The contract research organisation (CRO), which has provided clinical trial services in Russia since 1997, shared its thoughts with Outsourcing-pharma.com days after starting its first commercial sales and marketing project in the country.
Spokeswoman Laura Wilson said: “This project will provide management and sales teams in the Russian market but the aspiration of our business in this and other emerging markets is the provision of a full regulatory, distribution, sales and marketing capability to allow us to provide complete product representation.”
Wilson also acknowledged that Quintiles' commercial expansion in Russia is in step with the wider trend that has seen a number of pharmaceutical industry players invest in the country following the launch of the government’s Pharma 20/20 plan.
“Pharma 20/20 is another signal that the Russian market is being primed for a substantial growth phase. Going forward, locally developed assets will undoubtedly need a provider of clinical and downstream commercial services at levels of quality and stewardship that are focused on addressing the unmet needs of the patient.”
Wilson added that Quintiles has also seen an increase in requests for help accessing the Russian drug market, which she explained can be a challenge for for drug companies more used to operating in mature pharmaceutical markets.
“The regulatory environment is different to that in Western Europe and commercial models need to be tailored to specific key stakeholder needs through the appropriate channels. To be successful, global strategies need to be adapted to Russian market requirements."
Kadrige’s first US office - RTP
In other news, Quintiles has announced the opening of European e-detailing and sales firm Kadrige’s first office at its headquartered in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.
The CRO, which established a co-promotion deal with Kadrige in 2010, said the new office will provide a base for its partner’s hybrid sales services, which blend face-to-face physician discussions and live, remote e-detailing calls.