Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- AbbVie's Footprint and Priorities in India: Preparing the corporation for the future as the leader in ophthalmology, particularly in glaucoma and dry eye
- India's People Potential: Providing opportunities for India’s skilled workforce to advance the life sciences sector and support global operations.
- AbbVie’s talent opportunities in India: Furthering intergenerational learning and women in leadership.
- India's future as a strong health economy: The timing for investment is now, while access remains the main objective to tackle for national development, in an intersectional effort
EF: What role does India play for AbbVie, and where are you currently prioritizing efforts to leverage the country's impressive development in the healthcare sector?
SP: AbbVie has been present in India since acquiring Allergan in 2020. Allergan has operated in India since 1995, establishing a significant presence in eye care, aesthetics, and neurosciences. The acquisition of Allergan marked AbbVie's entry into the Indian market in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it continues to deliver a lasting impact to patients, their families and our employees.
Our primary focus has been to leverage opportunities in the therapeutic categories where we already operate, particularly in ophthalmology, where we are building on a legacy of preserving and protecting vision. We are also focusing on expanding our commitment to neuroscience in medical settings such as post-stroke spasticity, chronic migraine, and other key areas with high unmet needs.
Our second priority involves advancing our pipeline in India. Since entering this new market, we have spent the past few years understanding India's regulatory and clinical trial processes. This knowledge is crucial for supporting and ensuring patients have access to our global therapies in India.
We plan to launch our first global asset next year. Our current commitment and prospects in India are promising, giving us the opportunity to serve numerous patients and provide innovative solutions for their diseases.
EF: Given India's highly educated and capable workforce, how can Pharma Companies use this capacity to shape this talent internally?
SP: As AbbVie’s GM, I see this as a significant opportunity to tap into India's capabilities and utilize them to enhance efficiency and innovation across various fields. Since India is a new market for AbbVie, we will progressively establish and integrate into this framework.
What’s your perspective on this as OPPI President?
As the OPPI President, I believe India presents great opportunities to support global operations across various industries, especially life sciences. A key advantage is the country's substantial working-age population, who are highly educated and capable, exceeding the local economy’s needs. This makes India an attractive location for setting up large Global Capability Centers (GCCs).
Many of our peers, including Novartis with the largest GCC, BMS, Sanofi, Bayer, and Roche, all have established GCCs in Hyderabad. Bangalore, in particular, is becoming a second hub, hosting GCCs for companies like GSK, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Merck Serono. These centers leverage India's highly educated workforce to support global operations in areas such as medical writing, clinical research & development, regulatory processes, and marketing.
As the OPPI President, I can also add that India is known as the "pharmacy of the world," contributing the third-largest volume of pharmaceuticals globally. However, while we rank third in volume, we are 14th by value. Our primary focus has been on the generic market, constituting only 5% to 10% of the $1.4 trillion global pharmaceutical market. The remaining 90% of the value market is where India has yet to make a significant impact.
To change this, India needs to move towards the discovery pathway. The government has made policy changes with the rollout of the Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma Medtech Sector (PRIPS) policy that we at OPPI trust will encourage both Indian and global companies to invest in drug discovery in India.
EF: Could you elaborate on AbbVie’s access strategies for reaching patients all across Indian territory?
SP: AbbVie is a market leader in ophthalmology, focusing on conditions like glaucoma and dry eye. We have had a long-standing presence in India through AbbVie/Allergan and a joint venture with the Piramal Group, a local company, that was essential for the localization of our products so patients may have access to our innovative therapies. With 8 million patients suffering from glaucoma in India but only 2 million accessing care, there is a significant unmet need. Our goal is to bridge this gap and provide opportunities to these patients.
To raise awareness about glaucoma and ensure more patients receive timely care, we focus on medical education, digital strategies, and disease awareness, emphasizing the importance of regular checkups to prevent blindness, especially in high-risk groups, such as patients suffering from diabetes and hypertension, during Glaucoma Week. Education efforts are important, especially for the affected patient demographic. While India is a young nation with 52% of the population under 24 years of age, it also has 7% of the population over 65, many of whom are at risk for this disease. Proper management is essential to prevent blindness, and we aim to help more patients by joining forces with the medical ophthalmology community and other stakeholders to enhance awareness and encourage regular checkups.
Our interventions are two-fold. First, we focus on education to ensure glaucoma patients understand the importance of seeking medical advice. Second, we work on improving the diagnostic and care processes within clinics for the best patient outcomes.
In addition to glaucoma, we are also addressing dry eye conditions. Despite 200 to 250 million people suffering from dry eye in India, only 20 to 30 million receive care. Our strategy aims to expand our reach and relieve the untreated population.
Another critical area is diabetic macular edema (DME). Around 5.4 million people suffer from DME in our country. We concentrate on educating the scientific community about treatment choices, especially the critical role of inflammation, emphasizing the importance of vision retention.
The aesthetics market represents an opportunity for growth for AbbVie and Allergan Aesthetics as rising disposable incomes, greater focus on wellness and self-care and continued innovation in aesthetics foster increased accessibility to a larger population of consumers.
Looking ahead, we plan to expand our focus to several other disease states, including oncology and immunology. This will allow us to address unmet medical needs with cutting-edge innovations, further enhancing patient care and improving patient outcomes.
EF: What is your secret to attracting the best and brightest talent?
SP: Being part of an organization like AbbVie is highly appealing because our work is more than a job. It’s a career with meaning and a chance to make a real difference in people’s lives. People are drawn to AbbVie because we believe the paths we take to achieving our breakthroughs matter. We do things differently and creatively.
Additionally, we are committed to equity, equality, diversity, and inclusion (EEDI). It’s fundamental to who we are and how we operate. This includes valuing diverse perspectives, fostering a culture that embraces inclusion and belonging, and treating all employees with dignity and respect.
One of our local programs in India, “Power Up,” is for female employees who are given support to develop into leadership roles. The second local program, “Infuse,” addresses generation gaps in India by fostering connections that lead to mutual learning and understanding. It includes reverse mentoring, where different generations within the organization mentor each other.
We have been certified as a Great Place to Work (GPTW) in India for three consecutive years and received recognition from ET Now as one of the best employers for women. We are committed to sustaining this momentum by implementing a solid plan and strategy. Our goal is to foster a transparent and open workplace that empowers everyone in the organization, allowing them to have fulfilling careers and find great satisfaction in their work.
EF: Instead of “Pharmacy of the world, which new nickname would you give India based on how its industry is evolving?
SP: There's a common saying that "elephants can't dance," but I believe that, indeed, they can. India was the richest country in the world in the 17th century. It used to contribute 24% of the global GDP. Now, we are making a comeback and will be the third-largest economy by 2027, with a GDP of almost $8.3 trillion.
Over the past years, India has become more agile and efficient, and we will continue to show this in the next decades. India is a large democracy and will become a global economic leader. The time to invest in the country is now.
EF: Reaching your fifth year at AbbVie, what achievements are you most proud of?
SP: We have laid a solid foundation for AbbVie to grow in India by advancing our pipeline, building and expanding our presence in the country, creating a strong organization and attracting talent. The first phase of establishing AbbVie’s footprint in India has begun, marking an important milestone in our journey here.
EF: Reaching your second year at the head of OPPI, what goals do you still want to accomplish?
We need to focus on several important initiatives for the pharmaceutical sector in India. A key area we advocate with the government is improving access to healthcare. Access to healthcare is uneven: about 50% of the population benefits from the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which mainly covers hospital surgeries but not non-communicable diseases. Wealthier individuals can pay for care, and those in the public sector can use public services. However, about 400 million middle-income people are left out, lacking sufficient healthcare support. Addressing this gap is crucial.
Another important aspect is the need for patients to access innovative medicines and solutions to address complex health issues. Currently, access to these products ranges from 5% to 10% of the patient population, depending on the type of medication. We are advocating and trying to find ways to extend access to the remaining 90% of the patient population.
Improving healthcare access is critical for India, especially with an aging population and the high prevalence of various diseases. We must not only focus on strengthening our economy but also ensure that we build a healthy nation.
