Research centers and a drug quality control laboratory will appear in Vitebsk

Centers for preclinical, bioequivalence, and clinical research, as well as a modern research laboratory for quality control of immunobiological drugs, will be established in 2016 at the Vitebsk State Medical University (VSMU). This was announced by Mikhail Pivovar, Executive Director of the first medical and pharmaceutical cluster in Belarus - Union "Medicine and Pharmaceuticals - Innovative Projects".

He noted that the cluster was created with the aim of maximizing the convergence of science and production so that the latest, most relevant developments of pharmacists are implemented in production as quickly as possible.

"On the way to achieving this goal, we plan to establish research centers at the medical university, which will allow our enterprises to conduct tests on-site and create completely new drugs as quickly as possible, rather than reproducing so-called generics," Mikhail Pivovar shared his plans. Speaking about the launch timelines for the centers, the Executive Director noted that it would be the end of next year. "An investment program has been created, with approximately 1 million euros of funding allocated for the purchase of new equipment, and by the end of next year, we can realistically launch these centers along with trained specialists," the interlocutor said, adding that it is planned to attract funds from innovation funds. Mikhail Pivovar also spoke about the existing achievements of the cluster's participating enterprises.

"For example, Rubicon has already created two new drugs, one of which will appear on the market very soon. Nativita company, which plans to launch its facilities in 2016, has already formed a portfolio of completely new drugs that have no analogues in the world. And our task now is precisely to accelerate their development, which will be facilitated by the created centers, allowing all necessary research to be conducted in Vitebsk in the shortest possible time," emphasized Mikhail Pivovar. The interlocutor explained that the cluster created in the Vitebsk region is primarily a communication platform where manufacturers, scientific and educational institutions, and various marketing companies can gather to develop a common strategy for the development of the region's pharmaceuticals.

"Within this platform, we are trying to determine what is most important for our enterprises in order to develop their competencies, expand their capabilities, and create new medicinal products that could then be introduced not only to the domestic market but also to the markets of other countries," summarized Mikhail Pivovar. The cluster currently includes about 10 companies - these are manufacturers such as OJSC Rubicon, OJSC Belvitunipharm, SOOO Nativita, SOOO Akonitpharma, SOOO MedelkomBel, as well as VSMU, KUP "Vitebsk Regional Marketing Center" and service organizations LLC VitVar, LLC Pharmmarketing Group, etc.

Alena Tikhonova, BELTA.