Recognizing that emerging markets continue to play a significant role in terms of future growth, most major pharmaceutical companies have accelerated efforts to strengthen their presence within these markets through R&D investment, licensing deals, acquisitions, or other partnerships.  However, with global markets facing dynamic demographic and disease trends, changing market demands, and evolving regulatory requirements, it has been hard for manufacturers to devise the strategies needed for success in each of these areas.

India, a member of the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), is much more comparable to the United States in terms of market size and must be included in this list of promising potential markets for global pharmaceutical manufacturers.  Recent changes in India’s population and economy have contributed to a shift in the country’s epidemiological profile towards ‘lifestyle’ diseases that are more prevalent in Western markets.  Such changes have increased the demand for better healthcare and for medications that address chronic diseases.  Furthermore, India’s own pharmaceutical industry, a recognized world leader in the production of generic drugs, offers manufacturing expertise to organizations looking to outsource or create networks of collaboration and discovery.  However, a more granular assessment of India’s pharmaceutical market reveals growing concerns over patent protection, price capping, quality, and safety.  Understanding this country’s complex market dynamics will be crucial for manufacturers exploring new opportunities for growth in India.