CIPLA

Repeats story from 13th Feburary with no changes to text

By Rishika Sadam

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Biocon BION.NS is aiming for high-double-digit percentage revenue growth as the Indian pharmaceutical firm prepares to launch generic versions of weight-loss drugs globally even as it remains cautious about an early rollout in the home market, a top company executive told Reuters.

The company is counting on demand for obesity medicines as it expands a pipeline that includes copycat versions of Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO Wegovy, whose patent for semaglutide in a few markets expires in 2026.

Indian drugmakers, including Dr Reddy's REDY.NS, Lupin LUPN.NS, Sun Pharmaceutical SUN.NS and at least half a dozen others are racing to bring cheaper copies to markets once the active compound goes off patent.

Bengaluru-based Biocon is targeting a U.S. launch of generic liraglutide in the first quarter of the next financial year, CEO Siddharth Mittal said in an interview on Friday. Liraglutide is also used for obesity treatment.

It aims to launch generic Wegovy in Canada next year, subject to regulatory approval, Mittal said. It is also planning launches over the next few years in India, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, and parts of the Middle East and Latin America.

The company, however, is cautious about an early start in India due to fierce price competition and local clinical trial requirements, Mittal said.

"There's going to be fierce competition in India," Mittal said, citing low price expectations. He said Biocon is exploring approval in a specific overseas market first, which could help it seek a clinical trial waiver in India under local rules.

In India, Biocon would need to run a late-stage clinical trial before launch. The company is weighing whether that cost would be justified, Mittal said, or whether it should seek a waiver.

The obesity medicines market, according to several forecasts, is expected to reach at least $150 billion globally by the early 2030s, and analysts expect generic versions to be priced at least 60% below the originator products.

Biocon expects high double-digit percentage revenue growth, Mittal said. The company's annual revenue grew 5.4% in fiscal 2025 from a year ago, but it has been growing in early double-digits on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

India is not Biocon's main market. The company derives significant share of revenue from the United States and parts of Europe.

(Reporting by Rishika Sadam; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

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By Rishika Sadam

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Biocon BION.NS is aiming for high-double-digit percentage revenue growth as the Indian pharmaceutical firm prepares to launch generic versions of weight-loss drugs globally even as it remains cautious about an early rollout in the home market, a top company executive told Reuters.

The company is counting on demand for obesity medicines as it expands a pipeline that includes copycat versions of Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO Wegovy, whose patent for semaglutide in a few markets expires in 2026.

Indian drugmakers, including Dr Reddy's REDY.NS, Lupin LUPN.NS, Sun Pharmaceutical SUN.NS and at least half a dozen others are racing to bring cheaper copies to markets once the active compound goes off patent.

Bengaluru-based Biocon is targeting a U.S. launch of generic liraglutide in the first quarter of the next financial year, CEO Siddharth Mittal said in an interview on Friday. Liraglutide is also used for obesity treatment.

It aims to launch generic Wegovy in Canada next year, subject to regulatory approval, Mittal said. It is also planning launches over the next few years in India, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, and parts of the Middle East and Latin America.

The company, however, is cautious about an early start in India due to fierce price competition and local clinical trial requirements, Mittal said.

"There's going to be fierce competition in India," Mittal said, citing low price expectations. He said Biocon is exploring approval in a specific overseas market first, which could help it seek a clinical trial waiver in India under local rules.

In India, Biocon would need to run a late-stage clinical trial before launch. The company is weighing whether that cost would be justified, Mittal said, or whether it should seek a waiver.

The obesity medicines market, according to several forecasts, is expected to reach at least $150 billion globally by the early 2030s, and analysts expect generic versions to be priced at least 60% below the originator products.

Biocon expects high double-digit percentage revenue growth, Mittal said. The company's annual revenue grew 5.4% in fiscal 2025 from a year ago, but it has been growing in early double-digits on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

India is not Biocon's main market. The company derives significant share of revenue from the United States and parts of Europe.

(Reporting by Rishika Sadam; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

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Feb 10 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• CIPLA - USFDA INSPECTION AT INVAGEN MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN HAUPPAUGE, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, USA

• CIPLA - ON CONCLUSION OF INSPECTION, INVAGEN HAS RECEIVED 2 INSPECTIONAL OBSERVATIONS

Source text: ID:nNSEb8YkN0

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

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Feb 5 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• CIPLA - TAX DEPARTMENT INITIATES INSPECTION AT CIPLA FACILITIES

• CIPLA - INSPECTION HAS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT ON CIPLA

Source text: ID:nNSE88rNT2

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

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Changes dateline, adds Eli Lilly details in paragraph 11

Jan 30 (Reuters) - Global drugmakers are ramping up U.S. manufacturing and stockpiling inventory as the Trump administration considers a 100% tariff on imported branded and patented medicines.

Although enforcement is delayed for companies investing in U.S. manufacturing, the policy has already prompted fast-tracked projects, price cuts and direct-to-consumer sales.

Pfizer and AstraZeneca secured multi-year tariff exemptions through pricing deals and commitments to the new TrumpRx.gov platform. Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and Merck have pledged billions to expand U.S. operations to avoid penalties.

Here's what drugmakers are doing to mitigate supply-chain risks and reassure investors:

Pfizer PFE.N

Pfizer reached a deal with President Donald Trump on September 30 to invest $70 billion in research and development and domestic manufacturing, and received a three-year grace period exempting its products from the pharmaceutical-targeted tariffs.

GSK GSK.L

The London-based drugmaker plans to invest $30 billion in U.S. research and development and supply chain infrastructure over five years.

Eli Lilly LLY.N

U.S. President Donald Trump said in January that Eli Lilly plans to build six plants in the United States.

Lilly said last year that it planned to spend at least $27 billion to build four U.S. plants to expand production and bolster medical supply chains. The company has since announced details on three plants, in Alabama, Virginia and Texas.

Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N

The drugmaker plans to raise U.S. investments by 25%, totaling $55 billion, over the next four years. It plans to build four plants, including one at Wilson, North Carolina, and another at Tokyo-based Fujifilm Biotechnologies' manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, over the next 10 years.

Locations for the other plants remain undisclosed.

Roche ROG.S

The Swiss drugmaker said in April last year it will invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

A month later, it announced an additional $550 million investment to expand its Indianapolis diagnostics manufacturing hub. The expansion will span Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, creating more than 12,000 jobs.

In January, Roche said it will more than double its investment in its drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, to about $2 billion, up from the over $700 million announced in May 2025.

AstraZeneca AZN.L

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker will invest $50 billion on U.S. manufacturing by 2030. The investment will fund a new drug substance facility in Virginia, its largest single-site global investment, alongside expansions in Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Indiana and Texas.

It has already started technology transfers and is managing inventory in 2025 to minimize any tariff hit. Company executives have said the impact would be "very short-lived."

Novartis NOVN.S

The Swiss drugmaker plans to spend $23 billion to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S. over the next five years. This includes building six new manufacturing plants and expanding its San Diego research and development site, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

Sanofi SASY.PA

The French drugmaker plans to invest at least $20 billion in the U.S. through 2030 to boost manufacturing and research. Sanofi plans to expand its U.S. manufacturing capacity through direct investments in the company's sites and partnerships with other domestic manufacturers.

Chief Financial Officer François Roger said in July the potential tariffs are expected to have a limited impact in 2025, as the company already has inventory in place in the U.S.

Biogen BIIB.O

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $2 billion more in its existing manufacturing plants in North Carolina, adding capacity for gene-targeting therapies and automation. The company has seven factories in the state, with an eighth set to begin operations in late 2025.

Merck MRK.N

The U.S. drugmaker has begun building a $3 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Virginia as part of its over $70 billion investment to expand domestic manufacturing and research and development in the United States.

It will also invest $1 billion in a new Delaware plant to make biologics and cancer drug Keytruda, to boost U.S. production and potentially create over 4,500 jobs. It also opened a $1 billion facility at its North Carolina site in March.

Merck's animal health unit will invest $895 million to expand its Kansas manufacturing and R&D site, part of a broader $9 billion U.S. investment through 2028.

CEO Robert Davis in July flagged minimal impact from potential tariffs in 2025, and that the company remained well-positioned due to inventory management and moving of manufacturing to the U.S.

Amgen AMGN.O

The U.S.-based biopharma firm plans to invest $900 million to expand its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing total investment in the state to $1.4 billion and adding 750 jobs. In December, the company committed $1 billion to build a second facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Amgen said in September it is investing more than $600 million to build a new research and development center at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.

The drugmaker announced it will invest $650 million to expand drug manufacturing at its facility in Juncos, Puerto Rico, a move expected to create nearly 750 jobs.

Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO

The Danish pharmaceutical company said in August its strong U.S. manufacturing footprint positions it well for tariff challenges, describing itself as "very U.S.-centric and U.S.-focused".

AbbVie ABBV.N

U.S. drugmaker AbbVie ABBV.N said in January it has committed $100 billion over the next decade to U.S.-based research and development as part of its three-year deal with the Trump administration to reduce drug prices.

It has 11 manufacturing sites in the U.S. and has said it is "fairly insulated" from any tariff impact this year given inventory management actions.

Gilead Sciences GILD.O

Earlier this year, the drugmaker announced $11 billion in new planned investment in the U.S. to add to its domestic manufacturing and research heft, taking its total pledged investment to $32 billion.

Gilead said in September that it started work on a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing hub at its headquarters in Foster City, California, in addition to which, it is currently developing two other sites.

Cipla CIPL.NS

The Indian drugmaker is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint by investing in capacity expansion for complex respiratory products at its advanced facilities in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Central Islip, New York.

CSL CSL.AX

Australia's CSL said in November it would invest $1.5 billion in the U.S. to manufacture plasma-derived therapies, expanding its footprint in the country over the next five years.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole, Kamal Choudhury, Puyaan Singh, Sneha S K and Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid, Sahal Muhammed and Maju Samuel)

(([email protected];))

** Shares of Cipla CIPL.NS fall 1.1% to 1,300 rupees, lowest since January 2024

** JP Morgan downgrades India's No.3 drugmaker to "Neutral" with PT of 1,460 rupees after it reported disappointing Q3 results

** Brokerage says co's Q3 revenue was 5% below JPM's estimate, mainly due to sharp decline in US sales and weaker African market growth

** Co's U.S. revenue fell 26% year-on-year due to sharp decline in sales of its generic version of Bristol-Myers Squibb's BMY.N cancer drug Revlimid due to its imminent patent expiry and a month long supply chain disruption on key tumour therapy Lanreotide - note

** Brokerage says while Cipla's pipeline offers long-term promise with four respiratory and four peptide assets, it sees material contribution starting only from FY28

** Stock fell 0.96% in 2025

(Reporting by Mridula Kumar in Bengaluru)

(([email protected];))

** Shares of drugmaker Cipla CIPL.NS fall 3.2% to 1,326.40 rupees, lowest since May 2024

** India's No.3 drugmaker reported quarterly profit below estimates; Q3 consol net profit drops 57% year on year to 6.76 billion rupees ($73.8 million)

** Analysts, on average, had expected 12.42 billion rupees, as per data compiled by LSEG

** Stock was up 1% ahead of results

** More than 2.4 million shares exchange hands vs 1.5 million 30-day avg vol

** Cipla rated "hold" on avg by 36 analysts with median PT at 1,675 rupees - data compiled by LSEG

($1 = 91.6562 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; Ph no. +91 9590227221;))

Adds details on Roche, Abbvie and CSL

Jan 20 (Reuters) - Global drugmakers are ramping up U.S. manufacturing and stockpiling inventory as the Trump administration considers a 100% tariff on imported branded and patented medicines.

Although enforcement is delayed for companies investing in U.S. manufacturing, the policy has already prompted fast-tracked projects, price cuts and direct-to-consumer sales.

Pfizer and AstraZeneca secured multi-year tariff exemptions through pricing deals and commitments to the new TrumpRx.gov platform. Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson and Merck have pledged billions to expand U.S. operations to avoid penalties.

Here's what drugmakers are doing to mitigate supply-chain risks and reassure investors:

Pfizer PFE.N

Pfizer reached a deal with President Donald Trump on September 30 to invest $70 billion in research and development and domestic manufacturing, and received a three-year grace period exempting its products from the pharmaceutical-targeted tariffs.

GSK GSK.L

The London-based drugmaker plans to invest $30 billion in U.S. research and development and supply chain infrastructure over five years.

Eli Lilly LLY.N

The U.S. drugmaker said in September it will invest $5 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Virginia. The facility is the first of four new U.S. plants planned under its $27 billion expansion over the next five years.

Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N

The drugmaker plans to raise U.S. investments by 25%, totaling $55 billion, over the next four years. It plans to build four plants, including one at Wilson, North Carolina, and another at Tokyo-based Fujifilm Biotechnologies' manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, over the next 10 years.

Locations for the other plants remain undisclosed.

Roche ROG.S

The Swiss drugmaker said in April last year it will invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

A month later, it announced an additional $550 million investment to expand its Indianapolis diagnostics manufacturing hub. The expansion will span Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, creating more than 12,000 jobs.

In January, Roche said it will more than double its investment in its drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, to about $2 billion, up from the over $700 million announced in May 2025.

AstraZeneca AZN.L

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker will invest $50 billion on U.S. manufacturing by 2030. The investment will fund a new drug substance facility in Virginia, its largest single-site global investment, alongside expansions in Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Indiana and Texas.

It has already started technology transfers and is managing inventory in 2025 to minimize any tariff hit. Company executives have said the impact would be "very short-lived."

Novartis NOVN.S

The Swiss drugmaker plans to spend $23 billion to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S. over the next five years. This includes building six new manufacturing plants and expanding its San Diego research and development site, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

Sanofi SASY.PA

The French drugmaker plans to invest at least $20 billion in the U.S. through 2030 to boost manufacturing and research. Sanofi plans to expand its U.S. manufacturing capacity through direct investments in the company's sites and partnerships with other domestic manufacturers.

Chief Financial Officer François Roger said in July the potential tariffs are expected to have a limited impact in 2025, as the company already has inventory in place in the U.S.

Biogen BIIB.O

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $2 billion more in its existing manufacturing plants in North Carolina, adding capacity for gene-targeting therapies and automation. The company has seven factories in the state, with an eighth set to begin operations in late 2025.

Merck MRK.N

The U.S. drugmaker has begun building a $3 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Virginia as part of its over $70 billion investment to expand domestic manufacturing and research and development in the United States.

It will also invest $1 billion in a new Delaware plant to make biologics and cancer drug Keytruda, to boost U.S. production and potentially create over 4,500 jobs. It also opened a $1-billion facility at its North Carolina site in March.

Merck's animal health unit will invest $895 million to expand its Kansas manufacturing and R&D site, part of a broader $9 billion U.S. investment through 2028.

CEO Robert Davis in July flagged minimal impact from potential tariffs in 2025, and that the company remained well-positioned due to inventory management and moving of manufacturing to the U.S.

Amgen AMGN.O

The U.S.-based biopharma firm plans to invest $900 million to expand its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing total investment in the state to $1.4 billion and adding 750 jobs. In December, the company committed $1 billion to build a second facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Amgen said in September it is investing more than $600 million to build a new research and development center at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.

The drugmaker announced it will invest $650 million to expand drug manufacturing at its facility in Juncos, Puerto Rico, a move expected to create nearly 750 jobs.

Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO

The Danish pharmaceutical company said in August its strong U.S. manufacturing footprint positions it well for tariff challenges, describing itself as "very U.S.-centric and U.S.-focused".

AbbVie ABBV.N

U.S. drugmaker AbbVie ABBV.N said in January it has committed $100 billion over the next decade to U.S.-based research and development as part of its three-year deal with the Trump administration to reduce drug prices.

It has 11 manufacturing sites in the U.S. and has said it is "fairly insulated" from any tariff impact this year given inventory management actions.

Gilead Sciences GILD.O

Earlier this year, the drugmaker announced $11 billion in new planned investment in the U.S. to add to its domestic manufacturing and research heft, taking its total pledged investment to $32 billion.

Gilead said in September that it started work on a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing hub at its headquarters in Foster City, California, in addition to which, it is currently developing two other sites.

Cipla CIPL.NS

The Indian drugmaker is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint by investing in capacity expansion for complex respiratory products at its advanced facilities in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Central Islip, Long Island, New York.

CSL CSL.AX

Australia's CSL said in November it would invest $1.5 billion in the U.S. to manufacture plasma-derived therapies, expanding its footprint in the country over the next five years.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole, Kamal Choudhury, Puyaan Singh, Sneha S K and Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel, Tasim Zahid and Sahal Muhammed)

(([email protected];))

** Drugmaker Cipla's CIPL.NS stock falls as much as 4.7% to 1,367.20 rupees, lowest level since April 2025

** Last down 2.4%, top loser on Nifty 50 .NSEI, which is up 0.77%

** Tumour drug Lanreotide supply hit after partner Pharmathen's production pause; drug is major rev source for CIPL in U.S.

** Nuvama downgrades to "reduce" from "hold", cuts PT to 1,360 rupees from 1,715 rupees; says pause brings uncertainty for FY27E

** BofA Securities cuts PT to 1,420 rupees from 1,500 rupees; says co's near-term earnings, news flow could weigh on stock

** Morgan Stanley says pause creates U.S. revenue overhang; stock to underperform over next 30 days

** CIPL rated "buy" on avg by 36 analysts, median PT 1,675 rupees - LSEG data

(Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; Ph no. +91 9590227221;))

** U.S. FDA approves application for generic version of GSK's Advair inhaler by partner of Aurobindo Pharma-owned ARBN.NS Lannett, Citi says

** Brokerage sees generic Advair adding $30 mln-$40 mln to co's annual U.S. revenues

** Notes additional competition from Aurobindo Pharma "marginal negative" for rival Cipla CIPL.NS, which expects FDA approval for gAdvair in near-term

** Adds Advair seen contributing $50 million to Cipla's U.S. revenue in FY27

** Aurobindo Pharma gets more than 50% of annual revenue from U.S.; Cipla earns ~29% from North America (mostly U.S.)

** Aurobindo Pharma said it would buy U.S.-based Lannett last year at enterprise value of $250 million

** ARBN down 0.6%; CIPL down 1.4%, second-biggest pct loser on Nifty 50 .NSEI

(Reporting by Nandan Mandayam in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; Mobile: +91 9591011727;))

Jan 7 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• CLARIFIES ON REPORT USFDA ISSUES FORM 483 OBSERVATIONS ON PHARMATHEN

• PHARMATHEN MANUFACTURES LANREOTIDE INJECTION FOR CIPLA USA

• PHARMATHEN IS OUR SUPPLY PARTNER, MANUFACTURING LANREOTIDE INJECTION FOR CIPLA USA INC

• PHARMATHEN RECEIVED NINE INSPECTIONAL OBSERVATIONS FROM USFDA

Source text: ID:nBSE2qbc0D

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

(([email protected];))

** Cipla CIPL.NS drops ~2% to 1,514.30 rupees; had lost 2.6% in last session

** On analyst call, India's no. 3 drugmaker lowers FY26 EBITDA margin outlook, citing declining contribution from generic Revlimid, higher R&D costs

** CLSA sees tepid H2 for co, almost negligible contribution from gRevlimid

** On Thursday, Cipla beat Q2 profit view, announced CEO rejig

** Stock rated "buy" on avg; median PT is 1,720 rupees, per data compiled by LSEG

** YTD, CIPL gains 0.9%

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon)

(([email protected]; +91 8800437922))

Adds details from media call, analyst comment

By Rishika Sadam and Kashish Tandon

Oct 30 (Reuters) - Cipla's CIPL.NS global chief executive and managing director, Umang Vohra, will step down at the end of March after almost a decade in the top role, the Indian drugmaker said on Thursday.

Achin Gupta, the firm's global chief operating officer, will take over from April 1, 2026 for five years, the company said.

Gupta joined Cipla in 2021 and has been in his current role since February. He was the CEO of Cipla's India business, its biggest, and expanded the company's chronic therapy drugs.

"I think Gupta's strength...lies in licensing and M&A and with Cipla now having good cash, we expect he would leverage that experience to put the cash to use," Vishal Manchanda from Systematix Institutional Equities said.

Vohra told reporters that "if there is a requirement of the board, then obviously, I'm happy to help in whatever form," but refused to share his plan after he steps down.

NEW STRATEGY FOR CIPLA

There will be "shades of a new" strategy with the new management given the geopolitical sensitivity in some markets, Vohra said, adding that Cipla must become an innovation player over the next five-to-seven years.

"I think there will be more investments in that," he said.

The firm, India's third-largest drugmaker by sales, beat quarterly profit estimates on Thursday, driven by strong local demand for its urology, diabetes and cardiac therapy drugs.

Its consolidated net profit rose 3.7% to 13.51 billion rupees ($153.7 million) in the quarter ended September 30, beating analysts' estimates of 13.47 billion rupees, per data compiled by LSEG.

Total revenue grew 7.6% to 75.89 billion rupees, slightly above expectations of 74.30 billion rupees, helped by a 7% growth in the India market revenue.

Sales in North America stood at $233 million, down from $237 million in the year-ago period.

The company said it expects to launch four major respiratory drugs in the U.S. by the end of 2026, and three peptide-related drugs, which are mostly used for weight-loss treatment.

(Reporting by Rishika Sadam and Kashish Tandon; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Nivedita Bhattacharjee)

(([email protected];))

** Shares of Eli Lilly LLY.N rises to 0.73% to $817.82 on Thursday after it signed a distribution agreement with Indian drugmaker Cipla CIPL.NS to sell weight-loss drugs in the country

** LLY is on track for second straight session of gains and is set for highest close in one week

** Under the agreement, LLY will manufacture the drug and Cipla will market it under the brand name Yurpeak, the drugmakers said

** Yurpeak will be available as a once-weekly pre-filled injector pen, same as Lilly's Mounjaro Kwikpen, allowing healthcare providers to personalise treatment plans to individual patient needs

** Among 32 analysts covering LLY, avg rating is "BUY" and median PT is $900

** LLY is up 6% YTD versus ~6% gain in the S&P 500 health index .SPXHC

(Reporting by Chibuike Oguh in New York)

((Email: [email protected]; Phone: +332-219-1834; Reuters Messaging: [email protected]))

Adds Pfizer investment plan in paragraph 5

Oct 1 (Reuters) - Global drugmakers are scrambling to shore up their U.S. manufacturing capacity and domestic inventory as the Trump administration moves ahead with a 100% tariff on imported branded and patented drugs, starting October 1.

The sweeping measure has triggered a flurry of activity across the industry, including fast-tracking U.S. manufacturing projects, price cuts and direct-to-consumer sales.

Here's what drugmakers are doing to mitigate supply-chain risks and reassure investors:

Pfizer PFE.N

Pfizer reached a deal with President Donald Trump on September 30 to invest $70 billion in research and development and domestic manufacturing, and received a three-year grace period exempting its products from the pharmaceutical-targeted tariffs.

GSK GSK.L

The London-based drugmaker plans to invest $30 billion in U.S. research and development and supply chain infrastructure over five years.

Eli Lilly LLY.N

The U.S. drugmaker said in September it will invest $5 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Virginia. The facility is the first of four new U.S. plants planned under its $27 billion expansion over the next five years.

Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N

The drugmaker plans to raise U.S. investments by 25%, totaling $55 billion, over the next four years. It plans to build four plants, including one at Wilson, North Carolina, and another at Tokyo-based Fujifilm Biotechnologies' manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, over the next 10 years.

Locations for the other plants remain undisclosed.

Roche ROG.S

The Swiss drugmaker said in April it will invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

A month later, it announced an additional $550 million investment to expand its Indianapolis diagnostics manufacturing hub. The expansion will span Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, creating more than 12,000 jobs.

Roche said in May it plans to invest more than $700 million in a new drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

CEO Thomas Schinecker said in July the company had moved around inventories and ramped up production of all the medicines that it already produced in the U.S. in anticipation of tariffs.

AstraZeneca AZN.L

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker will invest $50 billion on U.S. manufacturing by 2030. The investment will fund a new drug substance facility in Virginia, its largest single-site global investment, alongside expansions in Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Indiana and Texas.

It has already started technology transfers and is managing inventory in 2025 to minimize any tariff hit. Company executives have said the impact would be "very short-lived."

Novartis NOVN.S

The Swiss drugmaker plans to spend $23 billion to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S. over the next five years. This includes building six new manufacturing plants and expanding its San Diego research and development site, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

Sanofi SASY.PA

The French drugmaker plans to invest at least $20 billion in the U.S. through 2030 to boost manufacturing and research. Sanofi plans to expand its U.S. manufacturing capacity through direct investments in the company's sites and partnerships with other domestic manufacturers.

Chief Financial Officer François Roger said in July the potential tariffs are expected to have a limited impact in 2025, as the company already has inventory in place in the U.S.

Biogen BIIB.O

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $2 billion more in its existing manufacturing plants in North Carolina, adding capacity for gene-targeting therapies and automation. The company has seven factories in the state, with an eighth set to begin operations in late 2025.

Merck MRK.N

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $1 billion in a new Delaware plant to make biologics and Keytruda, to boost U.S. production and potentially create over 4,500 jobs. It also opened a $1-billion facility at its North Carolina site in March.

Its animal health unit will invest $895 million to expand its Kansas manufacturing and R&D site, part of a broader $9 billion U.S. investment through 2028.

CEO Robert Davis in July flagged minimal impact from potential tariffs in 2025, and that the company remained well-positioned due to inventory management and moving of manufacturing to the U.S.

Amgen AMGN.O

The U.S.-based biopharma firm plans to invest $900 million to expand its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing total investment in the state to $1.4 billion and adding 750 jobs. In December, the company committed $1 billion to build a second facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Amgen said in September it is investing more than $600 million to build a new research and development center at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.

The drugmaker announced it will invest $650 million to expand drug manufacturing at its facility in Juncos, Puerto Rico, a move expected to create nearly 750 jobs.

Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO

The Danish pharmaceutical company said in August its strong U.S. manufacturing footprint positions it well for tariff challenges, describing itself as "very U.S.-centric and U.S.-focused".

AbbVie ABBV.N

The U.S. drugmaker has confirmed plans to continue investing in its previously announced $10 billion expansion in the country over the next decade.

It already has 11 manufacturing sites in the U.S. and has said it is "fairly insulated" from any tariff impact this year given inventory management actions.

Gilead Sciences GILD.O

Earlier this year, the drugmaker announced $11 billion in new planned investment in the U.S. to add to its domestic manufacturing and research heft, taking its total pledged investment to $32 billion.

Gilead said in September that it started work on a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing hub at its headquarters in Foster City, California, in addition to which, it is currently developing two other sites.

Cipla CIPL.NS

The Indian drugmaker is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint by investing in capacity expansion for complex respiratory products at its advanced facilities in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Central Islip, Long Island, New York.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole, Kamal Choudhury and Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath, Leroy Leo and Vijay Kishore)

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Sept 26 (Reuters) - Indian pharmaceutical stocks .NIPHARM fell 2.6% on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on branded and patented drugs, effective October 1.

All 20 constituents of the index were lower as of 9:30 a.m. IST. Heavyweight Sun Pharmaceutical Industries SUN.NS fell 3.4%.

The U.S. takes slightly more than a third of India’s drug exports, mostly cheaper generics, which rose 20% to about $10.5 billion in fiscal 2025.

The near term impact of the tariffs is likely to be limited, as India mainly exports generics, ICICI Securities research analyst Pankaj Pandey said in a note.

"That being said, uncertainty still remains whether complex generics and biosimilars will come under tariff embargo in the future," Pandey added.

(Reporting by Ananta Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)

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Updates with GSK's investment plan

Sept 17 (Reuters) - Global drugmakers are scrambling to shore up their U.S. manufacturing capacity and domestic inventory as the Trump administration weighs hefty tariffs on pharmaceutical imports into the country.

Companies with more exposure to the UK, the EU, South Korea, and Japan are likely in a better position, as these countries have secured favorable agreements that cap tariffs at around 15%.

However, with many countries still engaged in trade talks with the U.S., businesses worldwide are hedging their decisions pending further clarity on final tariff rates.

Here's what drugmakers are doing to mitigate supply-chain risks and reassure investors:

GSK GSK.L

The London-based drugmaker plans to invest $30 billion in U.S. research and development and supply chain infrastructure over five years.

Eli Lilly LLY.N

The U.S. drugmaker said in September it will invest $5 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Virginia. The facility is the first of four new U.S. plants planned under its $27 billion expansion over the next five years.

Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N

The drugmaker plans to raise U.S. investments by 25%, totaling $55 billion, over the next four years. It plans to build four plants, including one at Wilson, North Carolina, and another at Tokyo-based Fujifilm Biotechnologies' manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, over the next 10 years.

Locations for the other plants remain undisclosed.

Roche ROG.S

The Swiss drugmaker said in April it will invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

A month later, it announced an additional $550 million investment to expand its Indianapolis diagnostics manufacturing hub. The expansion will span Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, creating more than 12,000 jobs.

Roche said in May it plans to invest more than $700 million in a new drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

CEO Thomas Schinecker said in July the company had moved around inventories and ramped up production of all the medicines that it already produced in the U.S. in anticipation of tariffs.

AstraZeneca AZN.L

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker will invest $50 billion on U.S. manufacturing by 2030. The investment will fund a new drug substance facility in Virginia, its largest single-site global investment, alongside expansions in Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Indiana and Texas.

It has already started technology transfers and is managing inventory in 2025 to minimize any tariff hit. Company executives have said the impact would be "very short-lived."

Novartis NOVN.S

The Swiss drugmaker plans to spend $23 billion to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S. over the next five years. This includes building six new manufacturing plants and expanding its San Diego research and development site, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

Sanofi SASY.PA

The French drugmaker plans to invest at least $20 billion in the U.S. through 2030 to boost manufacturing and research. Sanofi plans to expand its U.S. manufacturing capacity through direct investments in the company's sites and partnerships with other domestic manufacturers.

Chief Financial Officer François Roger said in July the potential tariffs are expected to have a limited impact in 2025, as the company already has inventory in place in the U.S.

Biogen BIIB.O

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $2 billion more in its existing manufacturing plants in North Carolina, adding capacity for gene-targeting therapies and automation. The company has seven factories in the state, with an eighth set to begin operations in late 2025.

Merck MRK.N

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $1 billion in a new Delaware plant to make biologics and Keytruda, to boost U.S. production and potentially create over 4,500 jobs. It also opened a $1-billion facility at its North Carolina site in March.

Its animal health unit will invest $895 million to expand its Kansas manufacturing and R&D site, part of a broader $9 billion U.S. investment through 2028.

CEO Robert Davis in July flagged minimal impact from potential tariffs in 2025, and that the company remained well-positioned due to inventory management and moving of manufacturing to the U.S.

Amgen AMGN.O

The U.S.-based biopharma firm plans to invest $900 million to expand its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing total investment in the state to $1.4 billion and adding 750 jobs. In December, the company committed $1 billion to build a second facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Amgen said in September it is investing more than $600 million to build a new research and development center at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.

Pfizer PFE.N

Earlier this year, the U.S. drugmaker said it had enough manufacturing capacity across its 10 U.S. sites and two distribution centers to manage potential tariff impacts and would consider shifting production to those facilities if needed.

Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO

The Danish pharmaceutical company said in August its strong U.S. manufacturing footprint positions it well for tariff challenges, describing itself as "very U.S.-centric and U.S.-focused".

AbbVie ABBV.N

The U.S. drugmaker has confirmed plans to continue investing in its previously announced $10 billion expansion in the country over the next decade.

It already has 11 manufacturing sites in the U.S. and has said it is "fairly insulated" from any tariff impact this year given inventory management actions.

Gilead Sciences GILD.O

Earlier this year, the drugmaker announced $11 billion in new planned investment in the U.S. to add to its domestic manufacturing and research heft, taking its total pledged investment to $32 billion.

Gilead said in September that it started work on a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing hub at its headquarters in Foster City, California, in addition to which, it is currently developing two other sites.

Cipla CIPL.NS

The Indian drugmaker is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint by investing in capacity expansion for complex respiratory products at its advanced facilities in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Central Islip, Long Island, New York.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole, Kamal Choudhury and Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Leroy Leo)

(([email protected];))

Sept 3 (Reuters) - Global drugmakers are scrambling to shore up their U.S. manufacturing capacity and domestic inventory as the Trump administration weighs hefty tariffs on pharmaceutical imports into the country.

Companies with more exposure to the UK, the EU, South Korea and Japan are likely on better footing as these countries have secured favorable agreements capping tariffs at around 15%.

But with many countries still engaged in trade talks with the U.S., businesses around the world are hedging their decisions pending more clarity on final tariff rates.

Here's what drugmakers are doing to mitigate supply-chain risks and reassure investors:

Eli Lilly LLY.N

The U.S. drugmaker plans to invest $27 billion to build four new manufacturing facilities over the next five years in the U.S. It aims to announce two of its new site locations this quarter.

Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N

The drugmaker plans to raise U.S. investments by 25%, totaling $55 billion, over the next four years. It plans to build four plants, including one at Wilson, North Carolina, and another at Tokyo-based Fujifilm Biotechnologies' manufacturing site in Holly Springs, North Carolina, over the next 10 years.

Locations for the other plants remain undisclosed.

Roche ROG.S

The Swiss drugmaker said in April it will invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

A month later, it announced an additional $550 million investment to expand its Indianapolis diagnostics manufacturing hub. The expansion will span Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California, creating more than 12,000 jobs.

Roche said in May it plans to invest more than $700 million in a new drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

CEO Thomas Schinecker said in July the company had moved around inventories and ramped up production of all the medicines that it already produced in the U.S. in anticipation of tariffs.

AstraZeneca AZN.L

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker will invest $50 billion on U.S. manufacturing by 2030. The investment will fund a new drug substance facility in Virginia, its largest single-site global investment, alongside expansions in Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Indiana and Texas.

It has already started technology transfers and is managing inventory in 2025 to minimize any tariff hit. Company executives have said the impact would be "very short-lived."

Novartis NOVN.S

The Swiss drugmaker plans to spend $23 billion to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S. over the next five years. This includes building six new manufacturing plants and expanding its San Diego research and development site, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

Sanofi SASY.PA

The French drugmaker plans to invest at least $20 billion in the U.S. through 2030 to boost manufacturing and research. Sanofi plans to expand its U.S. manufacturing capacity through direct investments in the company's sites and partnerships with other domestic manufacturers.

Chief Financial Officer François Roger said in July the potential tariffs are expected to have a limited impact in 2025, as the company already has inventory in place in the U.S.

Biogen BIIB.O

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $2 billion more in its existing manufacturing plants in North Carolina, adding capacity for gene-targeting therapies and automation. The company has seven factories in the state, with an eighth set to begin operations in late 2025.

Merck MRK.N

The U.S. drugmaker will invest $1 billion in a new Delaware plant to make biologics and Keytruda, to boost U.S. production and potentially create over 4,500 jobs. It also opened a $1-billion facility at its North Carolina site in March.

Its animal health unit will invest $895 million to expand its Kansas manufacturing and R&D site, part of a broader $9 billion U.S. investment through 2028.

CEO Robert Davis in July flagged minimal impact from potential tariffs in 2025, and that the company remained well-positioned due to inventory management and moving of manufacturing to the U.S.

Amgen AMGN.O

The U.S.-based biopharma firm plans to invest $900 million to expand its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing total investment in the state to $1.4 billion and adding 750 jobs. In December, the company committed $1 billion to build a second facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

Amgen said in September it is investing more than $600 million to build a new research and development center at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.

Pfizer PFE.N

Earlier this year, the U.S. drugmaker said it had enough manufacturing capacity across its 10 U.S. sites and two distribution centers to manage potential tariff impacts and would consider shifting production to those facilities if needed.

Novo Nordisk NOVOb.CO

The Danish pharmaceutical company said in August its strong U.S. manufacturing footprint positions it well for tariff challenges, describing itself as "very U.S.-centric and U.S.-focused".

AbbVie ABBV.N

The U.S. drugmaker has confirmed plans to continue investing in its previously announced $10 billion expansion in the country over the next decade.

It already has 11 manufacturing sites in the U.S. and has said it is "fairly insulated" from any tariff impact this year given inventory management actions.

Gilead Sciences GILD.O

Earlier this year, the drugmaker announced $11 billion in new planned investment in the U.S. to add to its domestic manufacturing and research heft, taking its total pledged investment to $32 billion.

Gilead said in September that it started work on a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing hub at its headquarters in Foster City, California, in addition to which, it is currently developing two other sites.

Cipla CIPL.NS

The Indian drugmaker is expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint by investing in capacity expansion for complex respiratory products at its advanced facilities in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Central Islip, Long Island, New York.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole, Kamal Choudhury and Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Leroy Leo)

(([email protected];))

Aug 26 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• CIPLA LTD - COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF 20% VOTING RIGHTS IN ICALTECH

Source text: ID:nBSEcdQWyK

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

(([email protected];;))

Repeats story from August 14 without changes

By Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Publicis has sued India's antitrust watchdog for denying access to case files in a high-profile price-fixing investigation of ad agencies, after the French group failed to get the probe stalled until it could review the documents, court filings show.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) shook India's near-$30 billion media and entertainment sector in March with dawn raids at WPP's WPP.L GroupM, Dentsu 4324.T, Publicis PUBP.PA, Omnicom OMC.N and many other agencies over suspected collusion over publicity rates and discounts.

Details of cartel cases are kept confidential in India, but Reuters has reported that the CCI's initial assessment found the firms used a WhatsApp group to coordinate and agree on pricing, entered into secret pacts, and colluded with broadcasters to deny business to agencies that didn't comply.

Concerned the CCI has not responded to its requests in recent months to provide access to case files, Publicis approached the Delhi High Court on August 11 asking judges to order the watchdog to accede to its requests, according to its non-public filing reviewed by Reuters on Thursday.

Publicis and its employees in India are "unable to understand the allegations against them and prepare a defence in the absence of the case records", it said in the filing.

The CCI did not respond to Reuters queries, and the court is likely to hear Publicis' case next week.

The filing was made by TLG India, which its court papers said "is the legal entity that houses majority of the advertising business of the Publicis group in India".

The antitrust investigation was triggered by Dentsu disclosing alleged industry malpractices to the CCI in February 2024 under the regulator's leniency program, which allows lesser penalties for firms that share evidence of malpractice.

Publicis is the first company to file a lawsuit related to the high-profile CCI investigation in court.

Filings showed the company urged the CCI in July that "further investigation remain in abeyance till" it is granted inspection of case records.

CCI investigations typically take several months. The regulator has powers to impose financial penalties on the media agencies of up to three times their profit or 10% of an Indian entity's global turnover, whichever is higher, for each year of wrongdoing.

Publicis' court filing also showed the CCI in July asked for a brief note from the company about its business model, and how operations are coordinated with the parent entity.

On August 4, the CCI issued summons to Publicis' South Asia chief Anupriya Acharya to appear before investigators, and provide documents such as copies of key contracts involving Publicis and its Indian entities, including on revenue sharing.

Acharya did not respond to Reuters queries, and Publicis has asked the court to quash the summon.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra; editing by Giles Elgood)

((Email: [email protected]; X: @adityakalra;))

By Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Publicis has sued India's antitrust watchdog for denying access to case files in a high-profile price-fixing investigation of ad agencies, after the French group failed to get the probe stalled until it could review the documents, court filings show.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) shook India's near-$30 billion media and entertainment sector in March with dawn raids at WPP's WPP.L GroupM, Dentsu 4324.T, Publicis PUBP.PA, Omnicom OMC.N and many other agencies over suspected collusion over publicity rates and discounts.

Details of cartel cases are kept confidential in India, but Reuters has reported that the CCI's initial assessment found the firms used a WhatsApp group to coordinate and agree on pricing, entered into secret pacts, and colluded with broadcasters to deny business to agencies that didn't comply.

Concerned the CCI has not responded to its requests in recent months to provide access to case files, Publicis approached the Delhi High Court on August 11 asking judges to order the watchdog to accede to its requests, according to its non-public filing reviewed by Reuters on Thursday.

Publicis and its employees in India are "unable to understand the allegations against them and prepare a defence in the absence of the case records", it said in the filing.

The CCI did not respond to Reuters queries, and the court is likely to hear Publicis' case next week.

The filing was made by TLG India, which its court papers said "is the legal entity that houses majority of the advertising business of the Publicis group in India".

The antitrust investigation was triggered by Dentsu disclosing alleged industry malpractices to the CCI in February 2024 under the regulator's leniency program, which allows lesser penalties for firms that share evidence of malpractice.

Publicis is the first company to file a lawsuit related to the high-profile CCI investigation in court.

Filings showed the company urged the CCI in July that "further investigation remain in abeyance till" it is granted inspection of case records.

CCI investigations typically take several months. The regulator has powers to impose financial penalties on the media agencies of up to three times their profit or 10% of an Indian entity's global turnover, whichever is higher, for each year of wrongdoing.

Publicis' court filing also showed the CCI in July asked for a brief note from the company about its business model, and how operations are coordinated with the parent entity.

On August 4, the CCI issued summons to Publicis' South Asia chief Anupriya Acharya to appear before investigators, and provide documents such as copies of key contracts involving Publicis and its Indian entities, including on revenue sharing.

Acharya did not respond to Reuters queries, and Publicis has asked the court to quash the summon.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra; editing by Giles Elgood)

((Email: [email protected]; X: @adityakalra;))

Aug 5 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• CIPLA LTD - UPDATE ON USFDA INSPECTION AT CIPLA'S BOMMASANDRA FACILITY

• CIPLA LTD - USFDA CLASSIFIES CIPLA INSPECTION AS VOLUNTARY ACTION INDICATED

Source text: ID:nNSE7t3YP9

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

(([email protected];))

** India's third-largest drugmaker by sales, Cipla CIPL.NS reported quarterly profit that beat analysts' estimates on higher domestic demand for its generic respiratory drugs

** Shares climbed 2% on the day after rising about 3% post results on Friday

** At least 14 brokerages hiked price targets on the stock after earnings, raising the median PT to 1,723.5 rupees from 1,675 rupees last month, as per data compiled by LSEG

LINE-UP OF KEY LAUNCHES IN THE U.S. TO DRIVE GROWTH

** HSBC ("buy," PT: 1,740 rupees) says decline in Cipla's sales of generic cancer drug gRevlimid is imminent in FY26

** Adds, a good line-up of differentiated launches in the U.S. likely to offset the weakness

** Goldman Sachs ("sell," PT: 1,375 rupees) expects Cipla to rely heavily on new launches for growth in the United States

** Jefferies ("hold," PT: 1,690 rupees) says growth in key U.S. market disappointed, but launches in the market will start reflecting in Cipla's growth from H2FY27 onwards

(Reporting by Manvi Pant in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; +918447554364;))

July 25 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• CIPLA - PREPARING FOR GSYMBICORT, AND A COUPLE OF INHALATION ASSETS LAUNCH IN FY27

• CIPLA - BUSINESS REMAIN COMMITTED TO LAUNCHING 2–3 PEPTIDE ASSETS IN FY26

Source text: ID:nNSE5YkzmP

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

(([email protected];;))

July 21 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• ACQUISITION OF SECURITIES IN ICALTECH INNOVATIONS

• TO BUY 20% VOTING RIGHTS IN ICALTECH

• ACQUISITION COST APPROX. 50 MILLION RUPEES FOR 20% VOTING RIGHTS

Source text: ID:nBSE4cGVc9

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

(([email protected];;))

SHANGHAI, July 2 (Reuters) - Indian drugmaker Cipla CIPL.NS is looking to add at least two new overseas markets for its products manufactured in China, as the firm seeks to work around constrained production capacity in India, a senior executive told Reuters.

India's third-largest drugmaker by sales started operations at its factory making inhalation respule productsin Jiangsu province, eastern China, in 2024 to supply the U.S. market.

"Sometimes we face capacity restrictions ... so they (customers) do approach us whether we can handle the supplies," Deepak Hegde, Cipla's general manager for China, told Reuters.

He said the company was in talks with "at least two or three different countries", for product shipments from China and those discussions began around six or eight months ago.

He declined to say how much it had supplied to the United States from the Chinese manufacturing site or name the other countries it was in discussions with.

The Chinese site can produce about 55 million units annually of products used in inhalers, Hegde said.

(Reporting by Andrew Silver. Editing by Miyoung Kim and Mark Potter)

(([email protected]))

Repeats story published during Asian hours; no changes to text

By Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI, June 19 (Reuters) - Omnicom Media's India chief was frustrated. It was October 5, 2023 and a rival was trying to poach the U.S. firm's client by offering lower prices, just weeks after global advertising agencies and broadcasters struck secret pacts on ad rates in the South Asian country.

The attempt to woo the client violated the agencies' agreement, Omnicom Media's India CEO Kartik Sharma wrote in a WhatsApp group comprising a who's who of advertising, according to excerpts of the discussion documented by antitrust investigators and verified by Reuters.

"This kind of practice is not in the spirit of what we are collectively trying to achieve," Sharma wrote, without identifying the parties.

Shashi Sinha, then India CEO of New York-based IPG Mediabrands, suggested an industry group should "admonish the agency".

The exchanges form part of a confidential dossier compiled by India's antitrust watchdog that chronicles how global advertising companies, including leading U.S. and European firms, coordinated to rig prices in the world's most populous nation.

Reuters reviewed evidence from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) investigation, including a 10-page document with messages and records of meetings between top advertising executives, and two industry agreements under scrutiny for antitrust violations; and interviewed two people familiar with the probe.

The key details, which haven't been previously reported, centre on WhatsApp interactions involving 11 industry executives. They include the top India or South Asia executives of WPP's WPP.L GroupM; U.S.-based Omnicom Media OMC.N and Interpublic's IPG.N IPG Mediabrands; France's Publicis PUBP.PA and Havas Media HAVAS.AS; Japan's Dentsu 4324.T and India's Madison World.

Over WhatsApp and in meetings, the executives coordinated responses to clients, which "resulted in alignment of competing advertising agencies," CCI officials said in the August 9 dossier, determining on an initial basis that the conduct contravened competition law.

The firms agreed to cooperate on pricing, including not to undercut each other; colluded with broadcasters to deny business to agencies that didn't comply; and discussed financial terms involving at least four Indian clients over conference calls, according to the investigation documents.

The documents don't indicate whether the agencies' foreign headquarters were aware of the executives' actions.

A spokesperson for WPP Media, which until May was known as GroupM, told Reuters it was aware of the investigation but declined to comment further.

A Dentsu India spokesperson confirmed Reuters reporting that it had disclosed industry practices to the CCI in February 2024 under the regulator's leniency program, which enables lesser penalties for firms that share evidence of malpractice. The spokesperson didn't address specific evidence raised in the dossier but said the firm had implemented stricter audits and controls.

The other agencies and their executives didn't respond to Reuters questions about the antitrust probe and information in the dossier. The regulator also didn't respond to queries.

Reuters has reported that in March, as part of the continuing investigation, the regulator raided the Indian offices of many advertising firms and an industry group that represents broadcasters, including the Reliance-Disney venture and Sony 6758.T.

CCI investigations typically take several months. The regulator can't press criminal charges, but can impose financial penalties on the media agencies of up to three times their profit or 10% of an Indian entity's global turnover, whichever is higher, for each year of wrongdoing.

SECRET PACTS

WPP Media, the world's largest media buying agency, last year - when it was still known as GroupM - won new India business worth $447 million, followed by Omnicom's $183 million, according to research firm COMvergence.

But India's near-$30 billion media and entertainment sector is grappling with weak consumer sentiment. Ad spending will rise 7% to $19 billion in 2025, the slowest growth in three years, according to GroupM estimates.

The CCI is investigating the role of two industry bodies, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), in orchestrating the suspected cartel.

The former group is led by WPP Media India head Prasanth Kumar, while the broadcasting body's president is Kevin Vaz, a top Reliance-Disney venture executive. Neither industry group responded to requests for comment.

The dossier shows the AAAI circulated guidelines to ad agencies in August 2023: They must charge clients whose annual spending exceeds $29 million a minimum 3% commission for digital ads and 2.5% for traditional media. Lower-spending clients would pay higher minimum commissions of up to 8%.

A month later, the industry associations entered a joint pact, agreeing no agency would "unilaterally offer any discount" on rates while pitching for business.

The pact, reviewed by Reuters, declared its aim was to eliminate "lower pricing as a reason to award a pitch".

The advertising firms began coordinating their activities at least as early as August 2023, according to the CCI documents.

Ad executives who met on December 1 that year hailed their collaboration as a "great success" and resolved to continue, according to meeting minutes cited in the CCI's evidence.

'ALL ALIGNED'

In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission this month sought information from advertising agencies as part of a probe into whether they coordinated boycotts of certain sites. The Justice Department in 2016 probed agencies it suspected of rigging bids to favour in-house units, but eventually closed the case without bringing charges.

Brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev used CCI's leniency program to blow the whistle on an industry cartel in India in 2017.

In the case of the ad industry, Dentsu India told Reuters it filed its leniency application with the CCI not as a reaction to external pressure but out of a decision to "support reform from within".

Two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters the evidence Dentsu submitted included a transcript of the WhatsApp group. The group, formed in August 2023 and reviewed in part by Reuters, was named "AAAI media agencies" and contained scores of chat messages.

Participants included Kumar of WPP's media company, Sharma of Omnicom Media, IPG Mediabrands' Sinha, Havas Media India CEO Mohit Joshi, Dentsu South Asia CEO Harsha Razdan and then-media business CEO Anita Kotwani, Publicis South Asia chief Anupriya Acharya and Madison boss Sam Balsara, the investigators' evidence shows.

Members of the group discussed advertising pitches and coordinated on interactions with clients such as food delivery giant Swiggy SWIG.NS, drug maker Cipla CIPL.NS, SoftBank-backed e-commerce firm Meesho, and Kshema Insurance.

In Swiggy's case, the AAAI arranged a Zoom call with media agency heads to discuss the company's advertising pitch. Later, GroupM's Kumar, as AAAI president, suggested an email response to Swiggy explaining the industry's agreed position on rebates.

"Ok all aligned thanks," he wrote after a consensus emerged.

Kshema told Reuters the insurer was unaware of the matter. The other clients didn't respond to questions.

During another discussion on client rebates, an unspecified Dentsu executive told rivals over WhatsApp that "the lowest we go to is retain 30% and 70% we pass back to the client," according to the CCI dossier.

CCI officials noted in the document that advertisers and the broadcasters' group had sought to penalise enterprises that didn't comply with the pricing pacts.

In an email to Walt Disney DIS.N in August 2023, Kumar wrote that broadcasters should refrain from granting business to a firm that had breached the pacts, ITW Consulting, though he said it had later agreed not to approach clients directly.

ITW didn't respond to Reuters questions.

Tensions heated up again over WhatsApp three months later.

Sharma, of Omnicom Media, learned that ITW had done another "direct deal with a client of ours" for advertising on streaming platform Hotstar, which was run by Disney.

This irked Sharma, as Hotstar had the rights for the cricket World Cup held in India at the time.

"This nuisance has to stop," he wrote in the group.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; additional reporting by Jody Godoy in New York and Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; editing by David Crawshaw.)

((Email: [email protected]; X: @adityakalra;))

May 30 (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd CIPL.NS:

• USFDA INSPECTION AT COMPANY’S MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN BOMMASANDRA, BENGALURU

• CONCLUSION OF THE INSPECTION, THE COMPANY RECEIVED 1 (ONE) OBSERVATION IN FORM 483

Further company coverage: CIPL.NS

(([email protected];;))

By Kashish Tandon

BENGALURU, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S.-based Waters Corp WAT.N, which makes medical equipment used in clinical testing, has seen a spurt in demand from drugmakers in India rushing to develop their versions of popular weight-loss drugs, a senior executive told Reuters.

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO Wegovy and diabetes medicine Ozempic, goes off patent in India in 2026, paving the way for cheaper versions of the drugs.

Local drugmakers including Biocon BION.NS, Cipla CIPL.NS, Dr. Reddy's REDY.NS and Lupin LUPN.NS have been racing to make generic versions of these drugs to grab a share of the global market estimated to be worth $150 billion in the next decade.

"India will be the leading player in GLP drugs as well because we are in generics and we have manufacturing facilities to support," said T. Anil Kumar, vice president of Water's India business, referring to the class of weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1 agonists.

Waters, based in Milford, Massachusetts, makes laboratory equipment, software and other tools used in clinical testing by drugmakers and biotech companies. Its India unit contributes about 8% to Waters' sales.

"A lot of work is coming to India... so I see this as an opportunity for us," Kumar said.

Waters is expecting revenue growth percentage in the double digits in India on the back of these growth drivers, he added.

Waters Corp operates nine sites in India with over 430 employees. The company is headquartered in the tech hub of Bengaluru, where it also opened a Global Capability Center in 2023.

The company expects annual growth contribution of 70-100 basis points from its India business in the near-term and a 30 basis points boost from testing for GLP-1 drugs.

Last week, the company raised its annual profit forecast and reported better-than-expected quarterly results on higher demand in Asia and the Americas.

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)

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