G V Prasad and Satish Reddy on pioneering Drug Discovery and R&D
In an interview for the India Pharma Archives Oral History Project.
Co-Chairman and Managing Director, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.
Search every verified G Prasad interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. G. V. Prasad, Co-Chairman and Managing Director of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, discussed the company’s early foray into drug discovery, which began in 1992 when the firm was primarily a bulk active ingredient and formulation manufacturer. He recounted that founder Dr. K. Anji Reddy believed the company’s chemistry expertise could be leveraged to create original drugs, leading to the establishment of a separate research entity. This effort initially yielded compounds licensed to Novo Nordisk, but the program faced a major setback when animal studies revealed tumors, prompting the suspension of trials and the eventual shutdown of that particular drug class. Prasad noted that the company subsequently restructured its research operations, founding a wholly owned subsidiary called Axygen in 2002 to provide fee-for-service work and collaborative projects. Over time, the focus shifted to oncology, leveraging the team’s expertise developed through partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies. He stated that the current pipeline includes several products in clinical trials, with three in Phase II and one in Phase III, and expressed optimism about the visibility and potential of the company’s work in immuno-oncology, though he acknowledged that the original goal of launching a globally developed drug remains unfinished.
In an interview for the India Pharma Archives Oral History Project.
Speech by Shri G. V. Prasad, Co Chairman & Managing Director, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited after being Felicitated at the IDMA Pharma Leadership Conclave 2026 held at Westin Hotel Hyderabad on 26th June 2026
G.V. Prasad has spent over thirty years at the helm of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories — long enough to know where the opportunities were missed and where the potential and challenges lie. In a candid conversation with ET’s pharma editor Vikas Dandekar on Corner Office Conversation, the Co-Chairman and Managing Director pulls no punches: India is the generic pharmacy of the world, not the pharmacy of the world, and that distinction matters. He reflects on regulatory crises weathered, acquisitions never made, and an innovation pipeline that remained perpetually underfunded. On AI, he is deliberately u…
G.V. Prasad has spent over thirty years at the helm of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories — long enough to know where the opportunities were missed and where the potential and challenges lie. In a candid conversation with ET’s pharma editor Vikas Dandekar on Corner Office Conversation, the Co-Chairman and Managing Director pulls no punches: India is the generic pharmacy of the world, not the pharmacy of the world, and that distinction matters. He reflects on regulatory crises weathered, acquisitions never made, and an innovation pipeline that remained perpetually underfunded. On AI, he is deliberately u…
We’re back with Episode 3 of Udaiti Dialogues, featuring a powerful conversation with G.V. Prasad, Co-Chairman of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, in dialogue with Pooja Sharma Goyal, Founding CEO, The Udaiti Foundation. As India’s pharmaceutical sector accelerates from a USD 55 billion industry today to a projected USD 130 billion by 2030, it stands at a critical crossroads. While growth promises millions of jobs across manufacturing, R&D, and sales, women currently make up just 11% of the pharma workforce. In this episode, we examine why women remain excluded from one of India’s most knowledge-…
In this session at GCC 2025, Prasad from Dr. Reddy’s unpacks the evolving role of technology in pharma—from molecule synthesis to AI-led drug discovery. Speaking to a room full of Global Capability Center (GCC) leaders, he draws parallels between India’s IT sector and pharma, revealing how AI tools like AlphaFold, robotics, and generative simulations are reshaping R&D, particularly in generics. Prasad also delves into hot-button topics like GLP-1 treatments , the patent battles with big pharma, and why China has outpaced India in biotech innovation. With sharp insight, he challenges India’s…
drreddys #pharmaindustry #podcast Celebrating 40 years, Dr Reddy's Laboratories stands out in the Indian pharma industry for its ...
Celebrating 40 years, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories stands out in the Indian pharma industry for its focus on governance and innovation. Founded in 1984 by scientist Dr Anji Reddy, the company has had a history of bold moves like early public listing, investing in drug discovery or hiring an expat CEO. Little wonder that the company has ended up being a CEO factory for the Indian pharma industry. The company has also been open about its mistakes and challenges like a large acquisition that fell short of expectations. Join hosts Kiran Somvanshi (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...) and Arijit B…
MD & Co-Chairman of DR Reddy's GV Prasad shares his views on Generative AI as he discusses the pharma industry's outlook ...
Dr. Reddy’s plans to invest ₹700 Cr into capacity expansion of biosimilars and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. GV Prasad, Co-chairman and Managing Director of Dr. Reddy Laboratories shares his insights on future investments and artificial intelligence. We have seen how AI has reduced the amount of experimentation we need to do, bring more precision to our work, and give us ideas that normal human beings wouldn’t have thought about. He also said how they are using machine learning to understand scaleups. For information watch this interview. #drreddys #davos #worldeconomicforum Moneycontro…
#davosbrainstorm #Davos2024 #davoswithbt #GVPrasad #drreddys Dive into the heart of pharmaceutical excellence with our exclusive discussion featuring G V Prasad, Co-Chairman & MD, Dr Reddy’s Labs in conversation with Siddharth Zarabi, Managing Editor, Business Today TV. Join us for a first-hand look into the dynamic world of pharmacy management, into insights on navigating healthcare landscapes, ensuring medication accessibility, and fostering innovation in the pharmaceutical sector. From behind-the-counter operations to industry trends, this conversation offers a compelling exploration of th…
On Day 1 of ET Boardroom Dialogues, presented in partnership with Diageo India, GV Prasad, Co-chairman and Managing Director of Dr Reddy's Labs, speaks on the importance of building sustainable business practices that drive long-term growth and profitability. In a fireside chat with Miloni Bhatt, Editor - Digital Broadcast, EconomicTimes.com, GV Prasad also shares insights from Dr Reddy's Labs’ sustainability efforts and explores the opportunities and challenges of fostering a sustainable future through collective corporate action. To know more about the ET Boardroom Dialogues 2023, visit ht…
“In 10 years time, I want us to get at least 30 to 50% of our revenue from innovative products. That's doable. I think that's... It is doable, but it's not business as usual. It is a leap like you said. And we have to make that leap.”
“The Indian pharmaceutical sector is a major force in the world today in the space of active ingredients, generics and increasingly services. But we are yet to make an impact in innovation in discovering drugs and launching them. Globally there's one or two products which are coming out from the industry but if you look at where China is, they become the number two innovator in the world after the US, they've overtake”
“I think we have to become more outcome oriented and we have to invest in basic sciences like the Chinese have done. We have to create maybe 100 universities which are very deep in science and technology. And then we have to create the ecosystem of funding innovation. We have to take risks. Not always look at the PE multiple, but really look at the value of the intellectual property you're generating and have a system”
“We as a country are very good at solving a problem which is well defined but we don't have the imagination to see what's next and put our money there or put our effort there and I see this in my labs also that's why generics we are kings exactly innovation we still struggling right yeah so even our PhD system I don't know if it encourages people to think out of the box Think imagine a new way of doing paradigm a new ”
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