Full Inventory for Mass Scale Pharmaceutical Projects

Q: How have you advanced with your project for selling intermediates?

A: We have started selling intermediates in other countries but the initiative has not developed at the pace we wanted. We have a person fully dedicated to introducing these products at a global basis but with all the changes that the healthcare sector is facing, this project has developed slower in Mexico. However, we also offer final product sales, which has developed much better and is relatively advanced. We have created a clear pathway for development, especially of product coming from Brazil, taking advantage of companies that are interested in our market.

We want to replicate all of this in Mexico and we are already creating a strategy to introduce this business to the country. We are looking for an agent or laboratory to do the distribution. Indukern could take on the distribution but that would entail extra work related to pharmacovigilance.

Q: How did 2019 fare for your clients in the generics industry?

A: 2019 was a flat year in terms of growth, mostly due to litigation in the sector and changes in the regulatory process in Mexico, which has affected almost everyone. The process is clearer now and we see our clients adapting and responding positively. We want to keep pace with them, anticipating their inventory needs to maintain appropriate levels of our own inventory. Last year, we were left with stock. Our challenge is to balance production with client needs and last year was a learning process. We are reformulating a plan for each client.

Q: How does Indukern help its clients?

A: Indukern ensures that its clients are aware of coming patent expirations so they can foresee regulatory procedures, which has been a key tool for our work and has given us an added value as a provider. We also maintain a sizable local inventory, which facilitates transactions with clients, even on a day to day basis.

Q: What products has Indukern incorporated to its portfolio and why were they chosen?

A: Indukern has around 40 to 60 projects running, all with different deadlines. This means we constantly have new products and it is hard to predict how and when they will launch. The volumes for many of these products are not on a mass scale yet.

Q: How have Indukern’s operations been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak?

A: We have not yet seen a strong impact. However, in February, when COVID-19 was at its strongest in China, we had three weeks with no shipments from China. Fortunately, we were prepared with our on-hand inventory. After China, India also started to see some impact from the contagion on its supply chain, but the country was able to prevent massive disruptions by implementing strategic exports, which included restricting exports of supplies the country deemed essential for its own purposes. Production chains have been affected in both countries but we still need to see to what degree. We keep in touch with our subsidiaries to understand the situation and predict behavior.

Q: What are Indukern Mexico’s short-term goals?

A: This year is one for learning, mostly about litigation but also about relevant inventory. We need to maintain a full inventory for longer so we can provide the proper support when things get back on track. Last year, we received the ISO 9000 certification, which reflects our good work and practices.

Our pharma division has seen very little change in its annual budget, as litigations have caused uncertainty. We hope to have 5 percent growth in sales and we started the year on the right foot. However, we are also facing a global pandemic, so results are quite hard to predict.

Indukern is a chemical distributor focused on raw materials for the pharmaceutical, food and veterinary sectors. Its pharmaceutical division includes fentalines from Kern Pharma, Fersina, Huvepharma, TEVA (Tapi) and others.