We just returned from a weeklong trip to Mumbai in which Axinn served as the Platinum sponsor of InformaMarkets 13^th Annual Pharma IPR Conference. Although the jetlag will probably last for a while from this whirlwind trip, it was great to be back in India to reconnect with some old friends and to meet many others who are steeped in the generic pharma and biosimilar industry.

Indian companies play a critical role in the global pharmaceutical chain and have a tremendous impact on the U.S. pharmaceutical market in particular. We not only enjoyed presenting our own perspectives during multiple panel discussions (more on that in future posts), but we learned a great deal from listening to the perspectives of others throughout the conference and during many informal conversations.

Like their counterparts in the U.S. and around the world, Indian companies are acutely aware of the hyper-competitive generic pharmaceutical market and how that increasingly requires that investment dollars be used strategically and efficiently in product portfolio development. We heard from multiple decision-makers involved in product selection that their companies are increasingly focused on products projected to have less generic competition, such as those that are more difficult to make or have other technological or supply-based impediments to production. Focusing on such products should lead to higher margins for such companies, allowing for greater investments down the road.

The changing U.S. legal system is also top of mind for Indian companies. Not only do such companies need to focus on legal standards in the patent world, but changing priorities and approval standards at FDA and ever-evolving antitrust enforcement efforts in the U.S. can have significant impact on their businesses and their ability to bring such products to market. It is increasingly important that such companies have reliable and effective legal counsel in the U.S. who can deal with the labyrinth of changing regulatory and legal regimes in order to market their products in the most efficient and profitable manner. Axinn’s Intellectual Property, FDA, and Antitrust practice groups are able to work together to provide these companies effective and efficient counsel on their pharmaceutical legal needs in the U.S.

Visiting India is always both welcoming and informative, and we look forward to the next opportunity to visit with our colleagues there.