Read the Conversation
Meeting Highlights:
- Novartis as a Focused Medicine Company: Novartis is a focused medicines company committed to reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives so that patients, healthcare professionals, and societies are empowered in the face of serious diseases. Their medicines reached more than 296 million people worldwide in 2024. Novartis had a broad footprint in India since 1947 with the Development India hub, Biomedical Research center, Operations, and Commercial organization. India plays a key role as a strategic workforce hub with +8300 associates.
- Leadership in Key Therapeutic Areas: To ensure that the company is truly focused, they have narrowed down their priority disease areas for India where they believe they can create the most value, namely, cardiovascular diseases, oncology, retina, and spinal muscular atrophy.
- Healthcare as a Shared Responsibility: Access to healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. In India’s vast and diverse market, Novartis collaborates closely with the government, healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups, and the private sector to develop tailored solutions that improve accessibility.
- AI and Digital Transformation: Artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize diagnostics and treatment, enhancing healthcare outcomes for India’s population. Novartis is leveraging the digital opportunity to fast-track development, accelerate diagnosis, and optimize commercial efficiency.
- Commitment to India’s Potential: Novartis aligns with its core values of equality, trust, and credibility, recognizing India as a powerhouse of knowledge and talent with immense opportunities supported by strong policy frameworks. The country is ready to make the shift from volume to value.
EF: How has Novartis' role in the Indian ecosystem evolved in recent years, and what excites you most about being part of this journey?
AD: I have been with Novartis for 15 years, and it has been an incredible journey. For the past two years, I have served as Country President for India, following my roles as Country President for Vietnam and General Manager for Oncology in India.
Novartis has a 75-year history in India, dating back to its independence. Dedicated to medicines, we leverage data science and technology to address unmet patient needs while collaborating with stakeholders, including top talent.
Novartis plays a unique role in India, spanning from early-stage research to commercialization. Our Global Capability Center, now called the Novartis corporate center, was established nearly 20 years ago. It is one of the oldest in the pharmaceutical industry and among Novartis’ largest global hubs. Today, 8,300 associates work across our corporate and commercial divisions.
Our corporate center has three key elements: a) focus on data, digital initiatives, and operations; b) one of the largest drug development centers outside Switzerland; and c) a newly established biomedical research center, where top-tier scientists conduct early-stage research.
Our corporate center supports diverse functions, including business services, digital, IT, manufacturing, procurement, HR, finance, legal, and communications. Nearly all global functions have a strong support base in India, driving efficiency, innovation, and global impact.
India plays a critical role in Novartis’ global drug development. Of 12,000 global development associates, 2,300(18%) are based in India, including 350 highly skilled scientists. The India Development Center has contributed to over 150 projects and supports 51 global clinical trials with 2,400 patients. We are also the first company to bring a clinical trial of gene therapy to India.
Biomedical research, launched last year, focuses on early-stage discovery and ecosystem opportunities, including identifying promising molecules and conducting pre-human studies. With 120 high-end people engaged, we anticipate further expansion.
Our commercial organization is evolving to ensure the launch of our most innovative products. Our commercial team of 550 people prioritizes key therapeutic areas. We focus on key therapeutic areas such as cardiovascular diseases, oncology, spinal muscular atrophy, and retinal disorders, aiming for industry leadership.
Over the last five years, we secured 26 new approvals in India, with two new drugs launched in 2024. Our integrated approach, spanning from early-stage research to development to full commercialization, is something few companies can offer, and Novartis continues to be a key player in driving innovation across this entire spectrum.
EF: What do you see as the main challenges and opportunities in expanding access to advanced treatments across the country?
AD: As a focused medicine company, we see it as our responsibility to develop innovative treatments that cure diseases, improve survival rates, and transform patient outcomes.
When it comes to accessibility, we explore various approaches but firmly believe that access should be a shared responsibility among multiple stakeholders. Collaboration is essential to making meaningful progress. Over the past few years, the Government of India has taken significant steps toward expanding healthcare access through initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Universal Health Coverage Program. This includes enhancing insurance coverage, expanding private insurance options, and making innovative treatments available through tender mechanisms.
As we work alongside the government and other stakeholders, we focus on implementing mechanisms to support patient access. For example, when we launched our inclisiran medication for managing LDLc (bad cholesterol) in India last year, we collaborated with the local healthcare ecosystem to ensure patients understood how the product could be covered under their insurance policies. This required comprehensive education efforts and training for hospitals, stakeholders, insurance providers, and third-party administrators (TPAs). We invested significantly in building this system to keep patients at the center of care.
Another example is our breast cancer treatment. To ensure patients complete their full treatment, we have established support programs that provide assistance throughout their therapy journey. These measures are important, but they are just one part of the solution.
Healthcare is not a choice; it is a fundamental right. In a country as large as India, with 1.5 billion people, a single approach cannot work for everyone. Each stakeholder must develop mechanisms tailored to different needs. It is a collective responsibility, and we are committed to playing our part.
Patient advocacy groups and government partnerships are integral to our efforts, and through these collaborations, we are working towards improving access to critical treatments step by step.
I recently participated in a panel discussion on shifting from a cost-based to a value-based approach in healthcare. One key takeaway was the role of awareness in this transition. As a company, we recognize our responsibility to focus on areas where we can drive the greatest impact. Cardiovascular disease is one of those priorities, and over the past few years, we have made significant strides in increasing awareness and ensuring timely, appropriate treatment.
To illustrate, seven years ago, we collaborated with the Times of India to raise awareness about heart failure, a leading cause of death in India. Two years ago, we launched Beat Bad Cholesterol with key partners to educate the public on the risks of high LDL-C, a major contributor to heart attacks. Early awareness and intervention remain critical in tackling these health challenges. When we initiated the campaign around two years back, less than 4000 Google searches on LDL-C were observed, which now stands at over 74000 per month
EF: How is Novartis using data to advance drug discovery, improve diagnosis, and enhance patient care? And how are your digital innovations driving greater efficiency within the organization?
AD: In India, AI will enable faster, earlier diagnoses, especially in remote areas where 60% of the population resides. Digital and AI solutions can connect, educate, and facilitate early referrals, significantly improving health outcomes.
For example, in rural areas, AI-powered image analysis—such as X-rays or skin scans—can help predict conditions earlier and guide patients to appropriate care. We are already working in this space, particularly in breast cancer, through two government-backed rural screening programs that integrate AI for faster diagnosis and referrals.
Beyond accessibility, AI will accelerate drug development by streamlining clinical trial screening, expediting enrollments, and enhancing preclinical research through faster molecule screening.
On the commercial side, we are experimenting with digital representatives to efficiently reach doctors in smaller cities. A hybrid approach—combining periodic in-person visits with digital interactions—ensures doctors stay informed on the latest medical advancements. By keeping patients at the center, AI-driven interventions can drive meaningful improvements in healthcare.
EF: How do you attract the best talent to your company? When building the workforce of the future, what qualities are you looking for?
AD: At Novartis, we are driven by the mission to reimagine medicine and improve patients’ lives. A prime example is our work in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). When I started my career 30 years ago, a colleague suffered from CML. This was the time when Novartis already had innovative medicine to treat CML. Today, thanks to Novartis, the treatment landscape for this disease has drastically improved as we continue to invest in this space. Our continuous commitment to improving and extending lives remains at the core of our work, and this is what inspires people to join us.
Once we bring people on board, we focus on unleashing their full potential. Talent drives everything we do, and we are transforming our culture to empower employees to bring their best selves to work.
Novartis was among the first to join the EPIC Coalition in 2018, committing to pay equity, eliminating hiring biases by removing historical salary data and ensuring pay transparency. Every employee knows their salary relative to peers and the external market.
We are also dedicated to gender representation. While only 18% of industry research scholars are women, over 31% of our R&D team and 30% of our commercial teams are women. In India, ~50% of my leadership team is female—an intentional move to set an example. We were also among the first to introduce gender-neutral paternity leave, offering 26 weeks to both parents.
India is a hub of knowledge, with some of the best talent in the world. This is why we strive to be an attractive employer, and recently, we have been certified as a Great Place to WorkTM. We do not just talk about our values; we put them into action. Internally, our policies foster inclusivity, and externally, we aim to attract and retain top talent to drive better health outcomes.
EF: India has been the "pharmacy of the world," but as it shifts toward a value-based market, a new identity may be emerging. Where do you see India and Novartis in the next 5–10 years, and what new identity would you envision for India?
AD: India is known as the "pharmacy of the world" due to its strong manufacturing base, producing and exporting 40% of US generics. However, we must evolve beyond manufacturing and position India as a hub for both development and production, focusing on innovation-led growth. Instead of just being the "pharmacy of the world," India should be recognized for its global contribution to drug discovery, development, manufacturing, and bringing innovations to the country.
Government reforms are already driving this shift. The recent budget incentivizes R&D, signaling a commitment to local innovation. To accelerate this transformation, we need faster regulatory and patent reforms—not just to support domestic innovation but also to attract global players to develop solutions in India.
The next decade will be pivotal. With new development centers and increased participation in clinical trials, India is poised to transition from a manufacturing powerhouse to a hub for drug discovery and innovation. Our diverse, young population and rising burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases make this shift essential.
Stakeholders, including regulators, are already discussing this transition from volume to value. The transformation is gaining momentum, and with collective commitment, India is on the brink of a significant change.
EF: What key message would you leave for policymakers, industry leaders, and aspiring healthcare professionals?
AD: India has tremendous potential, but unlocking it requires collaboration and the right regulations to support both local and global innovation. Leveraging data, digital technologies, and AI can further accelerate progress. By working together, we can build a future-focused, innovation-driven India with a lasting impact on global healthcare.
