When Girls Take the Lead - Pharmaceutical Executive

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SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT our industry,” says Ernest Egli, president of Roche Brazil. And Egli describes Roche's ambitions for the biotechnology sector: “We are contemplating that if all goes in the right direction, Roche might be interested to produce a biological product here in Brazil in 2011 or 2012. We have all the technological capabilities, the lyophilization equipment, so we could easily produce it here; now let's see how the law is going to be enforced. Investment today basically goes either into biotechnology or to Asia; therefore, as a Latin American subsidiary, we have to fight for our place and we can make it in the biotechnology segment.” In addition to increasing Brazilians' access to medicines, Roche is focused on encouraging clinical research in the country, despite all the country's hurdles for getting protocols approved. This year, the company is investing some U$15 to 20 million to conduct trials in Brazil. “Brazil has always had the reputation of conducting very high quality clinical research and very rapid enrollment because there are a considerable number of naïve drug patients, so we have always managed to deliver quality and quantity at reasonable price. We foresee that in the next couple of years we will maintain this 20 to 25 percent increase in investment in clinical research, which will basically be focused on our key areas, such as oncology, anemia, diabetes, and virology,” Egli notes. 10 years committed to patients www.focusreports.net Brazil Report Roche is not the only company to see the potential of biotechnology in Brazil. Genzyme, the first biopharmaceutical company to establish a presence in Brazil, has been in the country for 10 years. “Since our origins, we have been conducting R&D to come out with drugs that make a difference for a few people and where no other pharmaceutical companies have been interested to invest in. We are focused on developing innovative solutions to provide people with rare diseases products that will allow them to improve their quality of life, survive, and interact in society,” explains Devaney Baccarin, general manager of Genzyme Brazil. Genzyme first introduced Ceredase, then Cerezyme, and, in 2002, the company launched Renagel. A major milestone for the company was the inclusion of these two products on the Ministry of Health's list of exceptional medicines. These events were key to Genzyme's successful start in Brazil. The company has continued to add important launchings to their portfolio: Thyrogen for thyroid cancer in 2003 and several transplant-related products in 2004. Then in 2005, Genzyme registered Fabrazyme and Aldurazyme to treat Fabry and MPS I diseases, respectively. “It is important to point out that the only possibility for the patients YEARS BRAZIL INSPIRED BY PATIENTS Saving lives As we celebrate our 10th. Anniversary in Brazil, our task is to continue growing, innovating and fulfilling our responsibility to patients. www.genzyme.com.br S18 FOCUS REPORTS OCTOBER 2007
www.focusreports.net Brazil Report to get these treatments are through the government access and reimbursement programs, since they are chronic treatments for life. Having said that, it is fundamental to include these products on the formulary of exceptional medicines,” says Baccarin. With its acquisition of Serono, Merck has become the number-one biotech company in Europe. “With Serono, we have a great pipeline in biotech and this represents great opportunities for the future growth of our Brazilian subsidiary,” notes Merck's Bauer. Merck, the oldest pharma company in the world, was established in 1668 at which time drugs were mostly based on natural products. “I can say the inception of this company has its base in natural products. Since then, we have continued the tradition of working with natural products although in the 1980's the production of natural products was discontinued in Germany. Despite the production stop in Germany, we continued production in Brazil and today this is the only country where we produce our natural products,” Bauer adds. As an innovator company, Merck relies significantly on its introduction of new products. Last S19 FOCUS REPORTS OCTOBER 2007 “For a country like Brazil phyto pharmaceuticals is huge because it will not only take less time to do R&D but also because it is far more economical to do research in plant than in synthetic molecules” August, the company introduced Henrique da Silva several oncology products; Merck hopes this new line will prove to be an important growth driver. The Phyto Golden Mine SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT With one of the most biologically diverse environments in the world, and good infrastructure and human resources, Brazil has the potential to become one of the world's best phyto producers.“We have immense opportunities for developing and enhancing R&D in this type of product,” asserts Josimar Henrique da Silva, president of Hebron and president of the Council at
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