Brazil and India sign strategic partnership to boost cancer drug production

Brazil and India have signed three strategic “Partnerships for Productive Development” to guarantee the supply of key cancer medicines for patients treated under Brazil’s Unified Health System, as reported by Toda Palavra, a partner of TV BRICS.

The agreements were formalised during a presidential mission to India led by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Brazil’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha. The partnerships will ensure access to pertuzumab, dasatinib and nivolumab, medicines used in the treatment of breast cancer, skin cancer and certain types of leukaemia.

According to Brazil’s Ministry of Health, beyond securing supply, the agreements provide for the internalisation of production in Brazil, including technology transfer and the development of technological capacity within public and private laboratories. Local manufacturing is expected to reduce external dependence, stabilise pharmaceutical stock levels and broaden access to high-complexity therapies for Brazilian patients.

Pharmaceutical products are among India’s main exports to Brazil, alongside diesel, insecticides, fungicides and automotive parts. In 2024, Brazil’s pharmaceutical imports totalled US$7.3 billion, according to industry data. India remains one of Brazil’s principal trade partners in Asia, together with China, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The two countries also extended a bilateral memorandum of understanding on health cooperation for a further five years. The renewed agreement covers collaboration in medicine production, vaccines and active pharmaceutical ingredients, biomanufacturing, industrial innovation, development of biological products, digital health, telehealth, and artificial intelligence.

In addition, Brazil’s health regulatory authority signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to facilitate the exchange of regulatory information concerning medicines, pharmaceutical inputs and medical devices.