Obesity, Diabetes Among the Biggest Health Threats of the Century

Hyderabad: Leaders from pharma, biotech, investment, and global health have agreed that the next phase of growth in life sciences will not be driven by standalone molecules alone. Instead, it will rely on integrated platforms that combine discovery, development, manufacturing, analytics, digital tools, and capital. However, declining public trust in science and fluctuations in funding could jeopardize preparedness and long-term progress.

Speaking at a panel discussion titled “From Challenges to Health Wins — Where Will Growth Come From (2026–2030)” during the BioAsia event, Dr. Peter Piot, Special Advisor on Health Security to the EU and former Chief Scientific Adviser on Epidemics, said the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that rapid research and development, flexible manufacturing, and accelerated regulatory approvals are possible without compromising quality.

At the same time, he warned that waning public trust in science and inconsistent funding patterns could undermine global health preparedness. Dr. Piot identified obesity and diabetes as the biggest health threats of the century, calling them a “tsunami,” and stressed the need to focus not only on innovation but also on prevention.

Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk India, highlighted the sharp rise in chronic metabolic diseases in India, which affect millions and account for nearly 2.5 percent of the country’s GDP. He noted that GLP-1 therapy represents just the beginning of a major wave of metabolic innovation, shifting the focus from lifespan to “healthspan.”

Panelists also identified biosimilars as a $100–120 billion opportunity in the coming years, as several biologics are expected to go off patent by 2030. Evolving U.S. regulations are increasingly favoring analytics-driven approvals rather than requiring entirely new studies, creating a significant opportunity for India—provided it strengthens its analytical depth, manufacturing scale, and regulatory credibility.

Amit Mookim, CEO of Immuneel Therapeutics, pointed out that India has delivered CAR-T therapy at less than 10 percent of global costs, challenging conventional assumptions about scalability and affordability. However, he emphasized that building platform intellectual property and strengthening ecosystem infrastructure remain critical priorities.

Investors on the panel described regulatory delays as India’s biggest bottleneck, leading to lower risk capital inflows compared to China. They stressed that faster approvals, stronger academia-industry collaboration, and coordinated ecosystem development will be essential for India to capitalize on emerging global opportunities in life sciences.