Dr. Ankit Panthari is a senior pharmaceutical business leader with deep expertise in rare diseases, specialty therapeutics, and healthcare market development, best known for his leadership as former business unit head – rare diseases at Takeda India. In this role, he was instrumental in strengthening Takeda’s rare disease portfolio and advancing patient access frameworks in one of India’s most underserved and complex healthcare segments.

With over two decades of experience across pharmaceuticals, market access, and strategic business management, Dr. Panthari has built a distinguished career focused on bridging innovative therapies with patient communities that face significant unmet medical needs. His tenure at Takeda marked a critical period in the company’s efforts to expand awareness, diagnosis, and treatment accessibility for rare diseases in India, particularly in areas such as lysosomal storage disorders and other highly specialized therapeutic categories.

His leadership was centered on building sustainable business models while simultaneously supporting broader healthcare ecosystem development. This included engaging with policymakers, healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups, and institutional stakeholders to improve access pathways for life-transforming therapies. Under his strategic oversight, Takeda’s rare disease business in India aligned closely with the company’s larger mission of improving healthcare outcomes for underserved patient populations.

Before and beyond his rare disease leadership, Dr. Panthari has held multiple strategic commercial and market access roles within Takeda and its predecessor organizations, including Baxalta and Baxter, where he developed strong capabilities in patient services, healthcare policy navigation, and specialty product commercialization. His experience reflects a rare combination of commercial acumen and patient-centered healthcare strategy.
Academically, he combines scientific and managerial expertise, supported by advanced qualifications in healthcare and business leadership, enabling him to operate effectively at the intersection of innovation, access, and sustainable healthcare growth.

Through his contributions, Dr. Ankit Panthari has emerged as an influential leader in India’s rare disease ecosystem, helping shape strategies that not only drive business growth but also create meaningful impact for patients facing some of the most challenging medical conditions.