Pharma Excellence Awards 2020 Organised Amid COVID-19

Pharma Companies get awards for their exemplary works during COVID-19 crisis, helping people fight the pandemic in myriad ways 

25^th August 2020: During COVID-19 pandemic, like every sector, the Pharma sector has also done exemplary work to help combat this unprecedented crisis. Aiming to honour different pharma companies for their extraordinary works in different categories during COVID-19, HEAL Foundation — a healthcare advocacy group in Media association with Express Pharma took the initiative and organised Pharma Excellence Awards on 20^th August 2020. The awards were conferred to different pharma companies for five categories: COVID Patient Education Initiative, COVID Medical Education Category, COVID Social Impact Program, COVID Supply Chain Innovation and COVID Drugs.

“Of course, the exemplary deeds of various pharmaceutical companies during COVID-19 pandemic to serve the people in myriad ways are worthy enough to be awarded. This award is an appreciation, which will be a gentle reminder to the recipients to keep the flame of their noble deeds burning as and when required to rescue any such unforeseen public health emergency situation like this. The repurposing of drugs by the Indian companies have played a pivotal role in meeting the supply chain during the crisis. This crisis has also enabled Indian pharma industry not only in leading the manufacturing but also in R&D and discovering the new drugs and vaccines, and to meet the global demands”, said Dr Swadeep Srivastava, Founder, HEAL Foundation during the award distribution.

“This is indeed a wonderful initiative by HEAL Foundation to confer awards to the pharma players who have really done excellent jobs as per their domains and capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic to help countrymen combat the crisis. I believe this will be a morale-booster to all the pharma companies to work to contribute their best for any such situation emanating further”, said Dr Chandrakant S Pandav, Former HoD, Community Medicine, AIIMS, Global Public Health Expert & President, Award Jury, Pharma Excellence Awards 2020. 

Recipient’s Take on Pharma Excellence Awards 2020

“At the outset, I’d like to thank the organizers and the jury for this award. As the COVID-19 cases continue to surge in India, we at Baxter are committed to serving our mission of ‘saving and sustaining lives’. We are working hard in driving awareness and adoption of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy & oXiris among our customers in supporting them to fight the pandemic”, said Ravinder Dang, VP, Commercial Excellence, APAC and General Manager, India.

Nilesh Kulkarni, CHRO, Bharat Serums & Vaccines Ltd. (BSVL) humbly accepted the Pharma Excellence award (COVID Drugs Category) saying, "This award is an acknowledgement of our research-based legacy. BSVL has taken up the war to fight COVID-19 by conducting two research studies. First, Ulinastatin, approved for use in severe sepsis and other critical conditions viz. acute pancreatitis, is undergoing phase-III clinical study in mild to moderate ARDS patients with COVID 19 as a repurposed drug. The second study is a pre-clinical one; on the development of equine polyclonal antibodies for treating COVID-19 infection. Demonstrated work in processing therapeutic polyclonal antibodies from hyper immunised horse plasma prompted us to initiate this research project in June”.

“It was really an honour and privilege for us at Jenburkt to participate in the Pharma Excellence Awards 2020 conceptualised by the HEAL Foundation in association with Pharma Express in context to the prevailing pandemic situation across the globe. We sincerely appreciate your best efforts in organising this great event successfully despite various challenges we face in the country on account of continuing COVID-19 lockdown. Your Pharma Excellence e-Summit programme attracted many Pharma Companies and Medical Professionals and inspired them to a great extent. This event has also helped spread awareness about the contribution of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry in the country. With the intent to serve the nation, we brought out Favivent Tablets at a very economical price for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases”, said, Mr N.M.C. Nair, General Manager (HR & Admin.), Jenburkt Pharmaceuticals Ltd.