Conversation with Andrea Taborelli, Business Development & Licensing Manager at IBSA Group

International market development and ever-increasing attention to a pharmaceutical market that is global on the whole, but characterised by many nuances of a local nature: this is the growth strategy that IBSA has adopted since its foundation and that the whole of its management team, starting from President Arturo Licenziati, has always worked towards.

Since 2018, there has been a new function in Lugano dedicated to Business Development and Licensing projects at IBSA headquarters. This position is held by Andrea Taborelli, who tells us how the company’s future will see an ever-greater propensity to overcome national borders and geographical barriers.

“Widespread worldwide distribution is the best we can offer, together with the quality of our products and the constant improvement we always have in our sights”, says Taborelli. “It has been this way since the beginning of our adventure, when IBSA began to build its success region on region. We were a young organisation and we needed to make ourselves known, which is why we chose to diversify the portfolio and to aim for a clear identifiability of our brand, which goes beyond the commercial ‘name’ of individual products.”
A strategy that has proved successful: in a recent research study conducted in Italy it has in fact emerged that IBSA is one of the top ten most famous brands in the pharmaceutical sector among patients suffering from chronic diseases.

The search for new markets is also accompanied by a careful analysis of business partners. Close ties with local distributors are another element of IBSA’s growth at an international level. One example is the case of Egypt, where it is thanks to a very close partnership with the local distributor that IBSA products are the market leader.

WHAT ARE IBSA’S GOALS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE?

“We want to continue our regional expansion, with a consequent gradual increase in brand awareness. We are also focusing on developing therapeutic areas in which IBSA is not yet the market leader in terms of presence and turnover. These include endocrinology, dermatology, osteo-articular therapies, and urology.
Finally, we are focusing on seeking out commercial agreements with partners that are also have a presence in various regions in order to draw up strategic multi-country agreements.
I imagine that the future company structure could include global coverage with IBSA subsidiaries in strategic markets and with products licensed to local distributors in other areas.”

WHAT ARE THE REGIONS IN WHICH IBSA WILL TRY TO ACHIEVE CONSOLIDATION AND WHAT AREAS WILL YOU EXPLORE?

“We are aiming to become even stronger in Europe, especially in countries where IBSA already has its own products registered but not yet in distribution. Europe is a major area for medical devices. With CE marking, they can be marketed without registration simply by sending a notification to the relevant local authority.
As for areas further afield, we have projects for development and entry into CIS markets (Commonwealth of Independent States of the former Soviet Union) and are working on possible business opportunities in the countries bordering the Gulf of Siam, in Latin America, Australia and Japan.”

WHICH FEATURES AND PRODUCTS ARE YOU AIMING TO USE TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS?

“IBSA has always focused on product quality, but also on production and process supply chains, which undergo the most rigorous independent testing in the world. The heart of our company beats for constant research and perfection of existing products, as well as innovation, a major factor in engaging possible commercial partners. At IBSA, this takes various forms, from new drug administration methods, such as oral solution for levothyroxine and progesterone in aqueous solution for subcutaneous injections, to dosages of active ingredients, reduced to achieve better compliance, to new patented production technologies. As far as products are concerned, here at the Lugano headquarters, we focus on prescription drugs and medical devices belonging to the therapeutic areas of endocrinology, fertility, pain, rheumatology, dermatology and urology.”

Bio-Asia 2019 Exhibition Taiwan
From left to right: Andrea Taborelli, Denise Chang, Chien Yao Chang

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