Global During the COVID-19 pandemic discussions around increasing access to medicines for low and middle-income countries (LMICs) were often centred on compulsory licensing. As a result, pharma companies were up in arms about protecting the intellectual property (IP) of their innovative medicines. But there is an alternative, says Charles Gore from…

MEA The healthcare and life sciences industry is well represented in Forbes Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2023 list alongside sectors such as banking, investments, and retail. In a region that is making some important advances in diversity, equity and inclusion, these five women – including two former PharmaBoardroom interviewees…

Africa As part of a special focus on drug development and clinical research in Africa in February 2023’s DIA Global Forum magazine, Lisa Ursella Collins of Innomas Clinical Research, Leslie Sam from Leslie Sam and Associates, Jayesh Pandit, a Patient Safety Advocate from Kenya, Helen Ndagije of the Uganda National Drug…

South Africa Roughly half of Africa’s 1.1 billion people lack regular access to even the most essential medicines and most of Sub-Saharan Africa depends on imports which make up as much as 70 to 90 percent of the medicines consumed there. As the COVID-19 pandemic further demonstrated this dependence and the vulnerability…

Egypt Barely four and a half years ago, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi secured overwhelming re-election vowing to “place public health front and centre” of a radical reform and stabilization agenda. What has occurred subsequently has undoubtedly been momentous. Firstly, his administration unveiled ambitious plans to provide universal, cradle to grave,…

Saudi Arabia The latest news from the Saudi healthcare and life science industry, including how the implementation of COVID-19 measures have helped reduce the prevalence of MERS-CoV in the country, regulatory approval for Alvotech and Bioventure’s Humira biosimilar, and Open Medical’s new partnership with Tamer Group around digital transformation solutions.   As…

Africa Diabetes is a significant, and growing, problem in Africa, making access to insulin products a regional imperative. Some important progress is being made, including a new deal between US giant Eli Lilly and Egyptian group EVA Pharma. The agreement will allow Lilly products to be manufactured in, and for, the…

Egypt The leading company in the Egyptian pharma market by volume, the Egyptian International Pharmaceutical Industries Company (EIPICO) is now making a region-first move into biologicals and biosimilars manufacturing to power its future growth as well as expanding its international footprint.   Biologics: A Big Leap Forward The company’s plan to…

Egypt As the largest pharma market in MEA in terms of volume and second only behind Saudi in value, Egypt is an increasingly important part of pharma multinationals’ MEA operations. Here, three regional managers give their takes on what Egypt means to their companies, and their hopes for its future development.…

Egypt Three country managers with a recent experience of bringing new products from their company’s global portfolio into Egypt – and with big plans for more launches in coming years – outline how the product launch process has improved and why government stakeholders are more receptive than ever to industry innovations.…

Egypt Egypt country managers tend not to stay in their roles for more than a few years, instead moving on to different pastures when new opportunities arise. However, those that do stay put – such as Roche’s Mohamed Swilam, now approaching his ninth year as general manager for Egypt – can…

Egypt While evidence and recognition are growing that gender-balanced and diverse management teams at all levels of hierarchies produce positive business outcomes, the MENA region still has a long road to travel in this respect. Only 11 percent of senior management positions in MENA firms and just four percent of board…