Sandoz to export hormones to Europe
Valor Econômico
Swiss pharmaceutical company Sandoz, second biggest company in the world in generic drugs, is getting ready to export hormones to Europe from its development center in Brazil, the only one of the multinational for such purpose in the world. This unit that will go into operation as of the second half is being prepared to meet the national and European requirements. With two plants in the country, one in Taboão da Serra, in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, and another one in Cambé (PR), Sandoz do Brasil already exports products to Germany and Canada. The company has created a global network in all major markets in order to expand its activities in innovation. The center of hormones is part of the complex of Cambé.
The International CEO of Sandoz, Jeff George, says the two units in the country are among the main units of the total of 35 the group has in the world. Controlled by the Swiss Novartis, Sandoz is the generics arm of the company, with global earnings of US$ 7.5 billion. "Our portfolio has nearly 1,000 products and 800 projects in the ‘pipeline', he said. Sandoz allocated US$ 613 million in 2009 in the research and development (R&D) of new drugs.
The group sells growth hormones and epoetin alfa (to fight anemia) in the international market since 2006. Sandoz will begin researching new products from the development center in Brazil. For now, the centre employs only men. Legend says women cannot handle hormones because they undergo alterations. The company explains that, in the case of Sandoz, since there are inhalant substances at the site, women are more susceptible to them.
In Brazil since 2004, after the acquisition of the company Hexal, in Cambé, Sandoz has bet on the expansion of the generic segment in emerging countries. "Brazil has potential to be one of the top five countries in the global economy by 2020. For us, Brazil is considered a strategic country, as well as China". The strategy of Sandoz, according to George, is different from that of companies that operate on generics. The focus of the company is aimed on biosimilars, oncology and respiratory area.
George makes no comments on the possible acquisitions, partnerships or even new investments of the company in Brazil, but he was categorical: "Sandoz is the global vice leader, behind the Israeli Teva, and ranks sixth in generics in Brazil. We don't want to remain in the sixth place". The strategy of acquisitions of the group is global. This year the company acquired Oriel Therapeutics, in the USA, increasing the company's portfolio in generics and providing access to the inhalable drug technology. In 2009 it acquired the Austrian Ebewe Pharma, specialized in injectable cancer drugs. In the country, Sandoz sells generics and in the future it may bring injectable cancer drugs and biosimilars. In Brazil, since there is still no regulatory rule for the biosimilar, the company says it is willing to cooperate with the Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) to debate the issue.