Generic medicine manufacturers

How we work to mobilise generic and biosimilar medicine manufacturers

By applying our proven model for change, we stimulate major players to take action and bring together experts from the generics industry and beyond to explore strategies for improving access. As part of this effort, our newly established Generic & Biosimilar Medicines Programme focuses on mobilising these crucial companies and ensuring they realise their full potential as key players in expanding access to medicine.

In February 2023, we released a pioneering Analytical Framework to evaluate companies' efforts to expand access to essential medicines. Using this Framework, we published a milestone report in September 2023 that marks the first time we've spotlighted the access efforts of generic and biosimilar medicine manufacturers. The report features tailored company profiles of five leading manufacturers - Cipla, Hikma, Sun Pharma, Teva, and Viatris - summarising their commitments, strategies and activities to enhance the availability and affordability of their products in LMICs. Additionally, it presents key findings that illuminate industry-wide practices and offers specific recommendations for these companies to substantially improve their efforts.

The Foundation launched the report in Mumbai and London with events tailored to different stakeholders and designed to maximise the impact of the findings.

Catalysing industry-wide change for global access

As part of the Programme, we also leverage the Foundation’s convening power to bring the right people together to share insights and identify solutions. In May 2023, we held a joint event with the World Economic Forum to facilitate a dialogue on the evolving role of the generics and biosimilars industry in ensuring equitable access to medicines globally. This event, held alongside the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, attracted around 60 high-level participants, including CEOs, experts in medicine development and production, policymakers, representatives from non-profit organisations, and several leading manufacturers and regulators based in LMICs.

In addition, we mobilise generic medicine manufacturers to address specific challenges through our other cross-sector research programmes and streams. For example, since 2017, we have been tracking and assessing some of the world's largest generic medicine manufacturers as part of the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Benchmark, looking at how they perform in addressing AMR and ensuring access to antimicrobial products such as antibiotics and antifungals.