CEOInterviews.AIAdar Poonawalla | "Really Hate Mosquitoes": At Davos, Adar Poonawalla Explains Vaccine Plans To NDTV

I

Interviewer0:00

How does that impact a vaccine manufacturer like you?

A

Adar Poonawalla0:02

Well, you know, we've been calling upon leaders and others here to step up to bridge that gap because there are other countries who can, you know, $500 million is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for others to kind of pitch in and contribute. I'm sure the WHO is already making plans to ensure that all their critical programs, like as you mentioned, you know, pre-qualifying vaccines and getting them approved and maintaining the standards for vaccines and other medicines, is a very critical aspect of what the WHO does because all these other countries go by their quality standards and recommendations. So the impact to vaccine and other pharmaceutical companies could be there if this area is not looked at, but I'm sure the WHO will be focusing on their key areas and priorities so that nothing takes a back step. It's still early days to say, but I don't see any major impact as of now.

I

Interviewer1:01

What is the efficacy of the malaria vaccine in Africa?

A

Adar Poonawalla1:03

Well, it's 77%, which is very good. And you know, we are working on next-gen vaccines which will be even better over the course of the next few years.

I

Interviewer1:17

And in India, when would you?

A

Adar Poonawalla1:19

Well, you know, this malaria vaccine works on the falciparum, which is the parasite prevalent and found in Africa. We have another one called vivax in India. There's no vaccine for that at the moment. Maybe in a few years there could be some technological development.

I

Interviewer1:36

Are you sort of part of that process?

A

Adar Poonawalla1:38

Yes, with Oxford, that's going on still with Oxford. But you know, in the meanwhile, we're going to have a chikungunya vaccine in a year and a half, which is again a serious issue in India, a lot of people getting it. And also with climate change, we've seen a drastic increase in all these mosquito-borne viruses because, you know, when you've got construction going on and development in this part of the world, you have these water bodies which become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. You've got climate change where even a few degrees difference can, you know, increase the breeding of some of these mosquito species. So, you know, this is becoming an issue globally, not just in India. So we thought we'd focus a lot on our pipeline in that respect.

I

Interviewer2:23

What about dengue?

A

Adar Poonawalla2:25

Yeah, so that's also coming out in about two, two and a half years, the trials. Yeah, so that's for the globe. So it's a one-shot vaccine, that's the good thing, you don't have to take multiple doses. And you know, that'll be for India and everywhere else including chikungunya. It's only the malaria one which is for Africa at the moment. And of course, yellow fever also, which is a traveler's vaccine for anyone who needs to go to Africa. There aren't many manufacturers, you know, who make these vaccines because typically they're all sold at a very low price, so it's not very commercially interesting to most pharmaceutical companies to make these vaccines. And that's where we, as the Serum Institute, play a very key role.

I

Interviewer3:08

Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about some fun stuff, which you've done a huge investment, 1,000 crores, not a small one, in Bollywood, in Dharma Productions, Karan Johar and his company. Why did you do it?

A

Adar Poonawalla3:24

Well, a bunch of reasons, but you know, I've known Karan for a long time and we've always enjoyed all his films for many decades. And when this unique opportunity came about to partner with one of the most iconic brands and iconic creators of films, I found it quite interesting. And you know, it's not just about making these big commercial films, we want to make some good films which can have the right messaging, bring up certain issues to light. Where, you know, there were so many nice films made over the last few years, also look at Gangubai, which, you know, starring Alia, where you brought about an issue highlighting what sex workers go through in terms of the injustice done to them and the way they're treated. And so, you know, it's a soft power, whether it's to be used internationally or even in India for storytelling, for various other things. And we'll see how to strategically use that to do good for people and entertain, of course, because we all need some entertainment because we can't all keep working 70 hours a week.

I

Interviewer4:37

My question, that was my question. How many hours a week do you work?

A

Adar Poonawalla4:43

No, during COVID I may have been working 24 hours, but you know, it's all about your entrepreneurial journey. You have to work hard to build what you want to build and what you want to be. But that's not for everyone, and you can't do that continuously. You have to have time to unwind, refresh, relook at things. You also want to be able to network in places, you want to talk to people to raise funds, you want to do so many things. You can't do that if you're just...

I

Interviewer5:07

So what do you tell your employees, your workers? How many hours a week do they need to work?

A

Adar Poonawalla5:12

We have 8-hour shifts. We have two, three shifts, and that's the standard. So, you know, you want to operate a company, let's say from a CEO's point of view, say, you know, through the day, through the night, you have different shifts, you employ more people. So we start at 7:30 in the morning. I used to go at that time back in the day. I sometimes go at that time, but nowadays, you know, I'll probably go at about 9:00 or 10:00. And then at 4:00 that shift ends and, you know, the next one takes over.

I

Interviewer5:45

Productive beyond a certain number of hours?

A

Adar Poonawalla5:46

No, I don't think it's humanly possible. I mean, look, in a crisis or in an opportunity, of course, you know, your adrenaline's pumping, you can work for a period of one or two days, three days. You know, during COVID there were nights where I hardly got three or four hours of sleep because you were talking to the US, talking to so many people. But that's not something that is sustainable. So, you know, you do it in phases. And I think, you know, in lighter vein, all these people were talking about it, all they meant was there's no substitute for hard work, and that is the right message. I think everything else you have to balance it out in a proper and humane manner.

I

Interviewer6:23

Right. Adar Poonawalla, wonderful speaking to you. There you have it, a new set of vaccines bringing hope to so many around the world. Adar Poonawalla, an inspiration at so many levels, but he's got a diverse range of interests. Certainly Bollywood, he likes aircraft as well. We never had an interview with him on that, but certainly when it comes to vaccine and the manufacture of vaccines, the Serum Institute of India is a world beater.

With the world having moved away to a large extent from broader concerns on COVID, of course it is something that is never really going to go away. It's time perhaps to focus on vaccines, new ones which are going to change the lives of any number of people around the world. The Serum Institute of India is a global leader, they manufacture more vaccines than any other company in the world. Adar Poonawalla with me. Thank you, Adar, very much for being with us. It's welcome that we aren't talking about COVID. I mean, we've had a couple of nightmarish years one way or the other, but I think our focus this time is on hope. And I think that hope is linked to the malaria vaccine. It's been a huge killer across the world. The vaccine that you are manufacturing is already out in Africa, is that right? How is it doing? When is it going to come to India?

A

Adar Poonawalla7:45

So nice to be here with you in Davos and nice to move on from COVID and talk about anything else. From COVID, you know, I just want to say I really hate mosquitoes and they, as you know, kill more human beings than any other animal on the planet with all the different mosquito-borne diseases, from dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and you know, even malaria of course. So with that in mind, after COVID, I sort of focused our capex and partnerships with various companies that we'll talk about to, you know, make vaccines for malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Now those other vaccines are about two, two years away from launch, but we have launched, as you know, as you mentioned, the malaria vaccine which is already beginning to protect children in Africa. And you know, right now with the GAVI replenishment where they need to raise billions of dollars for various vaccine programs in Africa, it is challenging to get enough funding to get, you know, the kind of vaccine coverage to scale up the volumes to be delivered and procured.

I

Interviewer9:01

So costing is an issue?

A

Adar Poonawalla9:03

Well, yes. So that's where we played a major role. This malaria vaccine by other manufacturers in the West was being offered at $8 to $10. We have brought down that price to $4, so that's more than a 50% reduction, only with the objective of providing more access to more children who can now take it, you know, with the budgets being strained and all of that. And of course, with the backdrop of the latest news that we've all were shocked, or maybe some people were not shocked, to hear about the funding being withdrawn by the US. And I hope that's only temporary and they relook at it because you see, organizations, multilateral organizations like the WHO play a very critical role in maintaining, sustaining global standards for medicines and vaccines, for maintaining global health systems, testing, research, surveillance. So, you know, they need funding. And if there is no US funding for WHO, as will be the case for at least the immediate future, how does that impact a vaccine manufacturer like you?

I

Interviewer10:10

How does that impact a vaccine manufacturer like you?

A

Adar Poonawalla10:14

Well, you know, we've been calling upon leaders and others here to step up to bridge that gap because there are other countries who can, you know, $500 million is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for others to kind of pitch in and contribute. I'm sure the WHO is already making plans to ensure that all their critical programs, like as you mentioned, you know, pre-qualifying vaccines and getting them approved and maintaining the standards for vaccines and other medicines, is a very critical aspect of what the WHO does because all these other countries go by their quality standards and recommendations. So the impact to vaccine and other pharmaceutical companies could be there if this area is not looked at, but I'm sure the WHO will be focusing on their key areas and priorities so that nothing takes a back step. It's still early days to say, but I don't see any major impact as of now.

I

Interviewer11:09

Yeah, yeah. What is the efficacy of the malaria vaccine in Africa?

A

Adar Poonawalla11:14

Well, it's 77%, which is very good. And you know, we are working on next-gen vaccines which will be even better over the course of the next few years.

I

Interviewer11:26

And in India, when would you?

A

Adar Poonawalla11:28

Well, you know, this malaria vaccine works on the falciparum, which is the parasite prevalent and found in Africa. We have another one called vivax in India. There's no vaccine for that at the moment. Maybe in a few years there could be some technological development.

I

Interviewer11:43

Are you sort of part of that process?

A

Adar Poonawalla11:48

Yes, with Oxford, that's going on still with Oxford. But you know, in the meanwhile, we're going to have a chikungunya vaccine in a year and a half, which is again a serious issue in India, a lot of people getting it. And also with climate change, we've seen a drastic increase in all these mosquito-borne viruses because, you know, when you've got construction going on and development in this part of the world, you have these water bodies which become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. You've got climate change where even a few degrees difference can, you know, increase the breeding of some of these mosquito species. So, you know, this is becoming an issue globally, not just in India. So we thought we'd focus a lot on our pipeline in that respect.

I

Interviewer12:33

What about dengue?

A

Adar Poonawalla12:35

Yeah, so that's also coming out in about two, two and a half years, the trials. Yeah, so that's for the globe. So it's a one-shot vaccine, that's the good thing, you don't have to take multiple doses. And you know, that'll be for India and everywhere else including chikungunya. It's only the malaria one which is for Africa at the moment. And of course, yellow fever also, which is a traveler's vaccine for anyone who needs to go to Africa. There aren't many manufacturers, you know, who make these vaccines because typically they're all sold at a very low price, so it's not very commercially interesting to most pharmaceutical companies to make these vaccines. And that's where we, as the Serum Institute, play a very key role.

I

Interviewer13:17

Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about some fun stuff, which you've done a huge investment, 1,000 crores, not a small one, in Bollywood, in Dharma Productions, Karan Johar and his company. Why did you do it?

A

Adar Poonawalla13:34

Well, a bunch of reasons, but you know, I've known Karan for a long time and we've always enjoyed all his films for many decades. And when this unique opportunity came about to partner with one of the most iconic brands and iconic creators of films, I found it quite interesting. And you know, it's not just about making these big commercial films, we want to make some good films which can have the right messaging, bring up certain issues to light. Where, you know, there were so many nice films made over the last few years, also look at Gangubai, which, you know, starring Alia, where you brought about an issue highlighting what sex workers go through in terms of the injustice done to them and the way they're treated. And so, you know, it's a soft power, whether it's to be used internationally or even in India for storytelling, for various other things. And we'll see how to strategically use that to do good for people and entertain, of course, because we all need some entertainment because we can't all keep working 70 hours a week.

I

Interviewer14:47

My question, that was my question. How many hours a week do you work?

A

Adar Poonawalla14:53

No, during COVID I may have been working 24 hours, but you know, it's all about your entrepreneurial journey. You have to work hard to build what you want to build and what you want to be. But that's not for everyone, and you can't do that continuously. You have to have time to unwind, refresh, relook at things. You also want to be able to network in places, you want to talk to people to raise funds, you want to do so many things. You can't do that if you're just...

I

Interviewer15:17

So what do you tell your employees, your workers? How many hours a week do they need to work?

A

Adar Poonawalla15:22

We have 8-hour shifts. We have two, three shifts, and that's the standard. So, you know, you want to operate a company, let's say from a CEO's point of view, say, you know, through the day, through the night, you have different shifts, you employ more people. So we start at 7:30 in the morning. I used to go at that time back in the day. I sometimes go at that time, but nowadays, you know, I'll probably go at about 9:00 or 10:00. And then at 4:00 that shift ends and, you know, the next one takes over.

I

Interviewer15:55

Productive beyond a certain number of hours?

A

Adar Poonawalla15:57

No, I don't think it's humanly possible. I mean, look, in a crisis or in an opportunity, of course, you know, your adrenaline's pumping, you can work for a period of one or two days, three days. You know, during COVID there were nights where I hardly got three or four hours of sleep because you were talking to the US, talking to so many people. But that's not something that is sustainable. So, you know, you do it in phases. And I think, you know, in lighter vein, all these people were talking about it, all they meant was there's no substitute for hard work, and that is the right message. I think everything else you have to balance it out in a proper and humane manner.

I

Interviewer16:33

Right. Adar Poonawalla, wonderful speaking to you. There you have it, a new set of vaccines bringing hope to so many around the world. Adar Poonawalla, an inspiration at so many levels, but he's got a diverse range of interests. Certainly Bollywood, he likes aircraft as well. We never had an interview with him on that, but certainly when it comes to vaccine and the manufacture of vaccines, the Serum Institute of India is a world beater.

With the world having moved away to a large extent from broader concerns on COVID, of course it is something that is never really going to go away. It's time perhaps to focus on vaccines, new ones which are going to change the lives of any number of people around the world. The Serum Institute of India is a global leader, they manufacture more vaccines than any other company in the world. Adar Poonawalla with me. Thank you, Adar, very much for being with us. It's welcome that we aren't talking about COVID. I mean, we've had a couple of nightmarish years one way or the other, but I think our focus this time is on hope. And I think that hope is linked to the malaria vaccine. It's been a huge killer across the world. The vaccine that you are manufacturing is already out in Africa, is that right? How is it doing? When is it going to come to India?

A

Adar Poonawalla17:54

So nice to be here with you in Davos and nice to move on from COVID and talk about anything else. From COVID, you know, I just want to say I really hate mosquitoes and they, as you know, kill more human beings than any other animal on the planet with all the different mosquito-borne diseases, from dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and you know, even malaria of course. So with that in mind, after COVID, I sort of focused our capex and partnerships with various companies that we'll talk about to, you know, make vaccines for malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Now those other vaccines are about two, two years away from launch, but we have launched, as you know, as you mentioned, the malaria vaccine which is already beginning to protect children in Africa. And you know, right now with the GAVI replenishment where they need to raise billions of dollars for various vaccine programs in Africa, it is challenging to get enough funding to get, you know, the kind of vaccine coverage to scale up the volumes to be delivered and procured.

I

Interviewer19:12

So costing is an issue?

A

Adar Poonawalla19:14

Well, yes. So that's where we played a major role. This malaria vaccine by other manufacturers in the West was being offered at $8 to $10. We have brought down that price to $4, so that's more than a 50% reduction, only with the objective of providing more access to more children who can now take it, you know, with the budgets being strained and all of that. And of course, with the backdrop of the latest news that we've all were shocked, or maybe some people were not shocked, to hear about the funding being withdrawn by the US. And I hope that's only temporary and they relook at it because you see, organizations, multilateral organizations like the WHO play a very critical role in maintaining, sustaining global standards for medicines and vaccines, for maintaining global health systems, testing, research, surveillance. So, you know, they need funding. And if there is no US funding for WHO, as will be the case for at least the immediate future, how does that impact a vaccine manufacturer like you?

I

Interviewer20:21

How does that impact a vaccine manufacturer like you?

A

Adar Poonawalla20:24

Well, you know, we've been calling upon leaders and others here to step up to bridge that gap because there are other countries who can, you know, $500 million is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for others to kind of pitch in and contribute. I'm sure the WHO is already making plans to ensure that all their critical programs, like as you mentioned, you know, pre-qualifying vaccines and getting them approved and maintaining the standards for vaccines and other medicines, is a very critical aspect of what the WHO does because all these other countries go by their quality standards and recommendations. So the impact to vaccine and other pharmaceutical companies could be there if this area is not looked at, but I'm sure the WHO will be focusing on their key areas and priorities so that nothing takes a back step. It's still early days to say, but I don't see any major impact as of now.

I

Interviewer21:20

Yeah, yeah. What is the efficacy of the malaria vaccine in Africa?

A

Adar Poonawalla21:25

Well, it's 77%, which is very good. And you know, we are working on next-gen vaccines which will be even better over the course of the next few years.

I

Interviewer21:37

And in India, when would you?

A

Adar Poonawalla21:39

Well, you know, this malaria vaccine works on the falciparum, which is the parasite prevalent and found in Africa. We have another one called vivax in India. There's no vaccine for that at the moment. Maybe in a few years there could be some technological development.

I

Interviewer21:54

Are you sort of part of that process?

A

Adar Poonawalla21:59

Yes, with Oxford, that's going on still with Oxford. But you know, in the meanwhile, we're going to have a chikungunya vaccine in a year and a half, which is again a serious issue in India, a lot of people getting it. And also with climate change, we've seen a drastic increase in all these mosquito-borne viruses because, you know, when you've got construction going on and development in this part of the world, you have these water bodies which become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. You've got climate change where even a few degrees difference can, you know, increase the breeding of some of these mosquito species. So, you know, this is becoming an issue globally, not just in India. So we thought we'd focus a lot on our pipeline in that respect.

I

Interviewer22:43

What about dengue?

A

Adar Poonawalla22:46

Yeah, so that's also coming out in about two, two and a half years, the trials. Yeah, so that's for the globe. So it's a one-shot vaccine, that's the good thing, you don't have to take multiple doses. And you know, that'll be for India and everywhere else including chikungunya. It's only the malaria one which is for Africa at the moment. And of course, yellow fever also, which is a traveler's vaccine for anyone who needs to go to Africa. There aren't many manufacturers, you know, who make these vaccines because typically they're all sold at a very low price, so it's not very commercially interesting to most pharmaceutical companies to make these vaccines. And that's where we, as the Serum Institute, play a very key role.

I

Interviewer23:26

Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about some fun stuff, which you've done a huge investment, 1,000 crores, not a small one, in Bollywood, in Dharma Productions, Karan Johar and his company. Why did you do it?

A

Adar Poonawalla23:45

Well, a bunch of reasons, but you know, I've known Karan for a long time and we've always enjoyed all his films for many decades. And when this unique opportunity came about to partner with one of the most iconic brands and iconic creators of films, I found it quite interesting. And you know, it's not just about making these big commercial films, we want to make some good films which can have the right messaging, bring up certain issues to light. Where, you know, there were so many nice films made over the last few years, also look at Gangubai, which, you know, starring Alia, where you brought about an issue highlighting what sex workers go through in terms of the injustice done to them and the way they're treated. And so, you know, it's a soft power, whether it's to be used internationally or even in India for storytelling, for various other things. And we'll see how to strategically use that to do good for people and entertain, of course, because we all need some entertainment because we can't all keep working 70 hours a week.

I

Interviewer24:56

My question, that was my question. How many hours a week do you work?

A

Adar Poonawalla25:03

No, during COVID I may have been working 24 hours, but you know, it's all about your entrepreneurial journey. You have to work hard to build what you want to build and what you want to be. But that's not for everyone, and you can't do that continuously. You have to have time to unwind, refresh, relook at things. You also want to be able to network in places, you want to talk to people to raise funds, you want to do so many things. You can't do that if you're just...

I

Interviewer25:28

So what do you tell your employees, your workers? How many hours a week do they need to work?

A

Adar Poonawalla25:33

We have 8-hour shifts. We have two, three shifts, and that's the standard. So, you know, you want to operate a company, let's say from a CEO's point of view, say, you know, through the day, through the night, you have different shifts, you employ more people. So we start at 7:30 in the morning. I used to go at that time back in the day. I sometimes go at that time, but nowadays, you know, I'll probably go at about 9:00 or 10:00. And then at 4:00 that shift ends and, you know, the next one takes over.

I

Interviewer26:04

Productive beyond a certain number of hours?

A

Adar Poonawalla26:07

No, I don't think it's humanly possible. I mean, look, in a crisis or in an opportunity, of course, you know, your adrenaline's pumping, you can work for a period of one or two days, three days. You know, during COVID there were nights where I hardly got three or four hours of sleep because you were talking to the US, talking to so many people. But that's not something that is sustainable. So, you know, you do it in phases. And I think, you know, in lighter vein, all these people were talking about it, all they meant was there's no substitute for hard work, and that is the right message. I think everything else you have to balance it out in a proper and humane manner.

It all they meant was there's no substitute for hard work, and that is the right message. I think everything else you have to balance it out in a proper and humane manner, right?

I

Interviewer26:46

Adar Poonawalla, wonderful speaking to you. There you have it, a new set of vaccines bringing hope to so many around the world. Adar Poonawalla, an inspiration at so many levels. But he's got a diverse range of interests, certainly Bollywood. He likes aircraft as well. We never had an interview with him on that, but certainly when it comes to vaccine and the manufacture of vaccines, the Serum Institute of India is a world beater.

With the world having moved away to a large extent from broader concerns on COVID, of course it is something that is never really going to go away. It's time perhaps to focus on vaccines, new ones which are going to change the lives of any number of people around the world. The Serum Institute of India is a global leader. They manufacture more vaccines than any other company in the world. Adar Poonawalla with me. Thank you, Adar, very much for being with us. It's welcome that we aren't talking about COVID. I mean, we've had a couple of nightmarish years one way or the other, but I think our focus this time is on hope. And I think that hope is linked to the malaria vaccine. It's been a huge killer across the world. The vaccine that you are manufacturing is already out in Africa, is that right? How is it doing? When is it going to come to India?

A

Adar Poonawalla28:06

So nice to be here with you in Davos and nice to move on from COVID and talk about anything else. From COVID, you know, I just want to say I really hate mosquitoes. And they, as you know, kill more human beings than any other animal on the planet with all the different mosquito-borne diseases, from dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and you know, even malaria of course. So with that in mind, after COVID, I sort of focused our capex and partnerships with various companies that we'll talk about to, you know, make vaccines for malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Now those other vaccines are about two years away from launch, right? But we have launched, as you know, as you mentioned, the malaria vaccine which is already beginning to protect children in Africa. And you know, right now with the GAVI replenishment where they need to raise billions of dollars for various vaccine programs in Africa, it is challenging to get enough funding to get, you know, the kind of vaccine coverage to scale up the volumes to be delivered and procured.

I

Interviewer29:22

So costing is an issue?

A

Adar Poonawalla29:25

Well, yes. So that's where we played a major role. This malaria vaccine by other manufacturers in the West was being offered at $8 to $10. We have brought down that price to $4, so that's more than a 50% reduction, only with the objective of providing more access to more children who can now take it, you know, with the budgets being strained and all of that. And of course, with the backdrop of the latest news that we've all were shocked, or maybe some people were not shocked, to hear about the funding being withdrawn by the US. And I hope that's only temporary and they relook at it because you see, organizations, multilateral organizations like the WHO play a very critical role in maintaining, sustaining global standards for medicines and vaccines, for maintaining global health systems, testing, research, surveillance. So you know, they need funding.

I

Interviewer30:25

And if there is no US funding for WHO, as will be the case for at least the immediate future, how does that impact a vaccine manufacturer like you?

A

Adar Poonawalla30:34

Well, you know, we've been calling upon leaders and others here to step up to bridge that gap because there are other countries who can, you know, $500 million is not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things for others to kind of pitch in and contribute. I'm sure the WHO is already making plans to ensure that all their critical programs, like as you mentioned, you know, pre-qualifying vaccines and getting them approved and maintaining the standards for vaccines and other medicines, is a very critical aspect of what WHO does because all these other countries go by their quality standards and recommendations. So the impact to vaccine and other pharmaceutical companies could be there if, you know, this area is not looked at. But I'm sure the WHO will be focusing on their key areas and priorities so that nothing takes a back step. It's still early days to say, but I don't see any major impact as of now.

I

Interviewer31:30

Yeah. What is the efficacy of the malaria vaccine in Africa?

A

Adar Poonawalla31:35

Well, it's 77%, which is very good. And you know, we are working on next-gen vaccines which will be even better over the course of the next few years.

I

Interviewer31:47

And in India, when would you...?

A

Adar Poonawalla31:49

Well, you know, this malaria vaccine works on the falciparum, which is the parasite prevalent and found in Africa. We have another one called vivax in India. There's no vaccine for that at the moment. Maybe in a few years there could be some technological development.

I

Interviewer32:03

Yes. Are you sort of part of that process?

A

Adar Poonawalla32:07

Yes, with Oxford. That's going on still with Oxford. But you know, in the meanwhile, we're going to have a chikungunya vaccine in a year and a half, which is again a serious issue in India, a lot of people getting it. And also with climate change, we've seen a drastic increase in all these mosquito-borne viruses because, you know, when you've got construction going on and development in this part of the world, you have these water bodies which become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. You've got climate change where even a few degrees difference can, you know, increase the breeding of some of these mosquito species. So you know, this is becoming an issue globally, not just in India. So we thought we'd focus a lot on our pipeline in that respect.

I

Interviewer32:52

What about dengue?

A

Adar Poonawalla32:55

Yeah, so that's also coming out in about two, two and a half years, the trials. Yeah, so that's for the globe. So it's a one-shot vaccine, that's the good thing, you don't have to take multiple doses. And you know, that'll be for India and everywhere else including chikungunya. It's only the malaria one which is for Africa at the moment. And of course, yellow fever also, which is a traveler's vaccine for anyone who needs to go to Africa. There aren't many manufacturers, you know, who make these vaccines because typically they're all sold at a very low price, so it's not very commercially interesting to most pharmaceutical companies to make these vaccines. And that's where we, and as Serum Institute, play a very key role.

I

Interviewer33:39

Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about some fun stuff, which you've done a huge investment, 1,000 crores, not a small one, in Bollywood, in Dharma Productions, Karan Johar and his company. Why did you do it?

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Adar Poonawalla33:55

Well, a bunch of reasons, but you know, I've known Karan for a long time and we've always enjoyed all his films for many decades. And when this unique opportunity came about to partner with one of the most iconic brands and iconic creators of films, I found it quite interesting. And you know, it's not just about making, you know, these big commercial films. We want to make some good films which can have the right messaging, bring up certain issues to light. Where, you know, there were so many nice films made over the last few years. Also look at Gangubai, which, you know, starring Alia, where you brought about an issue, highlighting what sex workers go through in terms of the injustice done to them and the way they're treated. And so, you know, it's a soft power, whether it's to be used internationally or even in India, for storytelling, for various other things. And we'll see how to strategically use that to do good for people and entertain, of course, because we all need some entertainment because we can't all keep working 24/7.

I

Interviewer35:06

My question, that was my question. How many hours a week do you work?

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Adar Poonawalla35:12

No, no. During COVID I may have been working 24 hours, but you know, it's all about your entrepreneurial journey. You have to work hard to build what you want to build and what you want to be. But that's not for everyone, and you can't do that continuously. You have to have time to unwind, refresh, relook at things. You also want to be able to network in places, you want to talk to people to raise funds, you want to do so many things. You can't do that if you're just...

I

Interviewer35:38

So what do you tell your employees, your workers? How many hours a week do they need to work?

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Adar Poonawalla35:43

We have eight-hour shifts. We have two, three shifts. And the standard, so you know, you want to operate a company, let's say from a CEO's point of view, say, you know, through the day, through the night, you have different shifts, you employ more people. So we start at 7:30 in the morning. I used to go at that time back in the day. I sometimes go at that time, but nowadays, you know, I'll probably go at about 9:00 or 10:00. But and then at 4:00 that shift ends and, you know, the next one takes over.

I

Interviewer36:14

Productive beyond a certain number of hours?

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Adar Poonawalla36:16

No, I don't think it's humanly possible. I mean, look, in a crisis or in an opportunity, of course, you know, your adrenaline's pumping, you can work for a period of one or two days. During COVID there were nights where I hardly got three or four hours of sleep because you were talking to the US, we were talking to so many people. But that's not something that is sustainable. So you know, you do it in phases. And I think, you know, in lighter vein, all these people were talking about it, all they meant was there's no substitute for hard work, and that is the right message. I think everything else you have to balance it out in a proper and humane manner, right?

I

Interviewer36:54

Adar Poonawalla, wonderful speaking to you. There you have it, a new set of vaccines bringing hope to so many around the world. Adar Poonawalla, an inspiration at so many levels. But he's got a diverse range of interests, certainly Bollywood. He likes aircraft as well. We never had an interview with him on that, but certainly when it comes to vaccine and the manufacture of vaccines, the Serum Institute of India is a world beater.

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