Washout without response
Drug manufacturing in lowest price segment keeps falling
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 1, cont’d p.2]
Time to get worried
Vaccine manufacturers puzzled over creation of state monopoly
The creation of a state monopoly in the vaccine market has stirred up the pharmaceutical community as this event has specifically defined the state involvement vector in this segment. However, the participants of the 7th International Conference “What is Going On in the Pharmaceutical Market?” stated that as of now they did not understand the vaccine purchase and supply structure. PharmVestnik received a response from Natsimbio, the single vaccine supplier whose “birth” has set the rest of the market players on fire. This single supplier has clearly specified its stand: there is going to be room in the market only for those ready to implement a full-cycle manufacturing of their own.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 1, cont’d p. 3]
Failing to keep their noses to the wind
Russian and foreign experts disagree on Pharma industry development paths
The panel meeting on the government policy of the pharmaceutical industry and medical devices development held on October 12 at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Russian Federation was significantly livened up by the presentation of a “guest star” from Maastricht University. Before Prof. Meir Pugatch started demonstrating his slides, the panelists had planned to focus on analysis of major issues associated with pursuing an import substitution policy. However, thanks to the foreign guest, the tone of the meeting has dramatically changed. Basically every speaker, when touching upon the difficulties, considered it his duty to defend the state interests and argue against Prof. Pugatch who stated that Russia used penalties instead of incentives to create investment prospects in the market.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 4]
Ex-pharma expert to handle healthcare issues
David Melik-Gusseynov topped the State Budgetary Institution “Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management” under Moscow City Health Department. Mr. Melik-Gusseynov is a candidate of science in pharmaceutics and a member of expert councils under a variety of executive and legislative agencies, including the State Duma. He leads the Health Council of the Business Russia (Delovaya Rossiya) Public Association. Now he will have to cope with healthcare assessment in Moscow.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 5]
In the beginning was the wonder
Drug list compilation rules need to be brought closer to reality
The pharmaceutical community has already had two opportunities to use in practice the drug list compilation rules approved pursuant to the Russian Government resolution No. 871 dated 28.08.2014. These rules for the first time include a clinical and economic analysis section. Experience shows that it is this section that has been a barrier to including innovative drugs into a variety of the lists. Dr. Andrey KULIKOV, Professor of Drug Coverage Organization and Health Economics Department of Sechenov First Medical University, shared with PharmVestnik his ideas regarding the reasons why the situation had been developing that way, and how it may be improved.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 7]
Adhering to strategy
A year has passed since the moment when the pharmacy chain A5, which at that time was considered as the most likely candidate for partnering with Doctor Stoletov, made a statement in respect of the acquisition by Baring Vostok Capital Partners Foundation of a share in its capital. At that time, A5 planned to capture Russian regional pharmaceutical retail markets. The company has not dropped these plans so far, but has somewhat modified them. A5 CEO Andrey GUSEV told PharmVestnik about the changes in the corporate philosophy and strategy after a year of co-working with the foreign foundation.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 8]
Hello from Hillary
Candidate for US presidency crashes the world Pharma stocks, but Russia withstands
Recently, August upsets have become typical for the 3rd quarter in this country. Since 1998, this month has been most unpopular among investors and the like. This year, August was relatively calm in Russia, except for another devaluation wave, to which everybody seems to have got accustomed to. On the other hand, the world Pharma companies had an August of their own. Their stocks have plummeted after wannabe president Hillary Clinton threatened to develop a plan to control drug price hikes. She did so in response to Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli’s excentric behaviour after he hiked Daraprim price 5,000%. The Russian Pharma stocks have ignored Clinton’s statement, for they have a history of their own.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, pp. 10-11]
Kaleidoscope of pharmacy chains
Specifics of regional expansion of Russian pharmacy chains, Q1-215
One of the parameters used by marketing agencies for categorizing pharmacy chains is their regional coverage. Accordingly, a chain with a large regional coverage is identified as multiregional, although analysts usually differ on their assessment criteria. A detailed analysis of pharmaceutical retailer distribution in the Russian Federal subjects provides for a unique list, according to which the local leaders do not always belong to the top players boasting multiregional coverage. Many factors will influence further development of pharmacy chains, the population’s purchasing power being one of the most important among them.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, pp. 12-13]
Parallel drug imports to Russia – current state and prospects
In January—August 2015, Russia imported 239 bn rubles (CIP prices) worth of finished drugs. So far the drug supplies with signs of “parallelism” account for an insignificant total import share, i.e. approximately 0.04% as of the first eight months of 2015. However, the situation may change dramatically in the short term. The Federal Antimonopoly Service believes that the ban on parallel imports limits competition. Since 2011, the agency has been working on amendments to a number of documents, which, if approved, will legalize parallel imports.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 1, cont’d p. 14]
St. Petersburg hosted 10th scientific congress “Rational Drug Therapy—2015”
The facilitators’ major objectives were providing medical professionals with fresh knowledge and reminding them about the importance of the evidence-based medicine principles. St. Petersburg lead clinical pharmacologist and congress president Alexander Khajidis mentioned one more objective, i.e. the involvement in the activities of Pharma businesses in order to reduce their impact on the professional medical community. In his opinion, one of the forms of such involvement may be a “real-world” pharmacovigilance system.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 16]
Sochi builds up powers for preclinical trials of local drugs
The Research Institute of Clinical Primatology in Sochi makes the second extension of its primate bank. The extended research facility will provide for meeting the increased demand for preclinical trials as a result of the approval of a revised version of the state program “Pharma—2020”. The Institute's Deputy Director for Research Oleg VYSHEMIRSKY dwells on the enhanced study opportunities.
[PharmVestnik # 33, 20/10/2015, p. 17]
