Russian Pharma Mission and DKSH Thailand Held Meeting in Bangkok

On 14-15 August Russian-Thai Business Forum was held in Bangkok. The main events with the participation of Deputy Minister of industry and trade of the Russian Federation Aleksei Gruzdev took place on August 15. And yet on August 14 a delegation of pharma companies, gathered together under the auspices of the Ministry of industry and trade of the Russian Federation, that was represented by the Director of FSI SIP and GP Vladislav Shestakov, conducted an interesting meeting with the representatives of the largest distributor in Thailand – the Swiss company DKSH.

Russian pharmaceutical industry is seriously looking at the issues in relation to export. In particular, among the perspective markets, the Southeast Asian countries are being considered.

In Bangkok, on August 14 four Russian pharmaceutical manufacturers of drugs held a more than two-hour meeting with one of Thailand’s largest organizations in terms of sales volumes of pharmaceutical products – DKSH Thailand. The Russian side presented its developments and, thanks to the competence of the Thai distributor in the field of entire chain on the market expansion, ranging from searching suppliers, market research and analysis, marketing, sales, distribution, logistics and aftersales service, a diversified assortment of products, became acquainted with the particularities of working in the Thai market. Replying to the clarifying question of SID and GP Director Vladislav Shestakov regarding the registration of products in the country with the help of DKSH services, DKSH Thailand’s General manager of business development in the field of healthcare, Christophe Meugnier, explained that subject to the company’s provision of the complete package of documents, its regulatory team is ready to provide assistance and work in this direction, including with the Thai FDA.

“Normally, this process takes about two years for an innovative product, on the condition that a company provides the results of the clinical trial data”, - noted Mr. Meugnier.

The Thai market and company DKSH Thailand are interested, primarily, in the original Russian products. Pharmasyntez, a Russian company that was present in the meeting, expressed its interest in exporting its innovative products to Thailand, seeing this market as perspective amongst ASEAN countries. First and foremost, this is about diabetes. For the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes, company Pharmasyntez manufactures a medicinal product Saterex (INN Gosogliptine). In the near future company, Farmasyntez will launch in Russian and international markets a product for the treatment of adhesion and prophylaxis during surgical operations – Serogard.

At present, there is a III phase underway of clinical trials in Russia as well as a preparation for international clinical trials. Director for export in CIS, Asia, ASEAN of Farmasyntez Yuri Petrosyan, noting specifically for the Thai market features, explained the interest of Russia’s global supplier of anti-tuberculosis products, the only manufacturer of the original product for treating pulmonary tuberculosis – Perhloson – to the Thai market:

“There are three factors that are characteristic of the Thai market. Firstly, it is one of the few countries in Asia, and probably in the world, where nearly 100% of the population is covered by medical insurance. Secondly, it is the second country in Southeast Asia, after Japan, in terms of the growth rates of population aging. And the third factor – Thailand, after the rapid growth over the past 10 years, is making demands for a higher quality of life and healthcare, including the provision for medicines. All these factors are a testimony of the growth in interest in the reproduced medicinal products in the future; which in turn makes this market of interest to Farmasyntez.”

Indeed, issues regarding GMP certificates were also discussed during the meeting. Vladislav Shestakov asked the colleagues to clarify what countries were of reference to the Thai regulator and ASEAN countries in relation to the regulation of the pharmaceutical market. Among such countries the Executive director of DKSH Thailand’s business development department of healthcare, Ms. Asvanund mentioned Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore. In more detail, the subject related to the GMP, and issue concerning the approach of inspections during the audit of manufacturing sites were discussed on August 15 in the course of the bilateral meeting between the Thai FDA and SID and GP.

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