The event was organized by the Entrepreneurial Association of the University of Navarra with the aim of bringing together the students’ scientific perspective and the pharmaceutical companies’ professional requirements

According to Carlos G. Ojer, “the pharmacist’s profile enables him to finish his academic studies with a sound knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry”, which definitely qualifies him to hold a variety of positions, from the most technical ones (research and development, manufacturing, etc.) to those closely related with business such as marketing and sales, or business development.

 
Carlos G. Ojer surrounded by the Dean, the Chief of Studies and the students

Moreover, Ojer Pharma’s Manager explained to the audience the different phases that are needed to create a pharmaceutical company. He also stressed the importance of being “results oriented” together with “the capacity to assume risks” as two key factors of a real entrepreneurial person.

This recognition aims at rewarding those enterprises that act as real links between the universities and the world business

The President of Navarra, Mr Miguel Sanz, was in charge of giving the prize to Carlos G. Ojer, General Manager of Ojer Pharma Laboratories. This award underlines the importance of those companies that aim at transferring the innovative knowledge generated in those technological centers such as universities, to the industry. Thus, as the Innovation and Employment City Councilor declared, “these types of enterprises are key to the evolution of a whole society’s economy.”

Carlos G Ojer, Ojer Pharma’s General Manager, receives the EIBTs Award

Currently, just fourteen Navarra companies have earned this recognition and amog these, only four enterprises belong to the Biosanitary sector. Ojer Pharma’s General Manager stated: “Thanks to the University of Navarra’s vision and our shareholders’ support, Ojer Pharma is contributing to the consolidation of R&D as the new economic model of the Region in this century.”

The Innovation Councilor and the Manager of CEIN give the prize to Dámaso Molero, Manager of 3P Biopharmaceuticals

The 22 regional companies competing for the award were previously appointed as “High Potential Emerging Enterprise” by CEIN during 2008. Ojer Pharma received this acknowledgement due to its “expansive policy towards international markets”, its “high standard of innovation” as well as its proven capacity to operate in “strategic marketplaces”.

The agreement was settled last January when the two entities, CDTI and Ojer Pharma Laboratories, signed the contract.

The aforementioned public support will enable the company to undertake its first big project of development, which embraces the launching of two dermatological products into the market by the end of next year. On the other hand, the Government of Navarra will contribute to the project through a public funding that covers up to 20% of the final budget.

“Inderma Project” will develop the first two products of Ojer Pharma’s pipeline, aimed to treat those skin conditions with infectious component, such as mycotic infections and dermatitis. The first drug presents an innovative therapeutic action as it treats simultaneously both causes and associated symptoms. The second product has an important innovation in its pharmaceutical form which enables a comfortable and highly aesthetic application.

The Ministry of Health wants to meet with representatives of the industry of non-prescription medicines in order to “give expression to its demands in the new strategic plan of national pharmaceutical policy”.

The Spanish authorities are therefore assimilating the European tendency of boosting non-prescription medicines within the market.

Thus, the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP) demands a much more dynamic process of authorization for these drugs, through an inmediate recognition among the EU countries for those authorizations approved in one country of the Union. Moreover, this entity proposes a wider publicity regarding non-prescription medicines: more information in the labelling for the patient’s interest, website addresses of the product, attractive packaging designs, etc.

“Obtaining a new drug is becoming more and more expensive and difficult”, as it was pointed in a recent press article of the Spanish paper “El País” (see article in Spanish). Despite the fact that the pharmaceutical companies still assign an important percentage of their benefit to R&D activities, their efforts do not succeed in increasing their portfolio as it was expected.

Moreover, the current financial recession is affecting the sector for the first time and the big pharma are seeing how their blockbusters’ patents are expiring. Thus, the industry is realizing how its research and development model is becoming obsolete in the beginnings of the 21st century.

To continue innovating the laboratories need to collaborate with smaller companies that can provide them with quality research for less risk and more dynamism. The big companies definitely need to feed their research departments with those specialized “Knowledge Centers” such as universities, public centers, SMEs devoted to R&D, etc., in order to obtain “new products with a clear potential of commercialisation”.

See article “Los rostros que están forjando un presente con futuro” 

The National Association for Health Self-Help (Anefp) states that the use of non-prescription medicines is an efficient means of saving money during the economic crisis. According to the General Manager of the Anefp, “the pharmaceutical industry, the Administration and the citizens should be aware of the advantages derived from using this type of drugs” when treating minor conditions.

As García Gutiérrez explained, many non-prescription medicines that are currently being reimbursed “should be sold with the same trademark as OTC”. This measure would encourage the industry and would permit the National Healthcare System to save 1.207 million euros, as well as 22 hours of medical work per year.