Polpharma unveils ambitious expansion plans for 2007

Polish pharmaceutical producer Polpharma plans to triple its sales to become the biggest drug producer in the region by 2007, according to its recently-announced development strategy. "We want to become the largest drug producer in Central and Eastern Europe mainly by increasing our exports," said Grzegorz Michniewski, director of Polpharma's Commercial Office. The company, which currently exports 19% of its production volume, plans to export half by 2007. "We have already gained a foothold in Russia and Ukraine, now we plan to enter selected markets in Western Europe, Australia and Asia," continued Michniewski. The company wants to expand its business by introducing over 130 new drugs onto the market by 2007. These are going to be drugs for which the period of patent protection has already expired in global markets. The company plans to develop the necessary technology for their production in their own laboratories and to launch them under their own brand. By 2007 the investments into research and development are planned to grow from zl. 40 million to zl. 200 million a year. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) P.W.