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The medac Philosophy
medac is one of the leading producers of oncology preparations in Germany – and has been for more than 30 years. It is our goal to offer the best possible therapies to people suffering from cancer. Over the years our palette of medications for tumour-related diseases has significantly increased in size.
In just a short time after our founding in 1970, we had established ourselves as one of the first companies in Germany to specialise in oncology, which still forms the core component of our business today. Our preparations can slow the progression of many cancers. In some cases, a full recovery is even possible. These successes in the fight against cancer represent a special obligation for us in the future. Medac will continue to strive to offer the best possible therapy options – both through innovative development of our own as well as through licensed sales of new medications.
Apart from therapy itself, one of our primary goals is an improved quality of life for our tumour patients. Measures to improve quality of life are indispensable in modern cancer treatment. This is why medac provides effective agents for supportive therapy and patient-friendly drug application systems. In this way we are able to offer the physician treating the patient and the pharmacist the tools they need in cancer therapy to ensure the well-being of the patient.
Therapeutics and Diagnostics Under One Roof
Medac is one of the few companies to offer diagnostic tools for the detection of diseases as well as the therapeutic agents needed for their treatment. Since our founding, we have been committed to the idea of combining therapeutics and diagnostics under one roof.
Product Portfolio Expanded by Autoimmune Segment
Autoimmune diseases that are chronic infections, like cancer, are characterised by complex disruption of the functions of the body’s cells. For more than ten years, medac has been working with these indications. This segment has developed into another important mainstay of the company. Especially in the field of rheumatoid arthritis medac has made some important innovations in the last few years and has been able to systematically strengthen their market position. This is another of the indications for which we are firmly established as a partner for doctors and pharmacists.
Sales Force – Our Customer Interface
More than 80 members of the sales force are in direct contact on-the-spot daily with doctors and pharmacists in hospitals and private practices. Personal contacts to our customers allow us to work together for the good of the patient. Surveys conducted with doctors and pharmacists show that we are considered to be a reliable partner: Our expert, competent and service-oriented work is valued.
Research and Development
The development of new therapeutic and diagnostic products plays an important role at medac. We work with several external partners, especially in the area of pre-clinical studies. This allows us to react quickly and flexibly to new research trends and proposals brought to us by doctors and pharmacists. Clinical developments are advanced by in-house experts. After the clinical trials have been successfully finished, the Drug Regulatory Affairs Department takes responsibility for dealing with the authorities, thereby ensuring that new product developments available for patients as quickly as possible.
Strategic Partnership with Schering
Today, medac is a privately run company. We have been involved in a strategic partnership with the Schering AG since 1997, when they acquired one fourth of the total medac shares. In the mean time, the joint venture, MedacSchering Onkologie GmbH (MSO), was founded with its headquarters in Munich. Since 2000, this joint venture has been responsible for both companies for sales of products in the area of haematological oncology. MSO concentrates its business operations on the German market.
Subsidiaries and Affiliates
For especially important projects, medac has founded new companies. In this way the development of new research areas can be advanced more quickly and effectively. In 2002, photonamic GmbH & Co. KG was founded in Wedel, and medac has an 80% interest in this company. This new company concentrates on the development of photodynamic therapy and diagnostics. Of special interest is the active substance 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), which can be made to fluoresce by light of certain wavelengths. This can aid in differentiating between diseased tissue and healthy tissue. The technique is well-suited for treatment of certain infectious and malignant diseases.
ILH GmbH offers a patient-specific therapy option based on a vaccine obtained from lysed tumour cells and the patient’s own blood. This cell therapy technique was developed in the laboratories at the Hannover headquarters of this 100% medac subsidiary.
Within the framework of a multi-year co-operative effort with the biotechnology company ProThera GmbH in Jena, a recombinant asparaginase was successfully produced, a world-wide first. The development and production of this enzyme, as well as other recombinant proteins, belong to the special expertise of ProThera GmbH.
Our Production
Along with the development and marketing of our products the production of drug products is becoming an increasingly important part of our business. It makes it possible for these drugs, some of which are essential for survival, to be produced and made available in the necessary amounts and a very high quality. The production of cytostatic drugs is handled primarily by Oncotec GmbH, which is based in Tornau near Dessau. Medac has a 50% interest in this company.
Our portfolio of therapeutic agents is too large, however, to be handled by one producer alone. We therefore obtain some of our products from suppliers with whom we have worked closely for many years. Our good and firmly-established business relationships with these partners ensure that no bottlenecks arise in the production of medac products.
Refined Logistics
To be able to quickly process orders and enquiries from our customers, medac has its own experienced team of employees. Their job is to ensure that the products are delivered in a timely fashion. Because of our experienced back-up organisation we are in a position to guarantee the availability of all our products.
medac International – An Important Segment
Medac is active not just in Germany. It has also built up international activities consistently and successfully: medac International already generates more than 25% of the company’s sales.
Our Diagnostics Business Unit is additionally present with representatives in Belgium, Austria and the Czech Republic. In the other markets in Europe, Africa, South America and the Near and Middle East, medac co-operates with locally established companies.
Growth for Over Ten Years
Despite the general downward economic trends of the last few years, medac has continued to grow. In the fiscal year 2003, sales (not including subsidiaries and affiliates) could be increased to over 100 million Euro for the first time.
New Site in Wedel
In 1999, the company moved from Hamburg to the newly built, company-owned headquarters in Wedel (Schleswig-Holstein). With this concentration in one location, internal operations have been made more efficient. The shorter distances allow us to concentrate more fully on the concerns of our customers – doctors and pharmacists. More than 300 employees work in the modern building. The unusual glass and steel architecture combines state-of-the-art workplaces for our employees with design aesthetics
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