Media Outlet: Dünya Newspaper
Spokesperson: Sami Kiresepi, Executive Vice Chairman of Santa Farma İlaç
Could you tell us about your company?
Santa Farma’s history dates back to 1944 when ‘Farma Laboratory’ was founded. The Lab started by manufacturing pesticides, cough drops and syrup and other simple but widely used medicines. The company took the name Santa Farma following its merger with ‘Santa Laboratory’ in 1946. The decision of the company to establish a manufacturing plant in 1953 marks its first step towards industrial manufacturing. The Company changed its name to Santa Farma İlaç Fabrikası Kolektif Şirketi in 1954 and Santa Farma İlaç Sanayi A.Ş. in 1973.
Our plant boasts of manufacturing 150 million boxes on a closed space of 44,000 m2 on a total land of 80,000 m2 at GEBKIM Organized Industrial Zone in Dilovası. This capacity can be increased where necessary. As a 77-year-old pharmaceutical company, Santa Farma offers ground-breaking, innovative and high quality solutions to improve the life standards of patients by using eco-friendly and human-oriented technologies in its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and R&D centre in European standards.
Will you make new investments?
Santa Farma operates in 9 therapeutic categories including dermatology, nervous system and metabolism, gastroenterology and infection, central nervous system and haematology with a total of 66 products supplied to 48 different markets. Recently, it has penetrated into the Over-The-Counter (OTC) product market comprised of supplements.
As in drug market, Santa Farma has assertive aspirations in OTC product market, as well. Thanks to the new manufacturing and R&D plant and the latest transformation of the company, launch of new products and creation of different business models by the OTC Division will certainly make Santa Farma more powerful than ever.
How about exports?
Santa Farma not only conducts successful domestic operations but also meets the requirements of foreign markets. The company offers innovative equivalent products to foreign markets thanks to its long-term marketing experience as well as the registration files update in line with the international norms. The company keeps growing sustainably in foreign markets every year. Export shall remain an indispensable part of Santa Farma’s growth strategy in the future.
The company exports products to 16 countries as of late 2020. Our goal is to make exports to 30 countries and penetrate into European market by 2024 when we will celebrate our 80th anniversary.
Will you undertake any new cooperation?
Under the strategic cooperation agreement executed with MEALIS Middle East Life Sciences in 2020, we transferred to MEALIS the selling, marketing and distribution rights of a drug formulated with duloxetine hydrochloride for treatment of moderate and severe stress type urinary incontinence affecting women and drugs for iron deficiency anemia.
Furthermore, we have started cooperating with Novartis, one of the leading global companies in Turkey. Having initiated cooperation with Algoven, a US based global company, in 2020, we aim to improve this cooperation by executing joint development agreements for 3 products and contracted manufacturing agreements for 2 products. In addition, we are looking for new countries and partners for export.
What is the current situation in employment? Do you plan to increase the number of employees?
We have around 1,100 employees. We plan to preserve them.
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