VIEW FROM THE TOP |
FAMILY-OWNED PHARMA’S DRUG FORMULATION A DIFFERENCE MAKER MARCO RUGGIERO General Manager of Chiesi México
Q: What are Chiesi’s main contributions to improving
universities and other pharmaceutical companies to pursue
access to health in Mexico?
the concepts of innovation and patients’ centricity.
A: Chiesi focuses on three main therapeutic areas: respiratory, neonatology and rare diseases. Despite the
Q: What role does Mexico play in Chiesi’s Latin
competitive respiratory environment reflected in the
America strategy?
Mexican market, the key element of differentiation is the
A: Chiesi’s revenue totals US$2 billion per year and Mexico
drug formulation. Thanks to its focus on research and
represents around 15 percent of its total revenue in Latin
development, Chiesi developed an extra-fine particle
America. Besides Mexico, the company has another
formulation that enables the drug to reach and treat
affiliate in Brazil; all other countries are covered by indirect
both large and small airways (peripheral arteries of the
operations. Chiesi wishes Mexico’s participation to be
lung), while all our competitors can only reach the large
more in line with the market potential and the size of the
airways. In neonatology, Chiesi is a world leader in the
country’s population.
treatment of pre-term infants affected by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) thanks to CUROSURF, a natural
Q: Constant innovation is vital for the pharmaceutical
surfactant in intra-tracheal suspension. Launched in
market to grow steadily. How does Chiesi contribute in
Mexico in 2004, it gained an uncontested leadership and
this area?
contributed to save the life of more than 3.5 million babies
A: At the moment, we do not conduct R&D in Mexico but
worldwide. In the rare and ultra-rare diseases segment,
we are collaborating with doctors in our global network
Chiesi is continuously cooperating with universities and
and the country to participate in research for the products
institutions to reduce unmet medical needs and their
that we have already launched. Most of our R&D work takes
social impact.
place in Europe and in the US, so it is not urgent to develop this division in Mexico, which might offer the necessary
Chiesi Mexico is the uncontested leader in neonatology
incentives and legislation to promote innovation. Besides
with CUROSURF and PEYONA, which represent around
the big changes already done, the health authorities could
70 percent of total turnover. Additionally, the company is
accelerate regulatory processes while maintaining the
committed to developing its respiratory line, launched less
firmness of their assessments to attract more investment.
than four years ago, improving diagnoses and treatment of asthma and COPD.
Q: What actions is Chiesi taking to improve its competitiveness in Mexico?
Q: How does Chiesi build successful alliances to license,
A: Mexico recently signed a trade agreement with the EU
develop and market medicines that improve patients’ lives?
and we hope our operations can benefit from this treaty.
A: Chiesi interacts with all Mexican stakeholders, both
This year has generated some uncertainty by the relation
in public and private sector. In special care, sales are
with the US. Chiesi faces this uncertain environment with a
distributed 70 percent to the government and 30 percent
redesign of its commercial strategies. We hope that once
to the private sector, while in primary care the almost the
the political uncertainty has passed, the acquisition of
entire business is done in private sector. However, Chiesi
pharmaceutical products by public institutions continues.
seeks to establish alliances with all the players in the health sector in the countries where it is located. In fact, for the rare diseases pipeline, we work with NGOs to reach
Chiesi Farmaceutici is a pharmaceutical company based in
patients and gather information on the composition of
Italy and founded in 1935. The company has 26 subsidiaries,
the patient population. In all our divisions, we collaborate
three manufacturing plants, five R&D centers and distributes
with public-private institutions, hospitals, research centers,
its pharmaceutical products in more than 60 countries
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