K-Pharmaceuticals' Middle East Expansion Supported by Korea Health Industry Development Institute... Samchundang Signs Eye Drop Export Contract

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) announced on the 27th that domestic companies such as Samchundang Pharm and BioNT have achieved consecutive export successes in the Middle East through consulting support from Kemal Hatip, a resident Middle East and marketing expert at KHIDI.

Kemal Hatip, Resident Middle East & Marketing Specialist in Overseas Pharmaceuticals at Korea Health Industry Development Institute
Photo by Korea Health Industry Development Institute

Since 2013, the Health Industry Development Institute has been operating a system of overseas pharmaceutical experts who are invited from global pharmaceutical companies with experience to provide tailored on-site consulting and education in various fields such as research and development (R&D) planning, clinical trials, approval and licensing, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and business development (BD) to strengthen the new drug development and global advancement capabilities of domestic pharmaceutical companies. In addition to Kemal Hatip, a Middle East and business development expert who graduated from Mansoura University in Egypt and has worked at Novartis, Al Razi Pharmacy, and Oncopharma before joining KHIDI as a consultant in 2014, three other resident experts specializing in business development in Brazil and approval and licensing in the United States provide one-on-one customized consulting to domestic companies.

Samchundang Pharm, a domestic ophthalmic drug specialist company, signed a five-year supply contract last November with partners in Saudi Arabia and Jordan for exports to major Middle Eastern countries through consulting with overseas pharmaceutical experts. In March, the company also signed a five-year exclusive supply and distribution contract with an Iraqi partner for a single-use eye drop product with a different indication, creating an opportunity to expand its export channels in the Middle East.

Last month, BioNT signed a three-year exclusive supply and distribution contract with local partners in four Middle Eastern countries for its products. BioNT applied for consulting with overseas pharmaceutical experts to discover local clients, and expert Kemal Hatip utilized his Middle East network to introduce a partner company based in Jordan and coordinated business between the two companies. The export contract was successfully concluded with Kemal Hatip reviewing and supporting detailed aspects such as local conditions, pricing, and contract terms during the process.

BioNT stated, “Due to the market characteristics of the Middle East, it is very difficult to meet reliable partners and coordinate business,” adding, “The practical consulting from overseas pharmaceutical experts familiar with local circumstances was a great help, providing close support at every stage from establishing our product entry strategy to market analysis, contract procedures, registration status, and commercialization.”

Kemal Hatip, a resident consultant at KHIDI, emphasized, “Unlike the Middle East, Korea has excellent technology and manufacturing facilities capable of producing all formulations,” and added, “To proceed to the commercialization stage, it is necessary to understand local conditions and develop differentiated marketing strategies accordingly.”

Kim Yong-woo, head of the Pharmaceutical Bio Industry Division at KHIDI, also said, “Since 2013, overseas pharmaceutical experts have played a lighthouse role in supporting exports for domestic companies at the crossroads of overseas expansion,” and expressed hope that “more companies will utilize the knowledge and know-how necessary for global market entry by continuously using overseas pharmaceutical experts and the online service (GPKOL), thereby strengthening the export competitiveness of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.”

Customized consulting services by overseas pharmaceutical experts are provided free of charge upon company application. Detailed information can be found through the KHIDI pharmaceutical industry information portal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.