| VIEW FROM THE TOP
FOREIGN EXPERIENCE FOR THE MEXICAN MARKET AMÉRICO GARCÍA Director General of Mexico and Latin America at Apotex
Q: How is Apotex positioned in Mexico’s generics market?
company enjoys the benefits of having invested solidly in the
A: Since I took this position over four years ago, we have
North American region and this allows the three countries
grown our sales in Mexico 70 percent and Apotex ranks
to complement each other in achieving Apotex’s goals.
fourth in units in the subsegment of generic drugs. In the 214
overall market, we are 15th for units sold. The company’s
Q: What actions is Apotex taking to maintain its
performance is good and we are seeing growth in the
competitiveness and growth, given the change in
double digits in the recent years.
presidential administrations? A: In times of electoral change, strategies should be more
Q: Last year, you opened Apopharma, a new division. How
clearly and transversally developed. The health industry
is this new project progressing?
has been waiting for a reform, but this has not happened.
A: Apotex has already launched medications for conditions
While Mexico not only must expand its coverage to improve
related to the central nervous system and this year we will
access to health, it must also address the conditions in
continue with new drugs for analgesia and cardiology.
the industry, because there is a gap and a fragmentation
Mexico is an atypical market for Apotex, because its
across different components of the health system. Apotex
pharmaceutical market and medical profile have very
has approached the government to prioritize the health
particular characteristics. The country has acute diseases
industry and health system.
that are present in developing countries and it is beginning to present the chronic-degenerative diseases that are seen
Q: How is Apotex preparing to face the possible outcomes
in more developed countries. Our strategy with this new
of the NAFTA renegotiation?
division was to first consolidate its presence in the market
A: Apotex is of Canadian origin, it has a strong position in
and then start growing to become a leader in chronic-
North America and its first market is the US. For this reason,
degenerative drugs. The growth rate of Mexico’s population
what happens with NAFTA is of vital importance for the
pyramid is trending older, which has created an opportunity
development of our business strategies and models. Under
for Apotex to bring its expertise from other countries
a positive scenario, Apotex would benefit from having a
into the Mexican market. Apotex is prepared to embrace
good commercial agreement with the US and Canada.
both sides of the market by diversifying its products,
We think the commercial relations in the region will be
building stronger relationships with the government and
maintained and pushed forward, more in the case of the
consolidating its brand.
US, where there is a shortage of medicines and where the health sector is highly relevant. In the worst case, if NAFTA
Q: How does Apotex use its position in North America to
goes down, Apotex has the geographic and commercial
its advantage?
tools to find a positive path to continue positioning itself.
A: Apotex is present in 115 countries, of which Mexico is a strategic key for medicine manufacturing. We have two
Q: How has Apotex’s Latin America expansion strategy
raw material plants here and the active pharmaceutical
evolved over the last year?
ingredients (APIs) in Mexico have proven to be highly
A: Apotex’s main internationalization strategy is to expand
reliable for Apotex’s drug manufacturing process. Our
to all Latin America. In the last year, we have expanded to El Salvador, Guatemala and Dominican Republic and we have consolidated our presence in Chile and Argentina. Our
Apotex is the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company,
expansion continues in the Andean area mainly in Colombia,
with over 10,000 people employed worldwide in its research,
but it has been delayed because of climatic type IV zone
development, manufacturing and distribution facilities. The
requirements that created obstacles for the availability of
company produces around 300 generic pharmaceuticals
some products in the region.
