Biotechnology to serve as a driving force behind Turkey's pharmaceutical sector becoming a global player

TURKEY BIOTECHNOLOGICAL MEDICINE PLATFORM FROM THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY EMPLOYERS' UNION (İEİS) İEİS Board Chairman Nezih Barut:

"Biotechnology will have a locomotive effect in making Turkey's pharmaceutical sector a global player"

İEİS, a longstanding and leading organization in Turkey's pharmaceutical industry, established the Turkey Biotechnological Medicine Platform to enhance the industry's competence and competitiveness in biotechnology and to contribute to the development of this field in Turkey. İEİS Board Chairman Nezih Barut, commenting on the platform which aims to create synergy by bringing together respected companies working in this field and which began with 18 members, emphasized that the platform is also open to pharmaceutical companies that are not members of İEİS, stating, "The development and production of biotechnological medicines in our country is a matter we attach great importance to as İEİS. In this way, our patients will have easier access to these medicines, the foreign trade deficit will be reduced, making a significant contribution to the country's economy, and it will be possible to build up technological knowledge. Biotechnology will have a locomotive effect in making Turkey's pharmaceutical sector a global player."

"As İEİS, we will lead our industry's biotechnology drive"

Making statements on the establishment of the Turkey Biotechnological Medicine Platform, Barut noted that the Platform was established to conduct work aimed at increasing the effectiveness of Turkey's pharmaceutical industry in the biotechnological medicine field, whose importance is growing every day in the world and in Turkey, stating, "As İEİS, we will lead our industry's biotechnology drive."

Nezih Barut continued as follows: "Throughout the world, the production of plant and chemical-based medicines is rapidly being replaced by biotechnological medicines within the scope of new developments in science and technology. The usage rate of biotechnological medicines globally has exceeded 20% and continues to grow.

A similar situation exists in our country. The total market size of biotechnological medicines in Turkey reached TRY 3.40 billion in 2016, representing approximately 16.5% of the total prescription medicine market.

The biotechnological medicine field is a rather new field for our country. Our industry's human resources and knowledge base in this field are still limited. However, our companies, with a long-term perspective, are making high-cost investments that will take years to recoup, exerting all their efforts to strengthen our country in a strategic field like biotechnology."

"In this field which we entered late, it is of great importance that government support for R&D and biotechnology investments is further increased in order to compete effectively with our competitors."

Nezih Barut, noting that he believes the industry will make a breakthrough in this field with the realization of investments beginning in biotechnology and the implementation of new investments, stated, "In this field which we entered late, it is of great importance that government support for R&D and biotechnology investments is further increased in order to compete effectively with our competitors.

Furthermore, it is necessary to create a regulatory environment that supports our objectives, and to regulate the licensing, pricing and reimbursement systems in a manner that makes investment meaningful.

Within this framework, we aim to be active in increasing incentive mechanisms in the biotechnology field through the Turkey Biotechnological Medicine Platform and in determining regulations.

Additionally, we want to make joint efforts to undertake initiatives for developing qualified labor, and to become a platform where national and international organizations can communicate as a reference point and obtain information."

Turkey Biotechnological Medicine Platform

The Platform consists of 18 members, some of which are İEİS members and some are not. It aims to continue its work in 5 main areas: Regulations, incentives, qualified labor, pre-competitive cooperation, communication.

Within this framework, it plans to carry out the following activities:

-Identify problems related to biotechnological medicines and develop solution proposals,

-Work to make greater use of incentive mechanisms,

-Be active in creating a regulatory environment suited to our country's needs,

-Develop close cooperation with public and academic institutions,

-Increase the knowledge and awareness level of health professionals regarding biotechnological medicines,

-Cooperate with national and international NGOs,

-Organize national and international events.

Platform members are as follows:

Abdi İbrahim, Adeka, Arven, Atabay, Centurion, Dem, EİP Eczacıbaşı, Hasbiotech, İlko, Koçak, Liba, Mustafa Nevzat, Nobel, Onko, Sandoz, Teva, TR Pharm, Turgut