Amelia Tataru, the head of the representative office of Slovenian generic drug maker KRKA, says the launch of six new products will lead to an over 10% increase in this year's sales, higher than the market average.
At the moment, the company is present on the market with 26 drugs for human use. Once Romania joins the European Union, the number of new drug launches will be much higher, as it will take far less time to obtain the necessary licences to put the products onto the market, Tataru said.
"The portfolio is the only way a generics company (one that manufactures drugs whose patent expired) can develop on the market," she explained.
Amelia Tataru has been heading KRKA Romania since 2005 and is the first Romanian national in this position, with the previous two managers being Slovenians.
"KRKA has been selling pharmaceuticals in Romania for over 30 years, and opened a representative office to handle promotion and registration of new products in 1995," she added.
The company last year posted sales of more than 20 million euros in Romania.
Sales on the domestic market in the first half were 60% higher in euros, compared with same time last year. Romania witnessed the fastest growth rate of all the KRKA markets in SE Europe.
Three months into 2006, KRKA had a share of 2.6% of the Romanian pharmaceuticals market, according to PharmMis data referenced by the company. Its market share at the end of 2005 stood at 2.2%.
The company anticipates modest growth for this year's sales in Romania.
"We expect the pharmaceutical market in Romania to grow by more than 10% in 2006, and KRKA's sales to grow faster," she said.
KRKA is currently employing 100 people, and will hire 10% more by the end of the year.
The well-known brands the company is selling in Romania include Enap (high blood pressure treatment), Vasilip (simvastin), or Bilobil. It is also present on the vitamin segment with Picovit. Other known brands in its OTC portfolio are Septolete (mouth and throat infections) and Daleron Cold 3 (for treating cold and flu). KRKA sells pharmaceuticals and other products for veterinary use, as well.
She believes in the long-term growth potential of the drug market in Romania. "Consumption per capita in Romania is very low, hence the growth potential," Amelia Tataru said.
On the other hand, she went on, Romania is a much bigger market than Slovenia, with lots of opportunities.
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