Read the Conversation
EF: What are the priorities and opportunities on your agenda for 2024?
AM: Grünenthal is a family-owned pharmaceutical company. Our vision is to move towards a pain-free world. Our company strategy revolves around four key priorities: transformation, innovation, growth, and culture.
Transformation is vital as the world evolves rapidly, especially in digital omnichannel approaches, which are crucial for the future. Innovation is at the core of Grünenthal, emphasizing our commitment to discovering and developing new medicines for global availability. This remains a top priority, and it guides all our actions to invest in research and development, enriching our pipeline. Growth, particularly in Iberia, is significant, given the absence of local R&D. We focus on driving commercial success through an omnichannel approach, making our brands successful, and expanding our portfolio through deals and acquisitions, both globally and locally. Lastly, culture and people are paramount. Our commitment lies in building an engaged, diverse team dedicated to a pain-free world. Creating a safe working environment for our team is crucial. They and our patients play a pivotal role in establishing our presence, especially in Iberia, where we lead in the pain management market.
EF: Could you elaborate on what your priorities are when it comes to diversification? What other growth drivers do you see in the market besides pain management?
AM: We have a variety of brands in our portfolio at different stages of the life cycle. We categorize them into established brands and innovative medicines, focusing on pain-related innovation. The growth in innovative medicines is noticeable, and we also acquire established medicines through deals with companies that contribute to our portfolio's expansion. These acquisitions, involving mature off-patent products, enhance our brand awareness and allow us to reinvest in research and development. In these deals, we acquire assets that align with the therapeutic area of pain as long as they are well-established brands. Additionally, we engage in local deals, like the one for osteoporosis medicine in Spain, complementing our global acquisitions. Our approach involves a mix of significant international acquisitions and local in-licensing deals, with ongoing plans for the future.
EF: How do you attract resources to your region, and how is it better than anywhere else?
AM: Our portfolio has a mix of innovative and established products that are performing well. Iberia is the largest cluster in Europe. Our success is due to innovations like omnichannel strategies and digital excellence, which distinguish us and drive strong performance. Our employees are the backbone of our success, and we like them to feel like a family at Grünenthal. We prioritize creating a safe and valued environment for everyone, which motivates us to overcome challenges, like the loss of exclusivity for one of our major brands last year. The team's response to this challenge was truly remarkable.
EF: Could you elaborate on your leadership style? How do you keep your team engaged?
AM: I believe in maintaining a balanced approach to leadership styles. We used to focus more on specific styles, but now I emphasize a balance between empathy and setting clear objectives. It's about being empathetic with the team while driving towards clear goals to ensure agility and entrepreneurship. Bringing everyone together towards common objectives each year helps to align priorities and resolve conflicts effectively. This creates a respectful yet efficient and agile work environment.
EF: Can you elaborate on the omnichannel approach and the initiatives you drive? And what strategy have you used to achieve success?
AM: Even before COVID, we were already working on what was then called multi-channel, now it evolved to the omnichannel approach. This approach ensures a coherent patient journey with various contact points and channels, all guided by the same strategy. As Grünenthal, we are recognized for our leadership in omnichannel, thereby leveraging hybrid cycle plans for our representatives to plan face-to-face visits alongside other digital activities.
Our representatives are central to our success, so we ensure they have comprehensive knowledge and tools. We constantly refine our approach, comparing and improving plans while harnessing data science to tailor content to healthcare professionals' (HCPs) preferences. This enables us to measure the effectiveness of different activities and make informed decisions for future strategies and tactics. Our focus on data-driven analysis has been a cornerstone of our success over the past three years within Grünenthal, setting a standard outside the company. This approach guides our strategy assessment for the upcoming year, ensuring well-informed decisions and continued success in our field.
EF: Do you also have data science platforms that address patients for patient tracking, incremental diagnostics, and innovation of new treatments?
AM: We're actively exploring artificial intelligence across various platforms. In Spain, we've supported the introduction of TRAK, a tele-rehabilitation tool that utilizes AI to guide patients through exercises, ensuring correct positioning and real-time corrections for more effective and personalized recovery. Our website, www.dolor.com, offers a wealth of resources, including podcasts with AI-generated voices, training for healthcare professionals, and a restricted area for them. In 2023, we had over 600,000 visitors, with around 40,000 registered healthcare professionals, including visitors from Latin America.
EF: Can you tell us more about the Spain-specific pain burden and how you are addressing this necessity and gap through your portfolio? Do you have anything exciting coming up?
AM: We primarily focus on chronic pain, and a recent study in Spain conducted by the Grünenthal Foundation revealed impactful insights. Approximately 26% of people experienced chronic pain last year, with 28% facing anxiety, 22% dealing with depression, and. The study also highlighted the employment impact, showing that 29% had taken sick leave, and 32% lost their jobs due to chronic pain. These findings emphasize the complexity and significant societal effects of chronic pain. Our work revolves around various portfolios targeting pain, particularly chronic pain. Looking ahead, we're venturing into knee osteoarthritis, and we are currently conducting phase three studies for a new molecule.
EF: How can we increase awareness of the importance of pain management?
AM: We have several ways and tools, but one of the most important ones is our two Grünenthal Foundations, in Portugal and Spain. From both of them, we promote better pain knowledge among patients and their caregivers, and pain awareness in society. Besides, we promote and support new advances in pain research.
EF: What three pillars does a system need to remain sustainable in the healthcare industry?
AM: To remain sustainable, continuous innovation is the key. A system must have funds to support ongoing innovation; otherwise, stagnation is inevitable. From a country perspective, each nation needs a financing model that ensures sustainable healthcare for its residents. This includes both fostering innovation and providing access to medicines. In Spain, the average time that elapses from when a new drug is approved by the European authorities until it is available for use is around 500 days, much higher than in other very relevant countries in Europe. Delayed access can disrupt the system, leading to significant disparities between regions. I recall a recent pharma industry study noting a 1.7-year increase in life expectancy in the first decade of this century. Impressively, 73% of this increase was directly attributed to the positive effects of new medicines. This underscores the importance of a sustainable system that supports ongoing innovation for the well-being of citizens.
EF: What would you like to celebrate when you accomplish three years in your position with your team? What would you be most proud of this time?
AM: As we work mainly for the patients, I'd love to see increased awareness and acknowledgement of the pain burden from various stakeholders. Over the years, there has been progress, but I want to celebrate that pain is now on the agenda of different stakeholders. We're moving in the right direction, focusing on creating awareness and solutions that go beyond medicines. Pain treatment involves a holistic approach, and despite being a pharma company, we believe in a multidisciplinary approach for the best results. Patients should have access to exercises, medications, and other aspects that improve their quality of life. That's why we're here.
It's important to remember that we're not alone in this journey; collaboration with various stakeholders is crucial. Patient associations play a significant role in Iberia. Listening to patients and considering their opinions makes sense and adds value. We must bear in mind that pain is the primary reason why people seek primary care services, both in Spain and Portugal. It's often the first concern they address when visiting healthcare centers.
