<ul><li>Rajeev Venkayya, Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense at the White House during the Bush administration who oversaw US preparedness for bioterrorism and biological threats, told it was difficult to say how much more time India would require to thwart the COVID-19 challenge.</li></ul><ul><li>On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide <keyword id="8942847" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lockdown-in-india">lockdown in India</keyword> to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.</li><li>A three-week lockdown is a reasonable starting point to contain the coronavirus pandemic in a country like India, he said.</li></ul> A three-week lockdown is a reasonable starting point to contain the coronavirus pandemic in a country like India, an eminent Indian-American epidemiologist has said, cautioning that a successful fight against the deadly virus might require some more time. Rajeev Venkayya, Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense at the White House during the Bush administration who oversaw US preparedness for bioterrorism and biological threats, told it was difficult to say how much more time India would require to thwart the COVID-19 challenge. On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in India to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country. "From an epidemiologic standpoint, I don't know if three weeks will be enough. It may require more time," said Venkayya, who was responsible for the development and implementation of the National Strategy for Influenza pandemic during the second term of the Bush administration. He currently serves as president of the Global Vaccine Business Unit of pharmaceutical company Takeda. "We will have to look at what is happening in other countries," he said. "But if you were to ask me whether that will be enough given the size of the population, the healthcare capacity, the uniformity or lack of uniformity that is inevitable in a federated country like India where there's a lot of State autonomy on what to do and how to do it, and varying levels of compliance, I think this could easily go much longer," Venkayya said. A three-week lockdown is a reasonable starting point to contain the coronavirus pandemic in a country like India, he said. Since joining Takeda in 2012, he has established a high-impact vaccine pipeline that includes promising late-stage candidates for dengue and norovirus, gained through the acquisitions of LigoCyte and Inviragen Inc. As head of Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense at the White House, he was responsible for the America's first development and implementation of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza in 2007. The White House published this federal guidance in 2007. "It's now called the flattening the curve strategy. At that time, we called it a targeted layered containment and then it became called community mitigation. But the first flattening the curve graph was published in our federal guidance in 2007," he said. "When I was in the white house, we were preparing for an influenza pandemic we realized that vaccines would not be available for many months after a pandemic started. And based on the 1918 experience, we expected there would be multiple waves of the pandemic and that for at least the first wave we would not have vaccines," he said. As such, the White House team led by him had to find other ways to protect communities from this pandemic virus. Based on some early modelling and additional modelling commissioned in 2006, they found the relevance of non-pharmaceutical interventions, community measures like closing schools and cancelling public gatherings, social distancing as well as isolation and quarantine for people that have been confirmed or suspected to have the virus. "If you put all of these things together, and importantly if you did them early in a coordinated fashion, you couldn't have a very big impact on the transmission of the virus in a community," he said, adding that this guidance was published in 2007. Emphasising the importance of doing these things early in the outbreak, he cautioned that else it would be much harder to prevent a large number of people from getting infected and accomplishing the goals of flattening the curve and delaying the peak of the curve. "So here I think it's very important that India took (lockdown) action now, ….. like many countries, there isn't widespread availability of diagnostic testing. And so it's hard to know how much virus is in any given community in India," he said. "We also know that the threat is greater in India than it may be in other places because of the population density. Also, there are significant portions of the population that don't have access to the healthcare services that would be necessary to take care of large numbers of sick people. So, it (social mitigation measures) becomes even more important in India than it's important everywhere," Venkayya said. Observing that none of the community interventions are perfect, he said if one puts a number of imperfect interventions together, then one can have a very significant positive impact on reducing virus transmission. Prior to Takeda, Venkayya served as director of Vaccine Delivery in the Global Health Program at the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, where he was responsible for the Foundation's efforts in polio eradication and new vaccine introduction. While at the foundation, he served on the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). The death toll due to COVID-19 has gone up to 273 and the number of cases has climbed to 8,356 in India, according to the Health Ministry. Globally, the novel coronavirus has killed 108,862 people and infected over 1.7 million people globally. The US has the highest number of infections at 529,887, according to Johns Hopkins University data. LKJ MRJ MRJ

Three-week lockdown reasonable starting point to fight coronavirus in India: former White House official

<ul><li><keyword id="95879" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Serum-Institute-of-India">Serum Institute of India</keyword> (SII) to accelerate the manufacture and delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).</li><li>The collaboration will provide upfront capital to SII to help them increase manufacturing capacity now so that, once a vaccine, or vaccines, gains regulatory approval and WHO prequalification, doses can be produced at scale for distribution to India and LMIC as part of the Gavi COVAX AMC mechanism as early as the first half of 2021.</li><li>The funding will support at-risk manufacturing by SII for candidate vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax, which will be available for procurement if they are successful in attaining full licensure and WHO Prequalification.</li></ul> Serum Institute of India (SII), the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, has entered into a new landmark partnership with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, to accelerate the manufacture and delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The collaboration will provide upfront capital to SII to help them increase manufacturing capacity now so that, once a vaccine, or vaccines, gains regulatory approval and WHO prequalification, doses can be produced at scale for distribution to India and LMIC as part of the Gavi COVAX AMC mechanism as early as the first half of 2021. The funding will support at-risk manufacturing by SII for candidate vaccines from AstraZeneca and Novavax, which will be available for procurement if they are successful in attaining full licensure and WHO Prequalification. SII has set an affordable ceiling price of $3 per dose. The arrangement also provides an option to secure additional doses if the vaccines pillar of the ACT Accelerator sees a need for it. "In an attempt to make our fight against COVID-19 stronger and all-embracing; SII has partnered with Gavi and the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation to advance the manufacturing and delivery of up to 100 million doses of future COVID vaccines for India and low and middle income countries in 2021," said Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India. "The rampant spread of the virus has rendered the entire world in an unimaginable halt of uncertainty. And to ensure maximum immunization coverage and contain the pandemic, it is important to make sure that the most remote and poorest countries of the world have access to affordable cure and preventive measures. Through this association, we seek to ramp up our constant efforts to save the lives of millions of people from this dreadful disease." SII shares a long history of successful partnerships with Gavi and pharmaceutical companies to manufacture vaccines that protect against meningitis, severe diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles. This collaboration further underscores India's proven-track record in developing safe and quality vaccines. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology said, "India has a proven track record of manufacturing safe and cost-effective vaccines not only for India, but for the world. Over the last decade, Government of India has encouraged innovation, and supported the Indian vaccine industry to manufacture high quality, affordable indigenous tools and products to benefit India and the world. We are very happy to see SII enter this global partnership to respond to the global health crisis posed by Covid-19." Balram Bhargava, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), commented, "India's has demonstrated consistent capability in delivering on low-cost and high-quality medical research, while also maintaining technical and scientific rigour. ICMR is deeply supportive of our cutting edge vaccine research and manufacturing prowess, of which SII is one prominent example. This partnership signifies yet another step in India's efforts to bolster the fight against this global pandemic." The Gavi Covax AMC, which is currently seeking at least US$ 2 billion in initial seed funding, will meet at least part of the cost of procurement for the vaccine doses. Last week the Gavi Board agreed the final list of 92 countries that will be supported by the AMC. Under the new collaboration, AstraZeneca's candidate vaccine, if successful, will be available to 57 Gavi-eligible countries. Novavax's candidate, if successful, will be available to all 92 countries supported by the AMC The collaboration between Gavi, SII, and the Gates Foundation supports the efforts of the ACT Accelerator's vaccines pillar, also known as COVAX, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO), to accelerate the development of COVID-19 vaccines and ensure rapid, global access to them. Decisions around investment in manufacturing are taken in close collaboration between these three lead organisations of the COVAX pillar. Under the COVAX umbrella, Gavi is leading the COVAX Facility, which provides governments with the opportunity to benefit from a large portfolio of COVID-19 candidate vaccines using a range of technology platforms, produced by more manufacturers across the world, with a bigger market to provide security of demand. The Facility is reinforced by the AMC which provides funding for vaccines for lower income countries. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-beirut-explosion-created-a-huge-mushroom-cloud-and-visible-blast-wave-but-nuclear-weapons-experts-say-it-wasnt-an-atomic-blast-heres-why-/articleshow/77362144.cms">The Beirut explosion created a huge mushroom cloud and visible blast wave, but nuclear weapons experts say it wasn't an atomic bomb. Here's why.</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/microsoft-for-startups-lathika-pai-says-entrepreneurs-pitching-for-investments-need-to-have-this-one-question-answered-in-their-pitch-decks/articleshow/77352935.cms">Microsoft for Startups’ Lathika Pai says entrepreneurs pitching for investments need to have this one question answered in their pitch decks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/linkedin-tcs-disney-hotstar-zee-and-other-companies-hiring-right-now-in-india/slidelist/77352775.cms">LinkedIn, TCS, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee and other companies hiring right now in India</a>

Serum Institute of India to produce 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for less than ₹250 a dose

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51715999.cms" /> <keyword id="6358361" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Biocon">Biocon</keyword> CMD <keyword id="6413985" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kiran-Mazumdar-Shaw">Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw</keyword> today took a huge step to enable the pharma sector to build scale to be globally competitive she asked the government to refrain from 'ad hoc' measures and sought a five year exemption from drug price control. 

	Mazumdar-Shaw, who was here to attend the meeting of Board of Trade, said: "When we are trying to invest in expansions, scale up and creating global scale, we need exemption from price control at least for a period of five years." 
 

	Explaining the rationale for such a demand, she told PTI: "This will incentivise investments in our sector because I really believe that this sector is trying to build global scales." 
 

	Criticising the manner in which the government has tried to bring more medicines under price control, she said: "The moment you introduce price control on products that we are investing in a very ad hoc way, I think this also disincentivises investment." 
 

	Later on speaking to reporters after the meeting, she said: "How do you incentivise the pharma sector if you are going to bring in drug price control (in an ad hoc manner)?" 
 

	She further said: "If you are making a huge investment, you need a certain returns on investment (RoI), you need be to be assured of that RoI but suddenly mid-term you cannot impose a price control." 
 

	During the Board of Trade meeting, which met after a gap of three years, she said it was discussed "how do we bring in policies that give you some stability and predictability in what your investments and return of investments can be." 
 

	In 2014, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority ( NPPA) had brought prices of over 100 non-scheduled drugs under price control invoking paragraph 19 of Drug Price Control Order. 
 

	Several industry bodies, including Indian Pharma Alliance ( IPA), had criticised the NPPA's move to cap prices of medicines not under the National List of Essential Medicines ( NLEM). 
 Currently, the government has increased the number of drugs under price control to over 800 formulations, from 628 earlier, bringing medicines used for treatment of diseases such as cancer, <keyword id="63552" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="HIV/AIDS">HIV/AIDS</keyword>, analgesics and cardiovascular diseases under its purview. 

	Stressing on exports, which is a main area of focus, she said it was discussed on how to make "our SEZs more competitive and how do we really focus on the pharma sector, which has already got a global stature and really built greater scale, to make us very very strong and competitive."

	 
	 
	(Image credits: indiatimes)

Kiran Mazumdar seeks 5 year exemption from drug price control

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/35342454.cms" />The stock markets have been in a buoyant mood ever since <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> was named the BJP's prime ministerial candidate on 13 September last year. With Indian voters giving the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a clear mandate, the markets turned euphoric. On the 16 May, the day of vounting, the Sensex opened up by more than 1,000 points and then breached the historic 25,000 mark. 
 Now that the markets have safely negotiated possibly the year's biggest event risk, <keyword id="6416579" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Retail-investors">retail investors</keyword> need to reformulate their stock market strategy: should those who have been sitting on the sidelines enter the markets now in anticipation of the bull run continuing? And, for those who entered the markets earlier, is it time to book profits in view of stretched valuations? 
 
Cast a fresh eye on your portfolio 
 
Investors with a short-term investment horizon, who have made substantial profits from the current run-up, may encash their gains. "Investors who got in at lower levels should book partial profit and wait for a correction to re-enter," says Vibhav Kapoor, Group CIO, IL&amp;FS. The rationale: the markets have already factored in the positive news and valuations are getting stretched. 
 Long-term investors, on the other hand, may continue to hold on to their investments. "The overall long-term trend is positive," says Kapoor. Adds Shankar Sharma, vice-chairman and joint managing director, First Global: "India's fundamentals are among the best in the world right now, so hold on to your equity investments." Raamdeo Agrawal, joint managing director, Motilal Oswal <keyword id="6354241" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Financial-Services">Financial Services</keyword>, concurs. "The long-term story is just starting, so investors should continue to be in equities for the next five years," he says. 
 
Adds Andrew Holland, CEO-Equities, Ambit Capital: "Foreign investors are very positive, so the high inflows may continue for a few more months." Events like the Union Budget and important economic policy announcements are expected to keep the markets buoyant over the next few months. 
 
 
 
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Which segment should you bet on? 
 Should you seek refuge in the relative safety and stability of large-caps, or should you aspire for the higher returns that mid- and small-cap stocks can potentially offer? Remember that these three segments rarely move up in tandem. The large caps led the charge when Narendra Modi was anointed prime ministerial candidate. Only later did the mid- and small-cap counters take over from them. The BSE Mid- and Small-cap indices have gained much more than the Sensex since 13 September. This trend may continue in the future as well. The large-cap stocks are gaining again now, which implies that mid- and small-caps may play catch-up later, once large caps enter correction mode. The mid- and small-cap indices are also quoting at a discount to the large-cap index. However, <keyword id="47916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="invest">invest</keyword>ors need to invest in each stock on its own merit, based on its growth prospects and current valuation. "It would not be correct to brand the entire mid- and small-cap segment as undervalued or overvalued. Investors should go company-wise," says Swapnil Pawar, chief investment officer, Karvy Capital. 
 
 
 
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Which are tomorrow's sectors? 
 
With the NDA winning a clear mandate, the surge in economy-related stocks may continue. Enter these sectors whenever the markets take a breather. "We continue to like cyclicals," says Holland. One of the new government's top priorities will be to kickstart the investment cycle by expediting clearances. Since the executive wing of the government is likely to work with a sense of urgency, sectors like infrastructure, construction, capital goods and power are expected to fare well. 
 
Another sector expected to benefit from an economic turnaround is financials. But private and public sector banks will go their own separate ways. The former are expected to increase their share of the market pie. Unlike their public-sector peers, they don't have NPA (non-performing assets) related concerns. An economic recovery augurs well for public sector banks as well since it will reduce NPAs throughout the system. While the resolution of NPA-related concerns may take a few quarters, prices of PSU bank stocks may run up much earlier. 
 The oil and gas sector too is in a sweet spot currently. An appreciating currency will favour this sector by lowering its subsidy burden. Since its low of 68.85 vis-a-vis the dollar on 28 August, 2013, the <keyword id="6355302" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rupee">rupee</keyword> has strengthened considerably. While this may be attributed largely to the government and the RBI reining in the current account deficit (CAD), the expectation of a business-friendly government taking over after the elections has also led to the inflow of dollars, which has pushed the rupee above the 59 level. The RBI may buy dollars to slow down the pace of the rupee's appreciation, but the currency may nonetheless strengthen in the short run. The new government is also expected to resolve the vexed issue of gas and oil pricing, which will be another shot in the arm for the sector. 
 
Despite global demand improving, the rupee's appreciation could act as a headwind for IT companies in the next few quarters. If sectoral rotation continues and money keeps on moving out of defensives and into cyclicals, there will be added pressure on IT stocks. Avoid this sector for the time being. 
 
Other export-oriented sectors such as textiles and leather may also suffer on account of the rupee strengthening. The domestic slowdown in China may lead to heightened competition from Chinese exports. Import substitution sectors like metals are also in the same boat. 
 
 
 
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Pharmaceutical, another export-oriented sector, is expected to fare better. While it too will be hit by the currency's appreciation on the external front, the picture in the domestic market is improving. The sector has already put the troubles caused by the drug price control order (DPCO) of 2013 behind it. 
 Cyclical rotation may hurt some of the defensive stocks in the short term. However, the fundamentals of sectors like auto and <keyword id="34523" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="fmcg">FMCG</keyword> will improve as domestic demand rises. The demand for premium products, which carry higher margins, is expected to improve in the wake of an economic recovery. A stronger rupee will also lower the cost of imported raw materials for many of these players. Try to latch onto some of the reasonably priced stocks in these sectors whenever the markets correct. 
 
Stocks of a few industrial groups, such as Adani, have done well ever since Narendra Modi became the BJP's prime ministerial candidate. Since momentum still favours these stocks, you may continue to hold on to them for the time being.

You Searched For "Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance" and got 4 results

Three-week lockdown reasonable starting point to fight coronavirus in India: former White House official

PTI

Serum Institute of India to produce 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for less than ₹250 a dose

IANS

Kiran Mazumdar seeks 5 year exemption from drug price control

BI India Bureau

Narendra Modi's NDA Government Elected To Power: Where Should You Invest Now?

Economic Times