Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- Driven by Purpose and Values: As pioneers in science, AstraZeneca is driven by a purpose to transform the future of healthcare for billions of people while contributing sustainably to people, society, and the planet.
- Science and Innovation led: Celebrated 45th anniversary in India this year, and its vast footprint across commercial, technology, global business services, factory operations, and R&D makes it more than 4000 people strong in the country. Coupled with a global & local clinical trial focus, its strategy aims to address unmet needs and enhance access to medicines where they are most needed.
- Transforming the future of healthcare for People, Society, and the Planet: Make a meaningful difference to healthcare in the country by bringing novel therapies faster to address the unmet needs of patients, building a resilient ecosystem, and collaborating to create robust access strategies that can benefit the patients.
- Growth Through Innovation strategy: Leverage science, technology, and India's skilled talent to expand operations. Emphasize early and biomarker diagnosis, accelerated approvals, and innovative access models for sustainable healthcare systems.
EF: How do you balance your business goals with the changing healthcare needs in India?
SP: AstraZeneca is driven by purpose. We aim to deliver life-changing solutions through scientific innovation. Committed to transforming healthcare, we believe in the power of science for the benefit of people, society, and the planet.
In India, our priorities are accelerating access to innovative medicines and positively impacting society and the environment.
We strive to lead by bringing cutting-edge science to India, using our diverse treatments, and accelerating our pipeline portfolio to address emerging healthcare needs, helping more patients worldwide, including those in India and other emerging markets. We aim to be recognized for our leadership in sustainability as well as our medicines.
For AstraZeneca, sustainability is not just about providing access to healthcare—it is about upholding ethical standards as a pharmaceutical company and addressing environmental concerns. From a societal perspective, we take immense pride in our core values of putting patients first and doing the right thing.
When we introduced the COVID-19 vaccine, we proudly offered it at no profit to ensure global access. Driven by our purpose and values, especially during the pandemic, we delivered 3 billion doses and saved over 6 million lives worldwide (as per independent estimates), underscoring our commitment to society.
EF: Could you elaborate on AstraZeneca’s footprint in India and how it serves as a support base for other regions?
SP: AstraZeneca operates in India through two entities. AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited is a publicly listed company with a commercial organization focused on bringing innovative medicines to market, a manufacturing facility, and an SMM team conducting global clinical trials in India across oncology, cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, and respiratory diseases.
Secondly, AstraZeneca India Private Limited employs over 3,500 people, with research & Development teams, Global Business Services (GBS) providing global back-end services using data, AI, and machine learning, the Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITC) driving global innovation from Chennai and Bangalore.
Altogether, we have more than 4000 strong people in the country through our presence in Bangalore and Chennai.
We continue to expand our footprint in India and globally. The Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITC) celebrates 10 years in September 2024, while our commercial organization and factory marked 45 years in July 2024.
Along with our growing footprint, we remain committed to environmental sustainability. In December 2023, we launched the country’s largest biodiversity restoration project in support of climate action and human health. Under the AZ Forest program, we are going to plant 64 million trees in Meghalaya over a period of 30 years and expect to touch more than 80,000 households.
EF: How is AstraZeneca driving digital innovation and tech solutions in India?
SP: India's rapid digital transformation has made it an ideal hub for innovation. Our Global Innovation and Technology Center (GITC) expansion in Chennai underscores our commitment to capitalizing on India's tech talent.
As a leading biopharmaceutical organization, we focus on two key areas: managing and treating diseases with innovative medicines and emphasizing early diagnosis. Early detection is critical, especially in high-burden diseases like lung and breast cancer. Our strategy includes partnering with state governments to implement early screening technologies.
If we talk about cancer, one of our aims is to eliminate cancer as a cause of death. By leveraging technology like AI, we hope to make early detection more accessible. We have partnered with top organizations at the forefront of AI and signed MOUs with the Government of Karnataka and the Government of Goa to ensure that the latest technology is available in the deepest corners of the country. One of these collaborations focuses on implementing AI technology across all district hospitals to detect lung nodules that could potentially diagnose early-stage lung cancer.
This effort is part of our broader goal of applying technology and innovation to address specific market needs, starting with lung cancer and expanding to other areas.
Our R&D, SMM, Medical educational and patient empowerment efforts, and clinical trials are also driven by data, digital tools, and AI. This integration of technology and innovation supports our growth strategy.
EF: Instead of “Pharmacy of the world, which new nickname would you give India based on how its industry is evolving?
SP: Innovation will be the overarching theme, focusing on advancements that serve global needs. India is poised to embrace both value-based and volume-based markets.
India is set to shift from being solely known as the "pharmacy of the world" to becoming a hub for R&D innovation. Advancements in technology and innovation are driving this transformation.
AstraZeneca's global programs use an open R&D and Innovation ecosystem, allowing India to contribute to the broader knowledge base. I envision India evolving into a center for innovation, encompassing not just pharmaceuticals but also broader aspects leveraging frugal innovations like early screening and diagnosis.
Policy reforms are enhancing access to medicines. Recent policy developments have encouraged local R&D partnerships and strengthened intellectual property rights. The introduction of a national policy on rare diseases aims to address the lack of approved treatments for many of these conditions.
Healthcare policies will facilitate these developments. India's healthcare system is becoming more resilient and sustainable, impacting the global healthcare landscape.
EF: What are the biggest achievements of your career, and what are you most proud of?
SP: I have spent 21 years at AstraZeneca, mainly because the company's values and behaviors align with my own. Working for a purpose-driven company is essential to me.
Three proud moments that stand out along this journey include launching our first patented product in India, a cutting-edge heart attack medication, and leading the introduction of our COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia, where, in India, our team successfully transferred the vaccine technology to a local partner. Now, as the Country President and Managing Director of AZPIL in India, I have the opportunity to help transform the future of healthcare sustainably by using science-based medicines, focusing sharply on improving access to healthcare and taking a collaborative approach to positively impact the communities we live in.
We aim to launch 15 new indications and assets by 2025. This demonstrates our dedication to accelerating scientific innovation, improving patient access, and promoting early diagnosis.
What keeps me motivated is the impact I can make on employees, their careers, and the broader community and environment.
EF: Do you have a final message for our readers?
SP: Our aspiration is to be pioneers in science, particularly in specialized disease areas in India. We focus on oncology and biopharmaceuticals, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, vaccines, immune therapies, and rare diseases.
We aim to be recognized as a leading company in innovative medicine, accelerating the development and launch of transformative treatments that enhance patient outcomes. Every decision we make aligns with this vision and considers the impact on people, society, and the planet.
Our commitment goes beyond simply providing medicines. We strive for growth through innovation across all facets of our business, ultimately wanting to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and the broader community in India.
