Author: Pooja Solanki

Zuvius Lifesciences aims to be among the top five most trusted companies across the globe, recognized for its super speciality and Anti-Cancer products. Zuvius Lifesciences head quartered in Mumbai, India is an integrated; research based Pharmaceutical Company, focused on super specialty products. The company specializes in chemotherapeutic formulations offering a diverse array of innovative solutions and therapies each of which plays an important role in providing solace and comfort to people. Trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across the globe, the company is backed by the finest talents of the Pharmaceutical industry. Zuvius Lifesciences, however, is defined in more compelling terms: sheer grit, the zeal to innovate and create products that stand out for their topnotch quality, and complete commitment to all stakeholders.

Zuvius Lifesciences – The making of a world leader Zuvius Lifesciences was founded in the year 2005 by a young pharma whiz, Mr Nimish Thakkar, who envisioned a world free from the pain of cancer. This audacious apprentice took an unconventional road early in his career and devoted his time to culling the know-how of the pharmaceutical industry and sculpting a team that could stand as the rock pillar to his big endeavours.

Addis Ababa, November 30, 2021 (FBC) – The Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse has met with Nimish Thakkar, Chairman of Zuvius Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd and his team, one of the largest manufacturers of a wide range of quality anticancer drugs in Asia.

The two sides discussed company’s interest to set up a manufacturing plant in Ethiopia and other investment opportunities which will contribute to Ethiopia’s plan on expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing to improve access to quality medicines and products.

Risk is an inherent part of the pharmaceutical and healthcare business, as these allied industries continues to take on old and ever-evolving threats. In the quest to effectively deal with increased operational complexities and market fluctuations, these companies are drawing up extensive risk mitigation strategies.

To discuss the risks facing these companies, how they impact business and the best practices to counter potential threats to business continuity, senior leaders from India’s pharma and healthcare industries came together for a discussion as part of the Forbes India Risk Management Series, held in Mumbai in association with HP. These leaders included Ranjana Pathak, global head – quality, Cipla; Jayant Dwivedy, chief operating officer, USV; Ashish Vohra, head of ethics and compliance, South Asia, GSK; Joy Chakraborty, chief operating officer, PD Hinduja Hospital; Nimish Thakkar, chairman and managing director, Zuvius Life Sciences; Vernon de Sa, director – medical affairs, clinical compliance and governance at Saifee Hospital; and Kalpesh Jani, senior security advisor at HP.

Panelists were unanimous that for the pharma and healthcare sectors, the biggest challenge is that of compliance, adherence to procedures, meeting the expectations of regulators such as the state health department (for hospitals) and the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for pharma companies exporting to the US.

A visionary leader with willful and progressive personality, Nimish has always been inclined towards innovation & technology and is confident that there is no age limit to be a student. A strong proponent of information sharing, Nimish has recently been invited to speak at the 2019 Horasis India Meeting, to be held in Segovia, Spain.

Nimish G. Thakkar is a self-made entrepreneur in the truest sense, who had a very humble beginning at the age of 19 when he started a medical distribution company with a mere sum of Rs.5,000. Albeit his entire journey was full of struggles, highs and lows, Nimish’s ‘never back down’ attitude and passion for making it big kept him going. A challenging but victorious journey paved his way towards an illustrious career as the creator of Zuvius Lifesciences, a Mumbai-based leading research-based Pharmaceutical company that focuses on the super-specialty segment of anti-cancer formulations.

Today, Zuvius is among one of top three companies renowned for its wide range of products (around 106 products in the oncology segment and 40 supportive products) and consistent availability. With three consecutive National Awards and two international awards, the company now stands tall as one of the major players in the anti-cancer drug segment and a trusted brand name among healthcare professionals & patients worldwide. In an exclusive conversation with CEO Insights, Nimish shares the peaks & valleys of his journey, the role his experience has played in chiseling him and his thirst for learning. Here are the excerpts:

Nimish Thakkar – Top 50 Smart Healthcare Leaders Award

Nimish Thakkar was awarded as one of the Top 50 Smart Healthcare Leaders Award, held at Dubai in 2019.

To start out with dreams shining like stars in one’s eyes and a year later, to be staring into the face of a gaping financial abyss… many a startup story has traveled this tortuous path. What makes the achievers stand apart is the resolve to keep believing in the dream and to do whatever it takes to achieve it. That sums up the story of Zuvius Lifesciences, started by Nimish Thakkar, Alka Chavan, and Shailesh Shetty in Mumbai in 2005. The period from 2006 to 2008 was a particularly debilitating time for the pharmaceutical company, which had set its sights on creating high-quality oncology products through meticulous research. But even while staring at a potential loss of crores of rupees, the team showed amazing grit and fortitude and fought for their dreams. And the saga has come to this today: having started out with just one product in its first year, Zuvius now has a portfolio of over 90 products to its credit. In its bid to introduce novel products across segments other than oncology, Zuvius’ current focus lies in nutraceuticals. Be it research and development or CSR activities, with each step it takes, Zuvius is working towards creating a community filled with the golden glow of wellness.