AI-led platforms to power Indian biopharma’s next growth wave: EY-Parthenon report

EY-Parthenon India on Tuesday unveiled its latest report, “Pharma’s New Architecture: Where Novel Science Meets AI and Manufacturing Power,” at BioAsia 2026, outlining how global and Indian biopharma are being fundamentally restructured. 

The report argues that the industry is moving beyond incremental, product-by-product development toward platform-led innovation models that integrate discovery science, AI-native R&D, advanced manufacturing, and resilient supply chains into unified systems. 

Platform thinking replaces one-off development 

According to the study, rising scientific complexity is compelling companies to redesign research and development around reusable platforms rather than standalone products. Instead of building each drug independently, leading firms are creating discovery engines that leverage shared data, workflows and development pathways across multiple programs. 

This model enables cumulative learning, reduces duplication and enhances execution predictability. Success increasingly depends on integrated systems capable of moving assets efficiently from early research to clinical testing. 

Suresh Subramanian, National Lifesciences Leader at EY-Parthenon India, said Indian biopharma is undergoing a “structural reset,” where scientific breakthroughs alone are no longer sufficient. He noted that integrating discovery, AI-native intelligence and manufacturing into disciplined, repeatable platforms will determine future winners. The shift from one-off products to reusable engines, including mRNA, CRISPR and AI-driven design stacks, is redefining speed and scalability, particularly as India pivots toward large molecules and new therapeutic modalities. 

India at an inflection point 

Daniel Mathews said India has the digital capabilities, biologics expertise and integrated CRDMO infrastructure to evolve beyond its role as the “pharmacy of the world.” By connecting these strengths into platform-led models, the country can emerge as a global innovation and execution hub for next-generation therapies. 

Shakthi Nagappan, CEO of Telangana Lifesciences, highlighted the growing integration of biology and digital technologies, noting that AI and advanced analytics are accelerating insights across R&D, clinical development, and manufacturing. 

Value shifts towards complex therapies 

The report underscores a broader modality shift, with biologics now accounting for over half of global prescription revenues and projected to approach 60% by 2028. Advanced therapies, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecifics, RNA therapies, and cell and gene therapies, are increasingly concentrating value despite regulatory and scientific complexity.