AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd is strengthening its leadership across key therapy areas by accelerating the introduction of innovative medicines, investing in healthcare infrastructure and expanding partnerships to improve early diagnosis and patient access, according to its Managing Director and Country President Praveen Rao Akkinepally.
In his message to shareholders in the company’s Annual Report 2026, Akkinepally said the company’s priorities remain centred on deepening leadership in its therapy areas, accelerating access to innovation, investing in health system resilience and creating long-term value for patients and the healthcare ecosystem.
Innovation pipeline gains momentum
A defining feature of FY26 was the pace at which AstraZeneca brought new therapies to Indian patients.
During the year, the company secured 11 regulatory approvals covering new medicines and indications, reinforcing its presence across multiple high-burden disease segments while addressing significant unmet medical needs.
The approvals spanned several critical therapy areas, including endometrial cancer, muscle-invasive bladder cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, HER2-low and HER2-ultralow breast cancer, HER2-positive solid tumours, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, gastric cancer, liver cancer and hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.
Akkinepally said the approvals reflect the strength of AstraZeneca’s research pipeline, scientific capabilities and commitment to making breakthrough therapies available to patients in India at a faster pace.
Strengthening the healthcare ecosystem
Beyond expanding its medicines portfolio, AstraZeneca continues to invest in initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem through improved diagnostics, clinical education and earlier disease detection.
The company has been supporting capacity-building and knowledge-sharing programmes, including AAZPIRE, launched in collaboration with the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), as well as FOCUS-GC, GITA, PRECEPT Lung, and its partnership with the Molecular Pathology Association of India.
These initiatives are designed to enhance clinical education, strengthen research capabilities and improve access to advanced diagnostic technologies.
AI-driven early cancer detection
AstraZeneca is also leveraging partnerships to promote earlier diagnosis and equitable access to cancer care.
Through initiatives such as the LuNGS Alliance, collaborations with scientific societies and healthcare institutions, and its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Tamil Nadu, the company is supporting the deployment of AI-driven early lung cancer detection solutions.
According to Akkinepally, these collaborative efforts are helping create more effective pathways for early diagnosis, enabling timely treatment and improving healthcare outcomes for patients across India.