How does Sweden want to engage with Indian pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies? Which ones already have operations in Sweden and of what nature?
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Fredrika Ornbrant
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There are many small innovative companies in Sweden looking for partners in India and Indian companies are interested in the Swedish life science market – we have expertise, know-how, good infrastructure and are good at manufacturing. How to engage must be decided mutually by the companies themselves, but I can give you a few examples.
Swedish Pergamum and Indian Cadila Pharmaceuticals have a strategic collaboration to develop a novel treatment of infections with a targeting mechanism distinguished from classical antibiotics. By combining Cadila’s advanced product development capabilities with the innovative capacity of Pergamum, both parties benefit from the partnership.
Another type of collaboration is Swedish Bactiguard’s distribution agreement with Cadila Pharmaceuticals. While Cadila Pharmaceuticals get access to Bactiguard’s solution to prevent health care associated infections, Bactiguard gets access to the Indian market, again a win-win situation.
Kemwell has production and packaging of tablets, capsules and suppositories in Sweden. The company acquired a facility in 2006, but bought another facility a few years later, which almost doubled its production area in Sweden. This enables the company to increase its production and to introduce new products. Other Indian companies with operations in Sweden are Dr Reddy’s, Biocon and Ranbaxy.
The Swedish market is very competitive when it comes to biotech and pharma . Our business climate and advanced R&D contribute to this, but I would say that the Nobel award and our traditions in the life science sector also add in.
Are there any incentives for Indian companies to do R&D, manufacture in Sweden?
Sweden believes that a good business climate, with low corporate taxes, equal treatment of foreign companies, easy of business such as establishing companies a R&D initiatives where foreign organisations are welcome, are compelling reasons why Sweden attracts business without out-right subsidies. Add excellence in R&D, a close collaboration between industry, academia and clinical practitioners and a good environment for modern research such as an extensive network of national health registers and databases, and one understands why so many foreign life science companies find Sweden attractive.
Currently there are 800 life science companies in Sweden, many well-known international brands such as Pfizer, Novartis and Orifarm. Among the Indian biotech and pharma companies established in Sweden are Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Kemwell. Business Sweden, the Swedish entity tasked to attract investments into Sweden and to help Swedish businesses themselves in India, has recorded over 20 investments in life sciences from Indian pharma companies, and the interest levels from India remain strong.
I am actually quite proud that Sweden on a per capita basis consistently is among the top five countries in terms of inbound FDI with few requirements for targeted incentives.
What is the framework in place to facilitate Swedish lifescience companies expanding into India’s market and vice versa?
Sweden and India have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on Science and Technology and on Health. They form a good basis for collaboration for example in the areas of medical equipment and pharma products, health and medical research and R&D.
Looking at it from a hands on perspective, business Sweden has an important role to connect our nations’ companies. Their experts know what kind of collaboration the Swedish companies are looking for and can match-make accordingly, in Sweden or in India.
Swecare Foundation bought a healthcare delegation to India last October. Are there any plans to organise a similar pharma and biotech delegation visit?
For the past years, there have been frequent exchanges between India and Sweden not at least in the area of health. Last year the Indian Health Minister visited Sweden and the year before that the Swedish Health minister visited India. Swecare has been in India many times in the past years.
The Consulate General plans for a healthcare delegation next fall most probably in connection to the Nobel Memorial activities. However, we just entered into 2014 so we are still in a planning phase, but I would be delighted to share more information closer to the visit.