OOO GEROPHARM is one of the 20 leading Russian manufacturers of pharmaceutical preparations. The company has modern industrial sites, where production is carried out on the principle of Full-Cycle: from production of active pharmaceutical ingredients to a market release of the finished product. In addition to the drug production, the company conducts independent studies, annually makes considerable investment in R&D. Today GEROPHARM is associated with the best experience, scientific advances and effective management.
History. Beginning and the first achievements
The company was founded in 2001 and achieved great results in less than 10 years. Since the early days GEROPHARM has asserted itself as a producer of two drugs based on the advanced technologies of the scientists from the Military Medical Academy. GEROPHARM is a sole producer of the innovative drugs such as Cortexin (effective neuroprotector) and Retinalamin (a unique ophthalmological drug stimulating retinal regeneration). (A link to the Website of the State Register of Medicinal Drugs is as follows: http://grls.rosminzdrav.ru/grls.aspx). The company produces medicinal drugs using its own patented technology.
The company always sets a goal to improve the quality of human life by means of producing high-efficacy drugs. Over the last years Cortexin and Retinalamin were widely used by the specialists in the field of neurology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, neonatology, and pediatrics. In many regions of the Russian Federation the drugs produced by GEROPHARM are included in the Essential Drug Regional Lists and in the Health Care Standards.
A long-standing partnership connects GEROPHARM and NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES, which is the first Russian producer of human recombinant full cycle insulin. GEROPHARM has a license for establishment and pharmaceutical activity of insulin. Additionally, it is engaged in the wholesale trade of medical products. Since 2003, GEROPHARM has been an exclusive distributor of NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES offering Rinsulin, which is produced by the partner company along with the other products of its own production. Production of this socially significant drug intends to provide the Russian market with the qualitative domestic insulin; that will contribute to drug safety of the country. At the present time, these companies develop several innovative projects including the project for the creation of new drugs for therapy and prevention of diabetes and other socially significant diseases.
Development
The innovative drugs and pharmaceutical production that meets the international GMP standards are the key success factors for GEROPHARM. The advanced technologies and the up-to-date control methods are introduced to achieve the high quality of output products. Product quality control at all stages of the manufacturing process is performed by the quality assurance department (QAD) certified by the Federal Service for Supervision of Health Care and Social Development. In February 2008, laboratory of QAD passed a voluntary accreditation for technical competence in the Federal Agency on Technical Regulation and Metrology.
When selecting business partners GEROPHARM also takes into account the level of their technical equipment, which guarantees the safety of medicines. The manufacturer has developed stable partnerships with the leading distributors of the pharmaceutical market who distribute the products produced by GEROPHARM in Russia and abroad.
GEROPHARM achieved expansion into the new geographic markets in 2006. A medicinal drug – Cortexin, well-proven in Russia, was registered in Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Later Retinalamin was registered in these countries.
In 2007-2008, GEROPHARM medicinal drugs were registered in other CIS countries: Belarus, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Armenia. Market developing will be continued – at present time the company considers new perspective regions: the near abroad and Southeast Asian countries. Due to a deep analysis of the market, competent marketing policy, and cooperation with major distributors, GEROPHARM registers annual stable increase in sales.
Social responsibility
Considering the support of young professionals conducting scientific researches in the field of medicine as one of the priorities, in 2005 GEROPHARM initiated establishment of a welfare fund “Young Hippocrates”. This initiative was supported by authoritative and industry experts including representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, the Committee on Public Health, and the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Saint Petersburg Government. One year later, under the auspices of the Fund the first international contest took place; it attracted great interest in the medical community. Awarding of the authors of the most interesting studies was held at the Palace of Scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where the winners received special prizes founded by the Board of Trustees of the contest. The second contest “Peptide drugs - drugs of the XXI century” took place in 2008 - 2010 and duplicated the success of the first event.
An important social component of the company activity is its assistance to the Committee of International Soldiers. Together with the Committee GEROPHARM organized a specialized conference “Quality of life of war veterans, participants of local conflicts, victims of terrorism and the problems of comprehensive rehabilitation”. Such events, which are attended by the soldiers internationalists from different regions of Russia and CIS countries, help to improve the quality of life of people affected by hostile events or natural disasters.
In additional principal activity, GEROPHARM and partner companies make contribution on solution of actual problems of the Health Services with inform activity and joining to global international actions, which raise awareness of danger of socially significant diseases.
In the spring 2010, GEROPHARM together with PFIZER carried out events for the World Day against of Glaucoma that was observed in Russia for the third time. Within the scopes of actions events for doctors in different towns of Russia took place as well as press-conferences in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. These events are supposed to actualize a problem with sickness rate of glaucoma, which is the second reason of loss the sight in the world.
In the autumn 2010, GEROPHARM and NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES carried out series of round tables for media, which covered the problem of diabetes. In Russia, several hundreds of thousands of people are diagnosed with diabetes every year, often it is detected at a late stage when advanced disease causes serious complications, often leading to disability.
Conducted on the eve of the World Day of Diabetes round tables brought together representatives of Health Services, public organizations, experts and attracted big interest from the media. Thus, the joint efforts of the participants drew public attention to danger of diabetes and informed people of risk factors of disease and preventive measures that will help to change the situation with an increasing sickness rate of diabetes in Russia.
Plans and prospects
Today GEROPHARM is a modern growing company. In addition to the main office located in Saint-Petersburg, the company has organized work in 39 major cities of Russia and the CIS countries. GEROPHARM considers the development of domestic pharmaceutical business as an important result of its activity. In 2008, the company joined the “Association of Russian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers” gathering together the leading participants of the pharmaceutical market and actively takes part in the work of Association. In 2010, the company became a member of Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and launched English-version of web-site that promotes export developing of company’s drugs.
At the present time a project will be continued to expand the number of scientific researches both in clinics and laboratories. The promising developments of the company are associated with peptide drugs used in ophthalmology, neurology and other fields. A part of the developments is at the end stage of preclinical trials; patents have been received in Russia, EU, the USA and other countries.
In parallel with the development of drugs the company is developing biochemical diagnostic methods and searching for specific biomarkers. The use of these biomarkers will not only track the efficacy of the therapy, but also recognize a disease at an early, often latent stage. These facts make this approach promising for the prevention of serious disorders.
Currently, one of the major projects of GEROPHARM is construction of a new hi-tech pharmaceutical complex, which will comply with GMP standards. This complex will be located in the pharmaceutical cluster being formed in St. Petersburg. The project concept has been developed together with the leading global engineering company - a world leader consultant in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries – “NNE Pharmaplan” (Denmark). At the new site the original Russian drugs will be produced, as well as innovative products which are being developed now and generic, which are priority in the import substitution program.
At the same time GEROPHARM is working on organization of the modern research laboratory in SEZ "Neudorf" (Saint Petersburg) and implementing a project of building an industrial complex in Moscow Region. New productive capacity makes it possible to increase production of human recombinant full cycle insulin and develop production of new drugs for treatment and prevention of diabetes and other socially significant diseases. The international GMP appraisal of the project has been carried out by the specialists of Healthside Information Services Ltd. (UK). Construction of the plant is scheduled to finish by 2012.
Production of original Russian drugs and development of new medicinal drugs will meet the requirements of Strategy of Pharmaceutical Industry Development up to 2020 that will contribute to supply market with high-quality Russian products.
