VIANEX-LILLY: The Greek flag flies in China
With the Greek flag next to the Chinese, were greeted at the premises of the pharmaceutical LILLY in Shanghai, the first batch of injectable antibiotic vancomycin, produced in Greece in the plant C of the leader of Greek pharmaceutical industry, VIANEX.
This event, which marks the beginning of a new era for the country and the Greek pharmaceutical industry, was announced at a press conference, Wednesday, November 12, at Zappeio, by the president of PHARMASERVE-LILLY, by the Pharmaceutical Forum EBEA (Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Mr.Dionyssis Filiotis, by the vice and CEO of VIANEX, Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, the President of Lilly Europe, Australia & Canada, Mr. Andrew Hotchkiss, the general manager of PHARMASERVE-LILLY, Mr. Spyros Filiotis, the vice of Lilly Finance, Strategy & Business Development China, Mr. Richard Jonathan Parsons and the Consul General of Greece in Shanghai, Dr. Eugene Kalpyris.
In the press conference spoke the Health Minister, Makis Voridis, the Deputy of Development and Competitiveness, Notis Mitarakis, the Secretary General for International Economic Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Panagiotis Michalos and the President of EOF (National Organization for Medicines), Dimitris Lintzeris. The keynote speech was delivered by the President of EBEA, Konstantinos Michalos. The event was held under the auspices of the Pharmaceutical Forum of EBEA, EPhForT.
Present were also representatives of the state, the drug industry and doctors. Among these, the former Deputy Minister of Health, Marios Salmas, the MP Thanos Plevris, the general secretary of the Ministry of Health, Vasilis Kontozamanis, the president of the Greek Association of Pharmaceutical Companies, Constantinos Frouzis, the president of the Panhellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Industry, Theodore Trifon, the President of Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association, Constantine Lourantos and the President of the Hellenic Medical Association, Michalis Vlastarakos.
The event was opened by Mr. Dionysis Filiotis, who referred to the founding of the Pharmaceutical Forum of EBEA, with a view to promoting the pharmaceutical production of international companies in Greek factories for export in large foreign markets, as well as the clinical research in our country. Addressing to the representatives of the state, he stressed that "we are not asking privileges, but to remove the obstacles, to adhere to the provisions and the deadlines" in order to enable the implementation of such development moves as the cooperation of LILLY- PHARMASERVE and LILLY-VIANEX. Referring also to such cooperation, stressed the historical links that bind the two companies, with decades of cooperation, and spoke warmly for Pavlos Giannakopoulos, founder and president of VIANEX and also for Thanassis Giannakopoulos and Kostas Giannakopoulos.
The Vice President and CEO of VIANEX, Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, began his speech by thanking LILLY and PHARMASERVE LILLY, as a Greek and as a representative of VIANEX for the confidence they have shown and continue to show in the production capacity and the quality standards of the company.
"Before about a year and a half, we had the honor to announce the major deal of VIANEX with LILLY, oriented in the production of vancomycin for the Chinese market, inaugurating a standard export growth model.
It was a landmark agreement that would not have occurred if there was no long-term strategy planning on the part VIANEX.
VIANEX, anticipating the continued upward trend for antibiotic production of lyophilized products, started 10 years ago to invest in the necessary infrastructure, the supply of necessary equipment, its installation and control, as well as the manning with the appropriate workforce to ensure high production capacity. Only for the production needs of vancomycin recruited about 20 qualified people with a view to hire nearly as many in the coming years.
Already, we have spent more than 11 million Euros, while the next two years will be required additional 2 million. This investment has brought VIANEX within the top three pharmaceutical industries on lyophilization, in Europe.
The arrival of the first batch of vancomycin in China is the corroboration of the collective effort which makes us as Greeks and VIANEX, proud!
Altogether, two million units of vancomycin will be exported to China in 2014, while the production needs for 2015 are estimated at 6 million units and 6,3 million units for 2016, with an upward trend.
With the constant guidance of the representatives of ELI LILLY and the diligent efforts of all the staff involved, took place the pilot productions. Then we proceeded to successive controls by the Chinese Medicines Organization, we submitted all the evidence and after approval, we began production in the summer of 2014 and today the first batch is arriving in China.
When, however, China rewards the Greek medicines, the Greek government allows to enter from the "back door" medicines of companies from Israel, Pakistan or India, when even the FDA has banned the distribution of the formulations of those companies in the United States. Obviously, we know better than the Chinese and the Americans...
In closing, I would like to say a few words about the health, overall. Unfortunately, we have been witnessing in recent years, a continuous deterioration of health services received by the Greek people, although we have excellent scientists and high level of expertise to cover adequately and qualitatively the medical needs of citizens. This is due to the austerity imposed by lenders and is applied strictly by current and previous memorandum governments, resulting to dramatic shortages of medicines and medical supplies to hospitals, to pharmacies with empty shelves and to a pharmaceutical expenditure which is not sustainable nor for pharmaceutical companies nor their patients, as causes them to high participation rates.
Although the Greek medicine has the quality and ability of production to cover a large proportion of people's needs in medicines, the unaffordable measures such as rebate and the clawback and the successive reductions, are leading the Greek companies mathematically to extinction. The place of Greek companies on the market is coveted by foreign pharmaceutical companies, in which the road is open in recent years by the Greek government, without taking into account the long-term adverse consequences for the economy and for health, but only based on the benefit of transient accounting results.
We address you a call:
Finally, trust the Greek pharmaceutical industry. The foreigners trust us, it's time also the Greeks to trust us", concluded Mr. Giannakopoulos emphatically.
In his keynote speech, the President of EBEA, Mr. Michalos noted inter alia that the Greek pharmaceutical companies have not surrendered and that despite the consequences of the crisis they continued to invest and increase their outreach. Such ventures open great prospects for Greece, as they create new jobs and contribute to the balance of trade. He urged the state to develop favorable conditions, in order the pharmaceutical industry to be an essential pillar of development.
The Health Minister, Mr. Voridis said that today is a special moment, which is a challenge for the new business environment. He described the collaboration VIANEX -PHARMASERVE LILLY as a response to the challenge of the times and to a parasitic capitalism that prevailed for years between the public and private sectors. The Greek pharmaceutical industry endured and despite the fact that in the years of the crisis suffered violent and fast adaptation, it coped, he said. He also expressed optimism that 2015 will be a year which will be based on a stable and efficient environment with balanced budgets, and wished the example of partnership of VIANEX and PHARMASERVE LILLY be followed by other pharmaceutical companies.
The Deputy of Development and Competitiveness, Mr. Mitarakis, said that is optimistic for the country that fact that international giants are choosing Greece. Furthermore, the industrial standard of LILLY and VIANEX demonstrate that the country is gaining confidence in the global competition. For the new development law, he said that must be connected with market requirements and that the programs must adapt to the needs of the country for which will be necessary the collaboration with the Ministry of Health on matters within its remit.
Mr. Panagiotis Michalos said that the cooperation VIANEX-LILLY is an example of the new business model, which is able to radically change the country's economy. Helping to increase exports, it is possible to transform Greece into business hub, taking advantage of its geographical position, infrastructure and manpower.
Mr. Lintzeris talked about "unrealistic" production of vancomycin for the Greek standards, comparing the amount of 10 million pieces per year, under the agreement, with the 46,000 pieces for the Greek market. This project, he added, will not only bring a significant increase in turnover of VIANEX and GDP growth in Greece, but also will create new jobs. The EOF noted, seeks to facilitate the export activity of Greek pharmaceutical companies, accelerating procedures, for example the time for issuing export license does not exceed 10 days.
A special moment was the link with the premises of LILLY in Shanghai. Mr. Parsons stated that vancomycin is an antibiotic, which is a first-line treatment for severe infections that threaten lives and caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci. The formulation Voncon has been used to treat more than 2.5 million patients since 1996, when it was first released in China.
The Greek Consul, Mr. Kalpyris said that "the agreement reached between the internationally renowned pharmaceutical giant LILLY and the pioneering Greek pharmaceutical company VIANEX, to produce Voncon in Greece for export to China, is evidence of the high degree of credibility enjoyed by the Greek pharmaceutical industry internationally, both for quality and for its expertise". He stressed that "this action will serve as a means of recognition of the Greek pharmaceutical products in China, attracting Chinese investment in the Greek pharmaceutical sector, but will also help increase Greek exports of high quality medicines in China."
Mr. Hotchkiss highlighted the important contribution of PHARMASERVE-LILLY for the project, while he pointed out that concerning the cooperation with VIANEX was taken into account the exceptional quality of the company's products, the high level of human capital, and the economic prospects of the project. He also announced that in addition to Voncon, is already discussed the production of other pharmaceutical products in Greece, in order to export to foreign markets.
The director of plant A and C of VIANEX Mrs. Maria Konstantinidis, was reported to the investment by Giannakopoulos family for upgrading factory equipment and expertise in lyophilization. Finally, Mr. Spyros Filiotis announced that among the next steps of the company, is included the effort to expand cooperation with VIANEX in order to produce more drugs in Greece and to export them to major international markets.
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