Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2008 - (Page 25)

Dr ükrü Bozluolçay, chairman, Bozlu Group ground in the last few years, even if the overall market is growing. Companies did not realise in time the importance of being international, because they became complacent, because they were comfortable. Which company do you see as the leader of the Bozlu group? Monrol (producer of radiopharmaceuticals) currently represents the flagship of the group. In July, Eczaclbasl Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing successfully concluded its acquisition of a 50% share in Monrol Nuclear Products Industry and Trade. Eczaclbasl-Monrol has about 150 employees and four production centres now. The fourth in Izmir started production of isotopes (FDG; Fluorodeoxyglucose) for PET scanners in September. However, by 2010, MNT (nuclear medicine consulting services) may become the flagship of the group, when the turnover reaches $50 million. MNT has around 400 employees. What you’re saying then is that local companies have made themselves vulnerable to the global economy. To be blunt, have they put themselves in a merge or die situation? Yes. I am not a nationalist and I know that we have to become global and part of the global economy. But I think it’s really a pity that the Turkish pharmaceutical industry, which has become quite advanced, has had to be sold out more or less. I wish companies had had the good sense of merging together before the market opened up. It would have become a much stronger industry. North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, CIS countries, and, possibly in the next five years, western Europe. Last year, Eczaclbasl -Monrol applied for cellular radioactive material in the European Union, a process that takes three or four years. This is a major step, not only because it opens up business opportunities, but also because it adds credibility to the market. We may also develop production facilities in India, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Dubai will open next year. We are already exporting to India and Egypt, and Greece is also a possibility. growing, dynamic sector, we believe that we are really the only company in Turkey, because production processes are very complicated here. Radiopharmaceuticals are important for both therapy and diagnosis, but which has the biggest future? I believe that there will be a mix of both in the future, and molecular imaging will be very important. In terms of diagnosis, there will soon be a combined PET (positron emission tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) product. We have an R&D facility where we plan to develop specific radiopeptides that will image and treat certain diseases specifically. At present, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are Where do you see the nuclear medicine global market going? We see it growing because there are going to be a lot of new products within oncology. It is a very important area and we need more new materials and testing systems. It is a growth market of maybe 20% or 25%. And although it is a b From our understanding, E c z a clb a sl Monrol is quickly expanding abroad. We are trying to build in other areas — 37 Last words Who said what in pharma’s last four weeks 3 News The monthly round-up of European stories 6 Calendar Upcoming events in Europe and around the world 7 BioFutures Gerhard Symons on the dark side of Russian healthcare

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2008

Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2008 Contents News and Analysis Calendar BioFutures Strategy Fundamentals Executive Recruitment: Small Company, Big Career Executive Recruitment: Instant Pharma Named Patient Programmes Executive Review: Turkey

Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - October 2008

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