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Creating Shared Value in the Mexican Pharma Industry

Leticia Zermeño - Grupo CPQ
Director

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Miriam Bello By Miriam Bello | Senior Journalist and Industry Analyst - Mon, 05/03/2021 - 14:12

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Q: How did Grupo CPQ deal with global supply chain disruptions during the pandemic, given it has a portfolio of 900 products?

A: The unprecedent challenge demanded an extraordinary response from our team. The expertise of our people together with close communication with our commercial partners including suppliers and customers helped to minimize the impact of the disruptions. One cornerstone during the most challenging months of the pandemic was the stock storage in our distribution center located in Jalisco, which helped us kept an acceptable filing rate to our customer’s demands.

Q: How did the pandemic affect demand the company’s pharma, R&D and care areas?

A: Demand depended on the therapeutic area. Some of our products saw a 200 percent increase in demand while others were on standby. Pediatric drugs or treatments for common ailments, for example, faced weak demand because children were staying home most of the time. On the other hand, our antibiotics, corticoids, vitamins and antidepressants ingredients were our best-sellers. Other items indirectly related to COVID-19 also increased in demand, such as those to treat metabolic issues because the lockdowns generated sedentary habits

Q: Grupo CPQ works closely with generics manufacturers. How have the changes to the centralized purchasing scheme impacted supply?

A: Facing a new acquisition system forced us to improve and innovate. The industry is open to embrace the challenge and prove that Mexico can compete against other pharma clusters in the world. A fair ground for all players will be fundamental to guarantee quality medicines to the population and clear timelines and rules will help us focus our efforts on remaining competitive in cost, keep efficient deliveries and guarantee the quality of our products.

Q: How is Grupo CPQ integrating technology into its internal performance?

A: Grupo CPQ integrates technology into our warehouse processes and inventory to deliver the best distribution results and avoid disruptions. Moreover, the continuity of our business would not have been possible without a technological shift. In terms of the pandemic, we have implemented virtual office and communications with our clients. Our communication with clients is essential to anticipate and prepare orders and we have achieved that just as well in the digital era. Webinars have been an effective communication source for our clients. They have also been of great use for the development of our staff. We also participate in virtual forums and we have noted their impressive reach in terms of audience.

Q: What are your views about the functionality of nearshoring for the pharma and chemical sectors in Mexico?

A: Health is a priority for all countries. I think the government should create a program to encourage and support a strong national pharma industry to face health challenges. Mexico should be prepared and not rely completely on foreign suppliers. It should encourage the local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients aside of the already well-developed manufacturing of medicines. The safety of our population should not be compromised.

Q: How is Grupo CPQ innovating its product portfolio or service offering to respond to industry needs?

A: Pharma has been our core business over the last couple of years; however, after COVID-19, we see great potential in prevention medicine. We have been proposing innovative ingredients to contribute to our clients’ efforts to expand their lines of preventive healthcare portfolio.

 Products related to the immune system and to prevention have been booming in the market. To meet the demand Grupo CPQ is introducing a triple action ingredient, ResistAid® supports and improves the immune system. It is an antioxidant and prebiotic. The ingredient is a botanical extract that combined with a proper diet can reduce the incidence of colds as it improves the immune system.

Vitamin D3 and Zinc are other ingredients in our portfolio for Immune Health that in synergy are very effective. Recently, we began distributing the Lipofoods® portfolio by Lubrizol, which includes encapsulated minerals and botanicals extracts with technology that improves their bioavailability and absorption.

Q: What are Grupo CPQ’s strategies to continue growing in the pharmaceutical market?

A: We remain focused on improving our pharmaceutical division and especially on continuing our work with the generics industry. Grupo CPQ is committed on supporting its clients and their emerging projects. We are believers in innovation; as such, we are looking forward to participating on this field as well. We have a consolidated offer for oncology, retroviral, antiglycemic and gastroenterology products. The promotion of functional adjuvant actives also remains a priority because they are an organic way to grow and offer our clients allelopathic solutions.

 

Grupo CPQ has more than 35 years of experience in the distribution of pharmaceutical actives and excipients. Its portfolio of product lines incorporates human pharmaceutical, animal health and nutrition, nutrition, dosing solutions and care chemicals.  

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