The bet of Genomma Lab to ally with the Israeli company Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc to develop an anti-Covid vaccine that is taken and not injected like those that exist until today, is projected so that in about 18 months it will be finishing its process of clinical studies and its potential approval to prepare its release on the market.
So foresees it Rodrigo Herrera, founder and president of Genomma Lab, who in an interview with The Economist He expressed that as soon as phase I is completed in South Africa and phase II with clinical studies in people begins, from then on they will have clearer times and perhaps by the time the option of private sale of the vaccine will be open.
The announcement of the alliance was made in New York both Rodrigo Herrera What Nadav Kidron, CEO of Oramed and president of Oravax.
As reported, the purpose of the alliance between both companies is to put together the scaffolding to complete the development and be clear about the exit strategy for said oral vaccine in the Mexican market, as well as in 19 other Latin American countries where Genomma Lab already has a solid distribution and marketing platform. The idea is to manufacture the vaccine in its plant in Mexico: “it will possibly be necessary to make some adjustments to manufacture the active ingredient outside or. look for an alliance, but with our installed capacity to be able to manufacture it here ”, he pointed out.
Explained that a vaccine taken will have a stronger impact in Latin American countries because the current options imply enormous efforts and costs, not only for their production, but for the organization of an impressive machinery to store and distribute them in territories where the complex orography and great distances make the cold chain more difficult. “All these costs, including those of the personnel to administer it, will be significantly reduced when a vaccine is authorized that does not require a syringe or specialized personnel to administer it,” he observed.
The manager predicted that Mexico should be the first to access a vaccine with these characteristics, for which there is already a proven technology, since Oramed is already very advanced in the development of insulin taken, whose studies are already in phase 3 with a high probability of being approved shortly in the United States.
As reported, the oral vaccine of Oravax is made up of three specific proteins that resemble various components of the virus (SARS CoV-2), so it would potentially be more effective in protecting against current and future variants of the Covid-19 virus.
Regarding the ease of a vaccine being taken instead of injected, once the technological barrier that has prevented it is overcome until now, the businessman envisions that once the approval step is taken, the door will open to explore with other vaccines, the option of converting them to oral does not covid. Hence the decision of the allied companies to exchange shares, be aligned and be business partners in other forward initiatives.
“The most relevant thing is that in this operation Genomma provides its platform extended throughout Latin America that includes from manufacturing, with its own installed production and maquila capacity, apart from an extensive distribution system throughout the region and an area of regulatory affairs. with dozens of records and dossiers submitted in the different markets of the region. “We have a very broad understanding of how the regulatory entities work in the countries and how to submit the paperwork, in addition to our commercialization and marketing muscle,” he commented.
He shared with us that the business of Genomma Lab It is already to such a degree spread internationally, that to date 60% of its total sales revenue already comes from outside of Mexico.
To express question about what he is looking forward to on the pitch where he moves Genomma LabHerrera responded that highly disruptive technological advances are coming, where drugs will come that will be personalized based on people’s DNA. “They are great changes and those that are reinventing and innovating are those that will survive” Therefore, he estimated. the product portfolio of Genomma Lab In 5 or 10 years it will be very different from today, where innovative and disruptive products come, now difficult to imagine them but they are already closer than we think.
And in this sense, they are in the process of seeking other alliances with companies that have truly relevant technological advances, for example in genetic medicine, and being pioneers in the introduction of genetically personalized medicine options. “If you turn to see what is happening in many countries, there are already very innovative health technology efforts, in this case in Israel, but also in Asia or Europe and in the United States; we want to be the option in the search for commercial partners of those companies that bring new technologies, ”he concluded.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx