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| Astellas Pharma Poland General Manager Tapani Sura |
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Following his appointment as general manager in early 2006, Astellas Pharma Poland executive Tapani Sura faced the challenge of making his company's products more competitive after a generic version of its main product was introduced into the local market.
The challenge grew more difficult when the Polish government implemented a measure in July of the same year that required foreign drug companies in the country to reduce prices of their products by 13 percent.
Business was tough that year, but Sura redefined Astellas Poland Pharma's direction and the company began to grow again. In Poland, Astellas now focuses on four therapeutic areas: urology, transplantation, dermatology and antiinfectives.
"For 2009, we will maintain or improve our current growth. It will be faster than the market average," Sura stresses.
"We are one of the top urology companies worldwide. Transplantation is our other cornerstone. There is much tradition in these two sectors," adds the company chief.
Having weathered the challenges presented over the last few years, Sura is optimistic about the company's growth prospects and remains firmly focused on reaching its full potential.
"Per capita, Poland has less than half of the transplantations annually compared to the Czech Republic. Those figures are also much smaller when compared to Nordic countries. The development in Poland has not been very positive in the last few years, but the trend is now changing and there is huge potential," says Sura.
"It will require an enormous change in public perception and opinion. The reputation of transplantation procedures is negative in Poland. This is due to certain scandals a few years ago. The press has been negative concerning transplants since these events," he adds.
Astellas has collaborated with other drug companies to fund foundations that educate and inform the public about transplant procedures. Patients who have undergone transplants have also come together to promote transplantation as a safe medical procedure.
Sura is not intimidated by the challenges that lie ahead.
"We don't celebrate quarterly results because we are focused on a long-term vision, which fits much better for the pharmaceutical industry. It takes seven to 10 years to get a new drug onto the market," he says.
"Throughout all these discussions, we should think about the patients' needs. It's about patient safety, care and improving their lives," he adds.
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www.astellas-europe.co.uk
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