“Brazil has become a source for clinical studies”

The bells of Biogen Idec Brazil, in São Paulo, rang at the end of last year to announce the company’s total control over Avonex, a product in charge of delaying the risk of developing clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS), which used to be manufactured by Abbott. “The company’s policy is to ring the bell every time we have good news. It is a way of telling all our contributors.”, explained Wellington Briques, the president of Biogen Idec Brazil, while talking to Top Team reporter.

The executive has already worked at Aventis, BMS, Wyeth and Dr. Reddy´s, in the medical, marketing, operational and global areas. He was hired in 2006 to implement Biogen Idec in Brazil. “Setting up a company is a complex task, though it’s very pleasant”, he added.

Briques commented about this topic and also about the strategies adopted be in charge of trading Avonex, the next launch of the company and their expectations for 2008. Follow it below:

Top Team: Biogen came to Brazil in 2007. Was there any special reason?

Wellington Briques: In 2006, the executive board of Biogen decided to make the company grow. There were two ways to get that: organically, by buying other companies, or geographically. They decided to come to Latin America and specifically to Brazil due to its important role worldwide and also because Biogen contract with Roche would to expire in November 2007. Then, we would have total control of Avonex trade. At the end of 2006, I was hired to set up the company in Brazil.

Top Team: After being hired, which were your main difficulties?

Wellington Briques: Setting up a company is a very complex task, though it is very pleasant. If you like challenges you will get along well with it. Our main difficulty is to find people who are entrepreneurs, successful in their careers, speak English fluently and know deeply about the area they work for. That makes me bring people from different segments, completely different from the pharmaceutical industry. My supply manager, for instance, came from the printing area, and my financial manager come from the banking. This way, I brought new ideas to the company and new ways of performing tasks. The result was great!

Top Team: How much will Biogen Idec invest in Brazil?

Wellington Briques: It will come to U$ 22 million over the next five years. Last year, our focus was to set up the structure, bring the right people, organize the sales force and have all the structure necessary to give some support to Avonex, to the sales force, to physicians and to patients. In November 2007, the focus changed to promotion and to the increase of the medicine demand. In 2008, we will focus on increasing Avonex market share as well as launching another medicine.

Top Team: Which one?

Wellington Briques: Tysabre, a medicine for multiple sclerosis, which is much more effective and will break paradigms concerning multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. We migh also launch one more product in 2009 for MS, and in 2011 we will launch some oncology drugs. However, my goal is to make Biogen branch in Brazil earn US$ 50 million in 2011, just by selling Avonex and Tysabre.

Top Team: Another medicine, called MabThera, is developed by Biogen Idec and traded by Roche in Brazil. Do you intend to trade this medicine?

Wellington Briques: There is a global deal between the two companies and I don’t intend to trade this medicine in Brazil.

Top Team: In your opinion, are there many restrictions to launch the medicine in Brazil?

Wellington Briques: The regulatory restrictions are as many as the ones in developed countries, in some cases even more. A regulatory barrier that exists in Brazil is the time needed to get approved. You expect it to be approved within one year but it can be approved in two or three years, or maybe earlier. The price regulation is another restriction. As a consequence, the companies decide not to launch the product.

Top Team: What do you expect for the pharmaceutical market in Brazil for 2008?

Wellington Briques: It is very hard to say anything, mainly because the prices are controlled. The Cap has affected the pharmaceutical market, not only the pharmaceutical industries that re located in Brazil but all the chain. It is very hard to predict anything. However, we can say that some areas of the industry will have a very positive feedback, like the clinical study. Brazil has become a source for clinical studies worldwide