Indian drugmakers hit record year for M&A and deal values

Activity in the pharma sector is rife in India, with mergers and acquisition deal values doubling given revived domestic and cross-border deal activity. Technology in the form of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data has also come to the aid of the pharmaceutical industry, reports The Pharma Letter’s India correspondent.

India's drug sector recorded deals worth over $2.1 billion in 2018, as compared to $1.9 billion last year. Acquisitions provide access to new markets and it also aids value addition in existing markets.

Globally, pharma companies have used mergers and acquisition (M&A) as a standard lever for growth as it provides access to specialty products. Now, Indian companies appear to be using the same lever.