Interview 

“Brazil is a very important market”

Three launches due to 2008, two by their own and one in partnership with another laboratory, Shire, that started their activities in Brazil in 2007, announced investment in clinical research, medical education, sales force and marketing. “The continuous medical education is one of the main tools that will be used by Shire, besides clinical studies done in Brazil and the release of scientific research.”, says Roberto Marques, the president of the company in Brazil.
Marques does not ignore the possibility of acquiring a new Brazilian laboratory, as they have already acquired seven companies over the last ten years. “We intend to analyze the business opportunities in Brazil that meet our global strategy, even by using special funds from BNDES for the biotechnological area.”, said  Marques to top Team. Follow it below: 

Top Team: Why has Shire decided to start operating in Brazil? 

Roberto Marques:  Brazil is a very important market for several segments of industry and it wouldn´t be different for the pharmaceutical one. The need and demand for healthcare in a 200-million-inhabitant country made Shire, within an expanding program,  prioritize their subsidiary in Brazil. 

Top Team: After becoming the president of the company, what are your next main challenges?

Roberto Marques: Besides consolidating business in Brazil within an atmosphere where the healthcare system is still in need of better investments, mainly from the public sector, we intend to help build in the country policies towards diagnosis and treatment of  rare diseases, especially the genetic ones, ususally neglected. 

Top Team: What strategies do you intend to use?

Roberto Marques: Shire HGT works on research and development of medicines for rare genetic diseases, some of them without treatment available. For being rare pathologies, we first need to know such diseases better and increase diagnosis in Brazil. The continuous medical education is one of the main marketing toools that will be used by Shire when producing specialized medical material to the several segments of Brazilian medical society besides studies taken in Brazil and the release of scientific research.

Top Team: How much will Shire´s investment be?    

Roberto Marques: In general figures,  Shire must invest around US$ 20 million within the next 20 years. As a whole, we will invest in marketing, clinical research, medical education and sales force, for instance. 

Top Team: Will there be any launches for 2008?

Roberto Marques: Yes, we intend to launch two products for 2008: Elaprase and Replagal.  These two important medicines were developed by Shire HGT to treat  Hunter Syndrome and Fabry disease, respectively. I´d like to highlight that Shire conducted the biggest study taken for a genetic disease in number of patients, including 18 Brazilians, who participated in the Phase III of Elaprase research at Hospital das Clínicas at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. We may also launch a product for renal hemodialisys patients who need to control phosphorus level through a partnership with a local laboratory. 

Top Team: What is Shire´s annual revenue in England and how much do you expect for Brazil?

Roberto Marques: The global Shire´s revenue in 2006 was around  US$ 1.796 billion and the investment in research and development was US$ 386.9 million, 14% higher in relation to 2005. Nowadays Shire is the third in the pharmaceutical ranking in England. In Brazil, our revenue in 2008 will depend on when we will start trading the mentioned products, according to Anvisa´s approval. 

Top Team: Over the last ten years, Shire acquired seven companies. Do they intend to acquire any Brazilian laboratories? 

Roberto Marques: We intend to analyze all the business opportunities in Brazil that meet our global strategy, even by using special funds from BNDES for the biotechnological area. The development and manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products in Brazil is still about to be successful as they are taking their first steps. However, we count on excellent research centers nationwide besides high quality researchers, what make us believe Shire will  have a great future here.