GSK India’s growth shifts to cancer therapies and adult vaccines
New oncology approvals and specialty medicines begin contributing more as traditional portfolios face slower growth
- May 13, 2026,
- Updated May 13, 2026 7:40 PM IST
GSK India is seeing a larger share of its India business come from oncology therapies, specialty medicines and adult vaccines as multinational drugmakers focus more on high-value therapies in the country.
This trend became more visible in FY26 as newer products in cancer care and vaccines gained traction, even as supply disruptions affected the availability of some traditional medicines and constrained topline growth.
For the year ended March 31, 2026, GSK India reported revenue of ₹3,790 crore, up 2%, while profit after tax rose 10% to ₹1,012 crore. EBITDA margins expanded by 290 basis points to 34%. The company said pricing measures, focused investments in innovative therapies, field force productivity improvements, AI-led optimisation and disciplined cost management supported profitability during the year.
Oncology is emerging as one of the company’s key business areas in India. GSK India said therapies such as Jemperli (dostarlimab) and Zejula (niraparib) continued to perform strongly during the year. The company also received approval in India for Jemperli as a first-line treatment for primary advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer, significantly expanding the eligible patient population for the therapy.
The approval comes as access to newer cancer therapies expands across India’s hospital sector, particularly in large private healthcare chains and urban cancer centres. GSK India has also received market authorisation for Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin), an anti-BCMA antibody-drug-conjugate therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in adults. Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer globally, with nearly 180,000 new cases reported annually. The company said launch plans for the therapy would be announced later.
Vaccines remained another important growth area during the year. The company said Shingrix, its shingles vaccine, achieved critical mass as awareness around preventive healthcare and adult immunisation improved.
India’s adult vaccination market remains underpenetrated compared with developed markets, but pharmaceutical companies see opportunities in ageing populations, preventive healthcare and higher consumer spending on healthcare.
The company’s general medicines business remained stable, with brands such as Augmentin, Calpol and T-Bact growing ahead of the market, according to IQVIA data cited by the company. However, the tail-end distributed portfolio continued to face pressure. Supply chain disruptions during the year materially affected product availability and had an impact on topline growth, GSK India said. In response, the company said it is strengthening contingency planning, diversifying sourcing and improving end-to-end supply visibility.
“The strong delivery of our Oncology portfolio signals a key inflection point in GSK India’s journey to evolve into an innovation-led company, focused on areas of high unmet medical need,” said Bhushan Akshikar, Managing Director, GSK India. “Building on this momentum, we will continue to invest in innovative, high-growth therapy areas to make a positive impact at scale.”
GSK India is seeing a larger share of its India business come from oncology therapies, specialty medicines and adult vaccines as multinational drugmakers focus more on high-value therapies in the country.
This trend became more visible in FY26 as newer products in cancer care and vaccines gained traction, even as supply disruptions affected the availability of some traditional medicines and constrained topline growth.
For the year ended March 31, 2026, GSK India reported revenue of ₹3,790 crore, up 2%, while profit after tax rose 10% to ₹1,012 crore. EBITDA margins expanded by 290 basis points to 34%. The company said pricing measures, focused investments in innovative therapies, field force productivity improvements, AI-led optimisation and disciplined cost management supported profitability during the year.
Oncology is emerging as one of the company’s key business areas in India. GSK India said therapies such as Jemperli (dostarlimab) and Zejula (niraparib) continued to perform strongly during the year. The company also received approval in India for Jemperli as a first-line treatment for primary advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer, significantly expanding the eligible patient population for the therapy.
The approval comes as access to newer cancer therapies expands across India’s hospital sector, particularly in large private healthcare chains and urban cancer centres. GSK India has also received market authorisation for Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin), an anti-BCMA antibody-drug-conjugate therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in adults. Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer globally, with nearly 180,000 new cases reported annually. The company said launch plans for the therapy would be announced later.
Vaccines remained another important growth area during the year. The company said Shingrix, its shingles vaccine, achieved critical mass as awareness around preventive healthcare and adult immunisation improved.
India’s adult vaccination market remains underpenetrated compared with developed markets, but pharmaceutical companies see opportunities in ageing populations, preventive healthcare and higher consumer spending on healthcare.
The company’s general medicines business remained stable, with brands such as Augmentin, Calpol and T-Bact growing ahead of the market, according to IQVIA data cited by the company. However, the tail-end distributed portfolio continued to face pressure. Supply chain disruptions during the year materially affected product availability and had an impact on topline growth, GSK India said. In response, the company said it is strengthening contingency planning, diversifying sourcing and improving end-to-end supply visibility.
“The strong delivery of our Oncology portfolio signals a key inflection point in GSK India’s journey to evolve into an innovation-led company, focused on areas of high unmet medical need,” said Bhushan Akshikar, Managing Director, GSK India. “Building on this momentum, we will continue to invest in innovative, high-growth therapy areas to make a positive impact at scale.”