Although women constitute 50 percent of the global population, access to healthcare continues to be a challenge. According to the World Economic Forum, there are gaps in research and treatment ability for areas that are unique to women, such as maternal and menstrual health. A similar pattern can be observed for diseases that present differently in women than men.
Consequently, these gaps can lead to major health issues and disparities in treatment that are largely preventable. According to Grand View Research, the global women’s health market size was valued at USD 44.36 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% from 2024 to 2030. Meanwhile, India’s women’s health market is projected to grow from $0.726 Bn in 2022 to $1.325 Bn by 2030, registering a CAGR of 7.80% during the forecast period of 2022-2030.
Organon, a global healthcare company formed through a spin-off from Merck, focuses on improving the health of women throughout their lives. On June 03, 2021, Organon was launched as an independent company, formed after its spin-off from Merck in India. As the only company of its size focused on women’s health, Organon has a long history of innovative, first-to-market contraceptive products.
So far in India, Organon has collaborated with the Government of India to announce the launch of our next generation, sub-dermal long-acting reversible contraceptive – Implanon NXT under India’s National Family Planning program, Mission Parivar Vikas and joined hands with JHPIEGO and USAID to initiate a contraceptive access program in India.
In an exclusive conversation with Financial Express.com, Andreas Daugaard Jørgensen, Managing Director, SEA Cluster at Organon talked about the company’s upcoming business plans for the India market, upcoming product launches, the company’s focus on critical areas like postpartum haemorrhage, need for increased focus on women’s health and more. Excerpts:
Can you share insights on Organon’s journey in India, its focus on women’s health, and the impact it aims to make in the country?
Organon is a global healthcare company, formed in 2021 after a spin off from MSD, with a vision to create a better and healthier every day for every woman. We understand that women are foundational to a healthier world and that providing a healthier future for women also means providing a healthier future for their families and communities around the world. We do this by listening to women’s healthcare needs, big and small, enabling us to develop treatments tailored to them.
While we continue to market established brands, our core expertise is in reproductive health, with a focus on contraception and fertility and a commitment to expand into areas that address other diseases and conditions that impact her health throughout her life. In the last two years, Organon has focused on business development and has made successful acquisitions in the space of endometriosis and post-partum haemorrhage (PPH). We’re anticipating the launch of a device- JADA System later this year to combat postpartum hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal mortality in India. Additionally, we’re working with the Govt of India to expand access to contraceptive choices available to women across states. Over time, we aim to introduce more products for women’s health in India, contributing to healthcare innovation and addressing unmet needs.
What are the key challenges in women’s health in India, and how does Organon plan to address them, especially in comparison to other Southeast Asian countries?
Despite the many strides that have been made in enabling access women’s healthcare needs, limited access to information, tools, resources, and treatments makes it hard for women to be in control of their reproductive health. For instance, unintended pregnancies (UIPs) remain a significant public health issue. India records a significantly higher rate of unintended pregnancies at 70.1 per 1000 women, compared to the global average of 53, indicative the stigma to openly talk and discuss methods to avoid pregnancy in the first place.
Organon believes that when it comes to birth control, a woman should be aware of her options so she can make choices that are best for her. As her family planning goals evolve, our strong legacy in contraception will continue to drive us to adapt to her needs and help her make decisions that are right for her. We’re also actively tackling other issues related to women’s health like PPH. Postpartum haemorrhage leads to roughly 12,000 fatalities annually, translating as the biggest cause of maternal mortality. While the maternal mortality declined from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20, these can be avoidable by providing quality healthcare services, timely. In India, there is a significant challenge of accessibility, especially in remote areas. Therefore, our aim is to continue investment in launching more innovative products like the JADA system.
Regarding the upcoming launch of the JADA system in India, how does Organon plan to address accessibility challenges, especially in remote areas, and do you foresee the need for innovative medical devices alongside pharmaceuticals?
Accessibility is a crucial aspect in ensuring healthcare for all. That is why our goal is to work with partners – governments, not-for-profits, healthcare institutions, and philanthropic institutions – to introduce innovative healthcare solutions for women. For instance, the JADA system is a promising medical device that uses low-level suction to address life-threatening situations like postpartum haemorrhage. It has been approved by DCGI and is expected to be available in India after its launch around Q2-Q3 this year.
It complements existing therapies and aims to avert mortality. The innovative device, functioning as a reverse balloon, utilizes low-level suction to swiftly contract the uterus, effectively stopping bleeding within minutes, as demonstrated in both clinical and real-world trials in the US. We believe in the importance of both new therapies and improved accessibility to existing ones. India is one of the first countries in Asia where Jada System will be launched in following its successful launch in Singapore and Hong Kong. We are also looking at making the Jada System accessible across Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam in 2024.
Regarding reproductive health, are there plans to address conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, considering the low levels of research and investment done in women’s health?
Women today account for upto 50% of the total population, however, women’s health accounts for only 5% of the overall funding for research and development for healthcare products and services. As women continue to play multiple roles individually and at a societal level, it is critical to have healthcare solutions tailored to meet their health and well-being needs. Organon believes in addressing this disparity by introducing innovative technologies. Despite the high prevalence of endometriosis, current treatment options are not adequately addressing the painful and challenging symptoms of women living with this disorder.
Through our acquisition of Forendo Pharma, we hope to bring innovation to this therapeutic area and enable future treatment options – in line with our continued focus on building a robust pipeline that addresses a broad spectrum of conditions impacting women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Do you have any plans to launch biosimilars in India?
Organon’s goal has been to introduce biosimilars in markets where we see there as a chance to help the healthcare system cope with the cost of health, and they don’t have all the options they need. At present, in India our focus is women’s health where we unintended pregnancies and preventing fatalities due to post-partum hemorrhage.
What are your upcoming business plans for the Indian market?
In coming years, we would like to focus on increasing access to Organon products in the sub-continent. While our focus will remain on women’s health, we will continue to broaden our portfolio. We intend to expand our solutions in the areas of maternal health, specifically preventing unintended pregnancies in India by expanding the utilization of long-lasting reversible contraceptive implants on a larger scale.
We aim to enhance our collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders such as governmental and non-governmental organizations to achieve this. Our pipeline of new products is also very relevant to our population’s healthcare needs that will allow us to have a much bigger play in the market. In addition, we will continue to listen to women to understand their healthcare needs and try to bring innovative solutions for these issues.
Organon’s focus on launching innovative contraceptives for women’s health is crucial, especially given the serious issue of teen pregnancy. How do you envision digital health and public-private partnerships contributing to improved access and awareness?
Roughly half of the 48.5 million pregnancies women experience in India each year are unintended. Unintended pregnancies are a serious issue among the teenagers as lack of awareness and right guidance pushes them to sometimes opt for unsafe abortion. Considering high rates of unintended pregnancies in the country, there is an urgent need for building awareness around the various modern contraceptive methods, specifically on long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). To bridge the awareness gap there is a need for both public and private sector stakeholders to come together and reach women. Some important initiatives should focus on:
- Use of social media platforms to increase awareness
- Improving spousal communication
- Opportunities to get counselled at the point of service delivery
- Mitigation of myths and conceptions
India has made significant progress in increasing access to ANC services. All pregnant women should also receive adequate counselling on contraceptive methods to make sure they adopt an adequate method post-delivery.
In terms of public-private partnerships, how does Organon view its role in addressing underserved segments in women’s health in collaboration with civil society and the corporate sector?
Public-private partnerships are integral, and we recognize the need to work together with civil society and the corporate sector to raise awareness and advocate for women’s health. Case in point, we collaborated with local partners to expand access to contraceptives in tea garden of Assam. This highlights our commitment to making a positive impact. We continue to make efforts to identify similar opportunities where we can reach underserved and marginalised women who are adversely affected by unintended pregnancies and its consequences.
Looking ahead, does Organon have plans for mergers and acquisitions, portfolio expansion, or new product launches in the Indian market in the upcoming financial year?
While I can’t provide specific details, we are constantly evaluating opportunities for relevant products in women’s health. We are committed to launch new products that are pertinent to women’s health in the next fiscal year.
India is now the most populous country. And ironically, infertility is also widely prevalent in India. So, what are the challenges that India is facing with respect to catering to the fertility disease segment?
The concept of “smart family planning” underscores the importance of providing women and families with the means to make informed decisions about when to have children. This involves ensuring access to information and a range of treatment options, acknowledging that the solution lies in early information dissemination and the availability of choices. Organon with its fertility portfolio is reaching women with quality fertility treatment options. Recognizing the complexity of addressing both the challenges of declining fertility rates in larger cities and the prevalence of unintended pregnancies in certain regions, Organon emphasizes the need to perceive these issues as interconnected components of a broader problem that requires comprehensive solutions.
Lastly, in a market as diverse as India, how does Organon position itself against competitors, and what sets the company apart in addressing the unique challenges of the Indian market?
Organon is unique as the only company of its size globally focused solely on women’s health. This allows us to be a trusted partner, offering multiple options for women’s reproductive journey. Our commitment to fighting for women’s health is both our priority and a business opportunity, making us stand out in the market.
How does Organon prioritize ESG considerations into its business to promote sustainability?
Organon’s commitment to ESG principles drives it to innovate in women’s health and make a tangible impact in reducing unplanned pregnancies. Since its inception as an independent company, Organon has continued to make focused investments and form strategic partnerships to introduce and expand access to health solutions and advance gender equity.
Additional highlights of Organon’s progress included in its 2022 ESG Report include:
- Completed eight transactions since Organon’s launch in 2021 that allow the company to advance meaningfully toward its vision of innovating in women’s health, with new assets and investments in areas of unmet medical need.
- Together with our collaborators, helped to prevent an estimated 57 million unplanned pregnancies since the Her Promise Access Initiative program began, putting the company approximately half-way to its goal of preventing an estimated 120 million unplanned pregnancies by 2030.
- Organon takes pride in the fact that we’re a well-balanced workforce, with an even distribution of 50% men and 50% women throughout the entire company. The company’s board of directors stands out with a 70% representation of women and 30% of men.
- Advanced diversity, equity and inclusion within the company by increasing female representation in leadership and completing its first pay equity studies of employees in the company’s largest markets; Achieved the company’s supplier diversity goal of increasing addressable spend with diverse suppliers (including women-led businesses) by 25%.
