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (SAPI). Prior to that, in August 2012, he was the Country Head for Pharmaceuticals Division and the Country Representative for Consumer Health and Animal Health divisions in Bayer Vietnam. Here, he was the Board Member (Vice Chair) at Pharma Group Vietnam – a key industry association for the pharmaceutical industry. Starting his career in the pharmaceutical industry with Cipla Ltd. in 1997 as a Management Trainee in Varanasi, he has held various positions of increasing responsibilities in commercial functions before moving to Cipla’s headquarters in April 2001. In his various roles, Manoj has had opportunities to work closely on Indian domestic strategy, new launches, new SBE’s and various other organizational projects from time to time. By the end of his tenure at Cipla, he was successfully managing 6 SBE’s with a business of over 150 m UD. Manoj joined Bayer India in 2009 as the Business Unit Head for General Medicine and Women’s Health with a vision to expand and increase the footprint of Bayer in the emerging market. He strongly supported Bayer’s joint venture with Zydus Cadila in 2011 to form Bayer Zydus Pharma. He was then part of the Bayer Leadership Team in India and an active member of Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI). Manoj is a graduate with a Bachelor Degree in Mathematics (Hons) from the Banaras Hindu University, India. He has also completed his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing. He currently resides in Mumbai along with his wife and daughter.
Close
Dr. Neeta Verma is the Director General of National Informatics Centre, a premier Technology organization of the Government of India. With a career spanning over three and a half decades, she has been instrumental in implementing high impact digital initiatives across the country. In her current role as DG NIC, she is spearheading the Digital Transformation agenda of the government through development of Digital Platforms for various initiatives of the Government in different sectors of development. With the mobile revolution in the country, she is also ensuring a Mobile-First Strategy by focusing on delivering government services through mobile phones in ICT solutions built by NIC.

She has been an active proponent of leading citizen engagement through technology at various levels of governance. She was instrumental in setting up of the technology platform for MyGov, which is a citizen engagement and crowd sourcing platform engaging over 14 million citizens. She brings an extensive experience in the field of open data and has led the launch of Open Data Platform to release government data in open for public good. She has also been instrumental in formulating Government Open Data License (GODL). During the early years of her career, she provided consulting services to various government departments in India and abroad in establishing their web presence.

Under her leadership, NIC established National Data Centers at various locations in the country and later launched the first National Cloud for Government in 2014 to provide state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure on-demand to Government Departments for delivery of citizen services.

She has aggressively worked towards adoption of Cloud by the Government departments through a Cloud-First Strategy to provide scalability, agility, reduce time to commission and attain high order of efficiency in ICT initiatives of the Government.

To leverage emerging technologies in governance, she led the establishment of one of its kind Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Blockchain, Application Security, Artificial Intelligence, Micro Services and Data Analytics. These CoEs are working towards exploring the applications of emerging technologies for agility in governance and delivery of services to citizens.

She has also played a key role in setting up of NIC CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) in 2017. With her continuous contribution in the field of Information and Communication Technology, in 2019, She was featured amongst the top 55 inspiring women around the world who have showcased the prowess of technology in the government sector.

With her vision to transform government services, initiatives and schemes through the application of technology, she has helped National Informatics Centre emerge as a trusted partner to the Central government as well as the States Government in India. She oversees the 800+ offices of NIC which are established right from the Central headquarters at Delhi to State Offices and District Offices in India.

Being the head of a premier technology institution of the Government, she has interacted with Government Ministries, Departments, State Governments as well as Government Organizations in realizing their Digital Transformation agenda. She has also worked closely with the Indian Judiciary in their journey of Digital Transformation of the Courts pan India.

She has also guided NIC teams in productization of their popular solutions and has helped NIC establish its own world class Software products such as eOffice, eHospital, eProcurement, eAuction and eTransport, and many more.

She holds a Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and an Executive Certificate on Digital Transformation in Government from the Harvard Kennedy School. Her research interests include applications of emerging technologies in Governance, Cyber Security, Data Centers, etc. Apart from publishing her research in national and international journals, she has also co-authored books on the role of technology in governance. She is regularly invited at various national and international conferences and forums to provide thought leadership around technology in e-Governance.

Support during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 crisis, under her leadership, NIC was entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities right from seamless provision of Network, Cloud to Messaging & Video Conferencing Services to design, development and implementation of various technology- solutions to help the government and its citizens during the times of distress. Under her leadership, NIC developed several new mobile applications to cater to the specific needs of different departments in Centre as well as State Governments for management of Home Quarantine, Containment Zones, COVID Hospitals, issuance of passes during lockdown, Digital Transfer of Subsidy to migrant labors pan India and many more.

She was entrusted by the Government to manage a mobile application, ‘AarogyaSetu’, which is enabled with latest technology for contact tracing to provision safety of citizens from the pandemic. With over 170 million downloads, AarogyaSetu app became the most downloaded government application in India. Apart from AarogyaSetu, she also led the development of RT-PCR Mobile app to manage the Data related to COVID-19 tests pan India.

Under her guidance, NIC has also worked closely with various national institutions such as Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to extend necessary technical advice and support during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also supervised the establishment of Central Data Hub to ensure integration of various systems and secure exchange of Data among different IT systems of the Government, which is currently being used by the Central and State Government entities pan India.

Close
Dr.Mehtahasmorethan22years’ofexperienceinstrategizing, planning,commissioningandoperationsofover75hospitalsand healthcaresystemsaroundtheworld.Heisconversantwiththe excellenceofservicesexpectedinthepresentcompetitive scenarioacrosstheentirehealthcarevaluechain.Hehasworked onnumerousassignmentstodevelopcustomizedhealthcare solutionstosuitclientneedswithinpolitical,socioeconomic, geographic,anddemographicimperatives.
DuringadecadelongstintwithApolloHospitals(India’slargest healthcareprovider),hewasinstrumentalincommissioningand operatingthegroup’shospitalsinNewDelhiandColombo.

Hisextensiveclientexperience,whichincludessomeofthe largestintegratedhealthsystemsandpayersintheAsia,Middle EastandAfricahasallowedhimtopioneerinnovativesolutions thatimprovequalityandcostforallstakeholdersinthedelivery system–patients,providersandpayers.

Hehasalsobeenadvisingclientsinthemobileandremote healthcarespace,toimplementtransformationofhealthcareina rapidlychanging,information-intensiveenvironment.

Dr.Mehta’sviewsareextensivelysoughtafterbyboth internationalanddomesticmediaonavarietyofmatters effectinghealthcareinthesubcontinentandglobally.Hetravels andspeaksextensivelyatleadinghealthcareforumsand managementschoolsacrosstheworld.
Dr.MehtaholdsMasterofHospitalAdministration(MHA)from TataInstituteofSocialSciences,Mumbai,IndiaandBachelorof Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Medical College, Kolkata,India.

Close
Professor S.S. Vasan is COVID-19 Project Leader in Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and led his team to the Chairman’s Medal 2020, the highest award of the agency. He and his team were the first outside China to grow coronavirus stocks, first to show that ferrets are susceptible, and used this model to evaluate the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as injection versus nasal spray ahead of human clinical trials. He has been researching virus variants and cost-effective ways to combat them, and showed that the Inovio DNA vaccine is relatively able to withstand some key variants. Fellow of several professional bodies, he obtained his doctorate from Trinity College, Oxford, on a Rhodes scholarship, after masters from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on a national scholarship.

As Senior Principal Research Consultant for Health and Biosecurity, Dr Vasan leads on preclinical research, development and evaluation of diagnostics, vaccines and therapies for pathogens requiring high containment at levels 3 and 4. He was previously with the equivalent facility in Porton Down, UK, including as the senior business lead for Ebola and Zika response, leading his team to RCUK Impact Award 2015 and British Expertise International Award 2018. As Head of Public Health for Oxford University’s spin-out Oxitec (2005-11), he advanced transgenic technologies and public engagement to combat arboviral diseases.

Close
Sanjiv Navangul has led a host of global pharmaceutical companies to operational success. His mentorship and contribution towards a values-based culture is widely acknowledged by business leaders. Mr. Navangul has served on the board of Johnson & Johnson Pvt Ltd. India, and Fulford India. Mr. Navangul has held several leadership roles through his 30 year career such as Managing Director for Janssen (Pharmaceutical Division of Johnson & Johnson) in India and South Asia; Managing Director for MSD Pharmaceuticals, Philippines; Commercial Director for MSD India and South Asia.

A recipient of several industry awards on Public Health, Marketing and Diversity, Mr. Navangul has also served as the Vice President of OPPI (Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India) from 2014 to 2019, Chairman of AMCHAM Pharma committee (American Chamber of Commerce) from 2016 to 2019 and Chairman, Medical and Regulatory Committee from 2016 to 2019. He has been on the Academic Board of NMMIS Pharma management, IES Management school and IIHMR, Jaipur.

Close
Dr. Srivari Chandrasekhar, born in 1964, completed all his primary and higher education in Hyderabad and Joined CSIR, IICT for a Ph. D Programme. After completing his Ph. D (1991) with the then director Dr. A. V. Rama Rao, he moved to USA for a post doctoral position with Prof. J. R. Falck (1991-94). He joined CSIR-IICT as Scientist C in 1994 and grew upto the level of director in 2015. He is a fellow of all the three Indian Science academies, i.e., National Academy of Sciences, Indian Academy of Sciences and Indian National Science academy. He is also an Alexander von Humboldt fellow.

He has made significant contributions in diverse areas of organic chemistry with a special emphasis on chiral chemistry, total synthesis of biologically active natural products and pharmaceutical products. He introduced polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a novel, environmentally benign solvent medium. He has developed technologies for the synthesis of latest anti-tuberculosis drug, bedaquiline; anti-tumor and abortive drug, misoprostol; anti-platelet molecule, beraprost; antidepressive compound, sertralin and drug for treatment of schizophrenia, asenapine.
He has more than 285 publications with 7600 citations. 80 students have been already awarded Ph. D. degree under his able guidance and 20 post doctoral associates have worked in his group. He has received several accolades including Eminent Scientist Award for contributions in the field of Chemistry from Telangana State Government in 2017, CNR Rao National Prize for Chemical Research 2012, CSIR Technology award 2014 and Infosys prize in Chemical sciences 2014 for his contributions in synthetic organic chemistry with special focus on the synthesis of complex molecules from natural sources and innovative, practical approaches to pharmaceuticals of current interest to industry.

Close
Sudarshan has a strong passion for healthcare and the education sector. Currently, he is the Secretary-General of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (www.ipa-india.org), Senior Advisor – Apax Partners and Board member of multiple organizations. He is also the Chair of International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) for 2021. He has served in several leadership positions for over 40 years in Healthcare industry (Lupin, Johnson & Johnson, Piramal, Abbott) and was formerly the Managing Director at Abbott Healthcare Solutions.
His current Board engagements include Abbott India, Healthium Limited (Apax portfolio company), Indian Education Society (IES), Advisory Board of Narsee Monjee University, Mumbai (NMIMS). He is the Visiting Faculty at Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. He has contributed in shaping the healthcare policy and improving access to healthcare in India.
Sudarshan is an Alumnus of St. Stephens College, Delhi University and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.
Close
Yugal Sikri, in a career spanning 40 years, has held several senior Leadership positions at MNCs like GSK, Pfizer, Novartis, led Ranbaxy as India Region Head (CEO) and Global Head, Commercial functions. Invited to join the Board of RPG Life Sciences as Independent Director, he was requested to take over the operating role of its MD, a position he is currently holding.
Invited to chair/speak at several Pharma/cross-industry platforms like CPHI, CII, IPC, IDMA,CNBC TV18 CEO-Panel, McKinsey CEO-Forum, Pharma-Leaders-Roundtable, CIO-Summits, he has also been on McKinsey’s Pharma 2020 publication Steering Committee.
Keen to build Industry-Academia-partnership, he also led Management Education at India’s top pharma management institute, NMIMS, as its Chairman, coaching next-gen on Leadership-Strategy-Innovation.

He is considered a thought-Leader on Innovation. He is mentor to high impact digital health ventures at RPG and at Government of India-NMIMS-initiative – Atal Incubation Centre. He is also one the Members of its Board as Independent Director.

Close