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Massive ₹5 Crore Fake Medicine Scam Uncovered Near Bengaluru

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Massive ₹5 Crore Fake Medicine Scam Uncovered Near Bengaluru

The Drug Enforcement Wing of Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA), in coordination with local police, has busted a major counterfeit pharmaceutical operation running inside an unlicensed farmhouse near the Bidadi toll gate in Ramanagara district. Authorities seized spurious, relabelled, and expired medicines alongside industrial packaging equipment valued at approximately ₹4.91 crore. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket.

​Acting on specific intelligence, enforcement officers raided the farmhouse premises in Kurubara Karenahalli, where operators were allegedly procuring lower-cost pharmaceuticals from manufacturing units in Himachal Pradesh and Telangana. The drugs were subsequently transferred into fresh vials, stamped with forged labels, and repackaged to mimic high-value multinational and imported pharmaceutical brands,includingPfizer before being sold at inflated prices.

​Among the seized items were 5,640 vials of CEFIAVIGENT 2.5 1 Injection (valued at ₹3.38 crore), 1,531 vials of HIZLAM Injectables (₹52.24 lakh), 470 vials of Xavitaz injection (₹27.49 lakh), 264 vials of EMBLAVEO (₹20.59 lakh), and 30 boxes of expired medicines worth ₹35 lakh. Critical-care and ICU broad-spectrum injectable antibiotics were recovered during the bust. Officers also confiscated injection-filling machinery, vial caps, rubber stoppers, forged stamps, and counterfeit labels with non-functional QR codes.

​According to officials, the operation was running without any valid drug manufacturing or distribution licenses, violating key provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. An FIR has been registered at the Tavarekere Police Station. Authorities are blocking all associated batch numbers on the state FDA portal and sending drug samples for rigorous laboratory analysis to determine chemical composition, potency, and sterility while tracing downstream supply networks to protect patient safety.

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

Avalon Pharma and Bio-Thera Execute Exclusive Commercialization Agreement for BAT2406 in MENA

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Avalon Pharma and Bio-Thera Execute Exclusive Commercialization Agreement for BAT2406 in MENA

Avalon Pharma and Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd. announced an exclusive licensing and commercialization agreement for BAT2406, a proposed biosimilar referencing Dupixent® (dupilumab), across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Under the 15-year agreement, Bio-Thera will oversee the clinical development, manufacturing, and commercial supply of BAT2406. Avalon Pharma secures exclusive rights to register, market, and distribute the biologic in the MENA region, with plans for potential technology transfer and localized manufacturing in Saudi Arabia. Pending patent expirations and regulatory approvals, commercial launch is slated for 2031 and is projected to generate at least SAR 400 million in cumulative revenue over its first seven years.

BAT2406 targets interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) to inhibit IL-4 and IL-13 signaling pathways, which drive Type 2 inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis, severe asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and eosinophilic esophagitis.

“This collaboration represents another significant milestone in Avalon Pharma’s journey to becoming a regional leader in specialty pharmaceuticals and biologics,” said Mohamed Maher Al Ghannam, CEO of Avalon Pharma. “Together with Bio-Thera, we are strengthening our presence in immunology while advancing our long-term ambitions for pharmaceutical localization in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.”

The agreement marks the second biosimilar partnership between the two companies, following their earlier alliance for BAT3306, a proposed biosimilar referencing Keytruda® (pembrolizumab).

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

Apollo Hospitals Launches ‘Always Open, Always Here’, A Global First in Healthcare From India

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Apollo Hospitals Launches ‘Always Open, Always Here’, A Global First in Healthcare From India

Apollo Hospitals has announced the launch of its pioneering initiative, ‘Always Open, Always Here’, making routine, planned, and preventive healthcare services available across all seven days of the week, including Sundays.

While Apollo’s emergency, inpatient, and critical care units have historically operated 24×7, this new model extends outpatient department (OPD) specialist consultations, diagnostic services, preventive health checks, follow-ups, and scheduled procedures to Sundays across its hospital network. The move is designed to eliminate the barrier of time for working professionals, caregivers, and families who frequently postpone routine or preventive care due to weekday constraints.

The decision follows findings from Apollo’s Health of the Nation 2026 Report, which analyzed health screenings from over 2.5 million individuals and highlighted a growing silent epidemic of asymptomatic chronic lifestyle diseases. The report revealed that nearly 26% of asymptomatic individuals screened were hypertensive and 23% were diabetic, underscoring the urgent need to move away from purely reactive, symptom-led care toward regular, accessible preventive health monitoring.

“For more than four decades, Apollo has believed that healthcare is about protecting health and preventing disease,” said Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. “We are now extending our commitment to routine and preventive care across all seven days of the week to inspire millions to choose care before crisis.”

Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, added, “People should be able to seek medical care at a time that fits into their lives. Having the option to consult a doctor, complete a health check, or continue follow-up care on Sundays will make a meaningful difference for working families.”

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

AMTZ LTD Celebrates a Decade of Transforming Healthcare Innovation and Indigenous Manufacturing

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AMTZ LTD Celebrates a Decade of Transforming Healthcare Innovation and Indigenous Manufacturing

AMTZ LTD marks a historic milestone as it completes 10 remarkable years of pioneering innovation, manufacturing excellence, and high-impact healthcare solutions. Over the past decade, AMTZ has evolved into a cornerstone of India’s medical technology landscape, empowering homegrown technologies and significantly reducing reliance on imported medical equipment.

Established as a world-class, 270-acre dedicated MedTech ecosystem in Visakhapatnam, AMTZ LTD has redefined medical equipment manufacturing in the region. By offering state-of-the-art common scientific testing, prototyping, and manufacturing facilities under one roof, the zone has dramatically lowered entry barriers for innovators, nurturing over 100 healthtech startups and housing specialized hubs such as the BioValley Incubation Council and the Kalam Institute of Health Technology.

Beyond empowering local entrepreneurs, AMTZ played a crucial national role during critical health crises by rapidly scaling the indigenous production of RT-PCR kits, ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and other life-saving equipment. Today, through strategic global collaborations and international trade partnerships, AMTZ continues to bring Indian biomedical innovations to the global stage.

“Reaching our 10-year milestone is a testament to the dedication of our entire ecosystem,” said an AMTZ spokesperson. “As we look ahead, AMTZ LTD enters its second decade with renewed purpose—continuing to push the boundaries of MedTech innovation, empower indigenous technologies, and shape a healthier, self-reliant future for India and the world.”

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

ViiV Healthcare Advances HIV Care with Breakthrough Long-Acting Injectable Data at AIDS 2026

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ViiV Healthcare Advances HIV Care with Breakthrough Long-Acting Injectable Data at AIDS 2026

ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority-owned by GSK plc, announced landmark clinical, real-world, and pipeline data presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Headlining the presentation, 96-week results from the Phase III LATA trial demonstrated that Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine) dosed every two months is superior to daily oral therapy in virologically suppressed adolescents aged 12 to 19. The study showed confirmed viral rebound occurred in just 0.9% of adolescents receiving Cabenuva compared to 6.4% on daily oral treatment, with 94% reporting that long-acting injections were much easier to manage than daily pills. 

Reinforcing these findings in adult populations, real-world evidence from the US-based OPERA cohort of nearly 6,800 adults showed Cabenuva maintained virologic suppression comparable to daily oral BIC/FTC/TAF, with low confirmed virologic failure rates of 1% and 2%, respectively. Additionally, six-month follow-up data from the Phase I CLARITY study revealed a significantly more favorableinjection experience for long-acting cabotegravir (CAB LA) compared to lenacapavir (LEN) after a single dose. Seventy percent of participants rated the CAB LA experience as highly acceptable versus 37% for LEN, with CAB LA demonstrating far lower rates of persistent injection-site nodules (20% vs. 90%). Real-world insights from CAPTIVATE and PrEPFACTS further highlighted strong preference (97%) and high adherence (89%) for CAB LA (Apretude) for HIV prevention. 

Advancing its next-generation long-acting pipeline, ViiV Healthcare also shared baseline demographics from the Phase IIb EXTEND 4M trial evaluating a novel intramuscular cabotegravir formulation administered three times per year. Together, these milestone data underscore ViiV Healthcare’s commitment to expanding access, improving patient adherence, and defining the future of HIV treatment and prevention.

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

Wockhardt Launches “Wockhardt Antibiotic Academy” to Tackle Growing Threat of Multidrug Resistance in India

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Wockhardt Launches “Wockhardt Antibiotic Academy” to Tackle Growing Threat of Multidrug Resistance in India

Wockhardt Limited announced the launch of the Wockhardt Antibiotic Academy, a national initiative dedicated to fostering patient-centric scientific dialogue and advancing continuous medical education to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). 

With approximately 10 lakh patients in India dying annually due to multidrug-resistant infections over four times the annual loss of life experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic,the Academy addresses an urgent public health crisis. Designed as an open-access scientific learning platform for registered healthcare professionals across India, the initiative aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, real-world clinical evidence sharing, and evidence-based decision-making at the patient’s bedside. 

“There is an urgent need not only to have a new antibiotic like Zaynich, but also to have a science-based platform that fosters constructive dialogue on antimicrobial resistance and its appropriate management,” said Dr. Habil Khorakiwala, Founder Chairman of Wockhardt. “It is essential to use the right antibiotic for the right patient at the right time. We hope this Academy will create a deeper understanding of the current realities of drug resistance and promote evidence-based solutions that enable clinicians to save patients’ lives.” 

Dr. Subramaniam Swaminathan, President of the Clinical Infectious Diseases Society, India, highlighted the initiative’s clinical impact: “Resistance is not solved by guidelines alone. It is solved at the patient’s bedside, one clinical decision at a time. Antimicrobial stewardship continues to evolve… Any initiative that brings clinicians together to exchange knowledge and remain closely connected to science is a step in the right direction.” 

Through the Academy, Wockhardt will facilitate interactions with national and international infectious disease experts, uniting clinicians, scientific societies, and hospitals nationwide.

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Optimus Pharma Secures Regulatory Approval for Non-Steroidal Tapinarof Cream to Treat Plaque Psoriasis

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Optimus Pharma Secures Regulatory Approval for Non-Steroidal Tapinarof Cream to Treat Plaque Psoriasis

Optimus Pharma, a leading Indian pharmaceutical manufacturer and subsidiary of Sekhmet Pharmaventures, announced that it has received regulatory marketing approval for Tapinarof cream, an innovative non-steroidal topical treatment for adult plaque psoriasis.

The regulatory clearance covers both the finished formulation and the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), both of which will be produced in-house at Optimus Pharma’s cGMP-compliant manufacturing facilities.

Approval was granted following successful clinical trial outcomes in India. In a local study involving 213 patients, Tapinarof cream demonstrated statistically significant superiority over placebo in achieving Physician Global Assessment (PGA) success after 12 weeks of treatment. Additionally, the trial demonstrated clear numerical improvements across secondary endpoints, including Body Surface Area (BSA) involvement, the Peak Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (PP-NRS), and Psoriasis Symptom Diary (PSD) scores. As part of the regulatory mandate, Optimus Pharma will initiate a post-marketing safety study within three months.

Tapinarof acts as a novel aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, providing patients with a targeted, non-steroidal option for long-term management of chronic skin conditions. Internationally, the molecule is marketed under the brand name Vtama.

“The approval for Tapinarof is a significant milestone for Sekhmet and reflects our commitment to bringing differentiated pharmaceutical products to patients while maintaining the highest standards of quality,” said Sumit Kumar, Chief Commercial Officer at Sekhmet Pharmaventures.

With this approval, Optimus Pharma reinforces its position in advanced dermatology, strengthening India’s domestic supply chain for high-quality, vertically integrated therapies.

Written by: Pragna Biswas

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

Enhertu Shows Better Results Than Standard Treatment in Lung Cancer Trial

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Enhertu Shows Better Results Than Standard Treatment in Lung Cancer Trial

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo announced that their antibody-drug conjugate Enhertu (trastuzumabderuxtecan) has achieved a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival in the Phase III DESTINY-Lung04 trial, marking the first time a HER2-targeted therapy has outperformed the global standard of care as a first-line treatment for this cancer subtype.

The trial evaluated Enhertu against the current frontline regimen—chemotherapy combined with pembrolizumab immunotherapy—in adults with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer carrying HER2 mutations. This subgroup represents roughly 2–4% of NSCLC cases and tends to affect younger patients, often non-smokers, who face a higher risk of brain metastases and poorer outcomes.

Study leaders noted the results support moving Enhertu earlier into the treatment sequence, addressing a longstanding gap since many patients fail to respond adequately to existing frontline immunotherapy-chemotherapy combinations. Daiichi Sankyo’s R&D leadership emphasized that Enhertu was already established as a second-line option for this population, and these findings now point to its potential benefit even earlier in the disease course.

No new safety signals emerged during the trial, with the therapy’s tolerability profile remaining consistent with prior data. The trial, which enrolled 454 patients across sites in Asia, Europe and North America, will continue to track overall survival as a secondary measure. Full data are expected to be presented at an upcoming oncology conference and submitted to regulators worldwide.

Enhertu, jointly developed by the two companies since 2019, is already approved across multiple HER2-driven cancers, including breast, gastric and previously treated lung cancers, in more than 100 countries. This latest result adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the drug’s expansion into earlier lines of therapy.

Written By: Sayan Das 

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

AstraZeneca Halts Phase III eVOLVE-Lung02 Trial of Volrustomig in Advanced Lung Cancer

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AstraZeneca Halts Phase III eVOLVE-Lung02 Trial of Volrustomig in Advanced Lung Cancer

AstraZeneca has announced it is stopping its Phase III eVOLVE-Lung02 study, which was testing volrustomig combined with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) in patients with PD-L1 tumour expression below 50%. The trial compared this regimen against pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy.

The decision follows guidance from an Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC), which reviewed trial data on a scheduled basis and determined that the volrustomig arm was unlikely to achieve statistically meaningful improvements in either progression-free survival or overall survival — the trial’s two primary goals — among patients with PD-L1-negative tumours (below 1% expression), when measured against the comparator treatment.

Importantly, no new safety concerns emerged. The combination’s tolerability profile matched what has already been documented for each drug individually.

Susan Galbraith, the company’s Executive Vice President for Oncology Haematology R&D, expressed disappointment but framed the outcome as part of ongoing scientific learning, reaffirming AstraZeneca’s commitment to advancing its lung cancer pipeline.

Enrolling 895 patients across 25 countries, eVOLVE-Lung02 tested volrustomig — a bispecific antibody engineered to simultaneously block PD-1 and CTLA-4 pathways on T cells — against the established checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab. AstraZeneca confirmed that patients currently enrolled will continue receiving appropriate care and monitoring in coordination with study investigators.

Despite this setback, the company’s broader volrustomig development programme remains active, with Phase III trials continuing in cervical cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and mesothelioma.

Lung cancer remains the world’s deadliest cancer type, responsible for roughly 23% of all cancer-related deaths globally, with NSCLC representing the majority of diagnosed cases.

Written By: Sayan Das 

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

Argenx’s Efgartigimod Clears Phase 3, Bringing New Hope for Autoimmune Myositis

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Argenx’s Efgartigimod Clears Phase 3, Bringing New Hope for Autoimmune Myositis

argenx SE (Euronext & Nasdaq: ARGX) reported on August 17 that its Phase 3 ALKIVIA trial of subcutaneous efgartigimod (marketed as VYVGART Hytrulo) achieved its primary goal in adults with autoimmune myositis, a chronic inflammatory muscle disease with few treatment options.

Across the combined cohort of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) and dermatomyositis (DM) patients, those receiving efgartigimod posted a 15.4-point edge over placebo on the Total Improvement Score at one year (47.95 versus 32.56; p=0.0011). Benefits appeared as early as week four and held through a full year of dosing, even as background steroids were tapered.

Notably, IMNM patients, a group with no approved targeted therapy, showed a statistically significant 14.8-point gain over placebo. DM patients improved by a comparable 14.5 points, though this subgroup narrowly missed statistical significance given its smaller size. Investigators noted gains spanned muscle strength, physical function, and, in DM, skin involvement, with a tolerability profile consistent with efgartigimod’s established record.

“These results confirm that pathogenic IgG antibodies drive this disease, and blocking FcRn can meaningfully change outcomes for patients who have long relied only on steroids,” said Dr. Luc Truyen, argenx’s Chief Medical Officer.

The company plans to present full data at a forthcoming scientific congress and will discuss the readout on an investor call later today. argenx is also studying efgartigimod in Sjogren’s disease and systemic sclerosis. Zai Lab, argenx’s partner for Greater China, contributed patients to the global trial through its regional license for VYVGART Hytrulo.

Written By: Sayan Das

Graphics by: Pramit Hazra

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