French drugmaker Servier firms up India focus with manufacturing tie-ups, trial plans
French pharmaceutical group Servier is strengthening its India strategy with a series of new oncology launches focused on rare cancers, plans for local production of active ingredients and a move to bring global clinical trials to the country for the first time. This shift marks a significant uptick in India’s Servier’s global priorities, bringing it nearly in line with launches in western markets.
“From a development perspective, our forecast is that we will be able to steadily grow our historic cardiovascular-metabolism-diabetes portfolio and grow substantially in oncology, meaning India’s standalone share within the group will increase,” said Aurelien Breton, managing director of Servier India. he said. Mint in an interview.
The company recently received market authorization from India’s drug regulator for its drug Vorasidenib (Voranigo), the first-in-class oral treatment for adults or children over 12 years of age with certain genetic mutations, grade 2 glioma or types of brain cancer. Breton said the product will be commercially available within the next few months.
It is noteworthy that the approval in India came just a few weeks after Europe and a little over a year after the product was launched in the US. “The great thing is that we are only coming in a year after the US, whereas India is often years and years behind in terms of many innovations,” Breton said.
Voranigo follows two other launches in India last year: Onivyde for metastatic pancreatic cancer and Tibsovo, which treats cholangiocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, and certain types of blood cancer. Breton said Onivyde “provided us with the initial momentum to develop our capabilities, our teams and our expertise.”
“India currently ranks top globally in terms of launch speed,” the executive said, adding that future registrations are expected to begin “simultaneously” with other markets such as Europe. The company’s global pipeline continues to focus on targeted therapies for rare cancers, including blood cancers and specific mutations in eye melanoma.
Historically known for its strong presence in cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes, Servier began a strategic turnaround nearly a decade ago.
“About 10 years ago, we decided to explore a new horizon, especially in oncology, and we are developing molecules and brands in this field,” said Breton. He added that the company’s structure as a foundation-backed firm allows it to “take bolder R&D risks in pursuit of rare and aggressive cancers.”
clinical trials
Servier is set to conduct global clinical trials in India, a first for the company. “This is our next phase of development to ensure that any molecule we develop will have the same efficacy and safety in the Indian environment,” Breton said. This move expands Servier’s involvement beyond commercial launches and capitalizes on India’s growing importance in global R&D.
Additionally, the firm is exploring partnerships with domestic contract manufacturers (CMOs) to bring in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), formulate them here, and export globally.
Servier is managed by the Fondation Internationale de Recherche Servier (FIRS), a non-profit foundation. The group reports revenues of €5.9 billion in 2024.
