Medley conquers the best market share of generic drugs
From time to time, there are rumors in the market that the Brazilian Medley
Indústria Farmacêutica, the sixth larger of the sector and
leader in the Country in sales of generic drugs, is a target for acquisition.
All the rumors, nevertheless, are denied with passion by Medley’s
president, Jairo Yamamoto, who said to this newspaper that the rumors
must be a result of the competition, "bothered by the supported growth
of the laboratory". "We are growing consecutively for the last
five years. In March, by the way, we reach the biggest market share in
turnover in the category of generic drugs of the last four years. Which
shareholder (in the case, family Negrão, owner of the company)
would be willing to sell a company with such performance?" Yamamoto
ensures that the pharmaceutical company has not even received any proposal.
"We are not interested not even in listening. We are not for sale".
The executive informed, based on data of IMS Health, which extended the
leadership in the market of generic drugs in March of this year, when
the sales reached US$27.08 millions, being the laboratory with 31.79%
of market share in the segment, that yielded US$85.19 millions. For comparison
ends, said Yamamoto, the result in the month was the double of the one
obtained by the company in April of 2005, when it detained 26.64% of the
receipts in the category, with sales of US$13.57 millions.
"The growth is based on investments in the area of generic drugs
and products with brand". One of the examples in this last area,
according to him, is Vivanza, a drug for erectile dysfunction released
in October, 2005, whose sales raised from US$213 thousand in January to
US$786 thousand in March. Still in the category of generic drugs, the
company invested recently R$1 million to re-formulate the packings of
21 prescription free drugs, sold in 40 presentations. These drugs answer
for 11% of the laboratory’s sales. In total, Medley expects to launch
25 products this year.
In volumes of generic drugs, the company also recovered in March the leadership
lost in 2005 for EMS Sigma-Pharma Group, he said. In the period, of the
total of 16.42 million units (cases) of generic drugs sold in the Country,
5.14 millions took the trademark of the company before 4.94 millions of
EMS group. In the accumulated amount of the last 12 months up to March,
when 165.05 million cases were sold, however, EMS prevails at the top
of the ranking, with 29.5% of the total in relation to 27.6% of Medley.
Yamamoto believes that the laboratory is always targeted by the rumors
for its good results, but said that this causes problems, such as insecure
feelings for the employees. "Everyone knows that after a merge or
sale process people may be dismissed and lose their job". The false
reports caused the company to postpone, " at least for the next year",
studies initiated in 2005, in order to open capital in the Stock Market
of São Paulo (Bovespa).
Source: Gazeta Mercantil - May 10th, 06
