Tagged with GEN

China The rate of diabetes in China has exploded: the number of diabetic patients has surpassed 100 million and is expected to increase to 150 million by 2040. Dr Qinghua Wang, founder and CEO of Innogen, returned to China in 2014 with the hope of tackling this disease with Diabegone, an…

China Dr Dong Wei, CEO of EdiGene, shares the fascinating story behind the establishment of EdiGene, including his close relationship with EdiGene founder Professor Wensheng Wei; the insights he bring from his extensive and varied industry career from biotechs to Big Pharma; and the mission of EdiGene to translate the potential…

Hungary István Hodász, CEO of Egis Pharmaceuticals PLC, introduces the longstanding history of the company and its positioning as a leading manufacturer of value-added generics with a strong presence in the CEE market. Hodász goes on to highlight the company’s recent milestones, including manufacturing investments, portfolio acquisitions, new therapeutic area strategies,…

Czech Republic Sandoz’s Jiří Hanzlík, country head for the Czech Republic, evaluates the Czech affiliate’s role in contributing to the success of Sandoz globally as well as its position in the country. He delves into the growth of their biosimilars business — its portfolio share increased from eight to 15 percent in…

Hungary Jānis Meikšāns, newly appointed general manager of Teva Hungary, speaks about his first few months in the country. Meikšāns goes on to elaborate on Hungary’s key positioning as a strategic affiliate for Teva with strong R&D and manufacturing operations. Additionally, he highlights Teva’s longstanding commitment to the country not only…

UAE The United Arab Emirates Genetic Diseases Association (UAEGDA) was established in 2006 and aims to increase awareness programs in order to prevent the occurrence of common genetic disorders in the UAE and throughout the region. Dr. Maryam Matar is the founder of the UAEGDA, and she discusses the importance of…

China With proactive government support and an increasingly specialised workforce, China has become one of the leading nations in the development of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, along with the US. More than 200 CAR-T therapies are being developed in China, and the number of ongoing clinical trials continues to…

Generics Despite being recently divested from multinational pharma giant Sanofi, Czech firm Zentiva is becoming one of the fastest-growing generics manufacturing companies in Europe, with a swathe of recent international acquisitions strengthening its position.   Zentiva, a Czech Republic-based generics manufacturer, is on a mission to expand its reach after being…

Canada Marina Vasiliou took the reins as managing director of Biogen Canada in November 2017 after a long and varied career at MSD in a wide variety of geographies.   Canada’s biggest strengths are its diversity and openness—whether that is in health sciences or the culture itself Marina Vasiliou, Biogen Vasiliou…

Hong Kong Dr Joseph Tam is indisputably one of the pioneers of Hong Kong’s biotech industry, having returned to Hong Kong in 1973 following an illustrious career in the US to bring in novel technologies to the city.   I feel happy that I have achieved my initial objectives: to bring international…

Turkey Dr Ferhat Farsi, CEO and founding partner of CinnaGen İlaç, shares his experience working for the largest biotech in the MENA region, Turkey’s important role within the global group, and his ambitious plans for the future.   “Having worked for leading Turkish companies for several years … I realized that…

USA Peter Marks, director of the US FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, outlines how the organization is attempting to further promote the advancement of cutting edge cell and gene therapies in the US and beyond.   To keep pace with the remarkable and continuing growth of gene therapy, FDA’s…