Read the Conversation
EF: Poland has been showing good economic growth compared to other EU countries. Do you see the upcoming months as a challenge or an opportunity?
HN: Poland's macroeconomic environment indicates that we should have a positive outlook because the Polish economy showed strong resilience during the pandemic and despite high inflation rates. Even some turbulence around the world with the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East will not have a stronger negative impact because of Poland's geographic position and its key strategic role in the area. But on the other hand, Poland also has many unmet medical needs. As the Astellas, we will support stakeholders, experts, and patients to limit unmet medical needs because our Vision is to bring value to patients.
EF: What is Astellas' footprint in Poland, and what are your regional priorities?
HN: I lead a cluster affiliate covering Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine, addressing a population of about 100 million people. We have four office sites, and Warsaw is the central hub for our operations in all four countries.
Astellas' commitment in Poland is quite large. While Astellas does not have a manufacturing facility in Poland, our commitment to the market is substantial, and we are working diligently to introduce all our innovative drugs in Poland. I want to highlight our dedication because obtaining reimbursement for innovative medicines is sophisticated.
Our commitment is to show the value of our medicines and introduce them to Polish patients as soon as possible. In the last two years, we got reimbursement for three innovative molecules, which is quite an achievement considering the circumstances. This means, to be more precise, that all our new molecules are currently reimbursed. Now, we are waiting for new registrations, and of course, we are working on ensuring the continuation of the reimbursement for our more mature products.
It is worth emphasizing the dialogue with the Ministry of Health and the improvement in the area of access to innovative treatment that has occurred in recent years.
EF: What does access mean to you, and what action levels should be put into play that can allow for improvement of access?
HN: Access is about patients. Anything else is an obstacle. When talking about access, we must remember that patients are waiting, and those patients must not be left behind. This is something that I am passionate about because sometimes authorities only focus on costs. All they can think about is a rigid number. I'm trying to understand their point of view, but in my opinion, health is not a cost; it is a societal investment because it is built for the well-being of the citizens, who then build the country's economic resilience. Poland, like many other EU countries, focuses on cost containment measures.
There are better ways of dealing with your citizens' access to healthcare. I am passionate about discussing the value our medicines bring to society. I am proud that we have discussed and demonstrated this to the Polish authorities in the last few years.
There is science behind this; value is not a number or a price. Value is the ratio of outcomes that matter to patients over the cost to the healthcare system of delivering those outcomes. This is what we have to show. If the balance is positive, then it is worth the investment.
EF: How does Astellas enhance patient outcomes in Poland, and what are your primary therapeutic areas?
HN: Our main focus areas are oncology and hematology, with prostate and bladder cancer and acute myeloid leukemia treatments, for which we have received reimbursement (in prostate cancer with some limitations). We also recognize the need to preserve the value of our legacy products because they are also important. For example, we have a strong portfolio in transplantation, and Astellas is a leader in the Polish transplantation market. We want to remain close to the patients in that important area.
We would also like to introduce the innovative technologies and therapies that Astellas is developing. For example, we are going into ophthalmology, specifically geographic atrophy in age-related macular degeneration, which we look forward to. We are lucky because we have a rich product pipeline and are committed to bringing that to Polish patients to improve their quality of life.
EF: Your motto is "Changing tomorrow, today." How does this translate to Astellas' role in the pharmaceutical industry in Poland?
HN: Our efforts are internal and external, emphasizing employee involvement in activities that support the creation of a sustainable society. We believe in sustainable growth within society achieved through collective contributions. Astellas aims to be an active member of associations, advocating for the role of the innovative industry in Poland and actively shaping the environment. Changing tomorrow is both internally and externally focused.
Internally focused means that we want every employee in Poland to be actively involved in activities outside of their normal work that have the potential to help create a sustainable society. This can include philanthropic work or other actions supporting people in need, such as volunteering. They volunteer to support local communities and societies through activities, donations, or anything else that could support Polish society.
We believe in sustainable societal growth and must do that through all our employees. It is not done by me alone; all our employees do it through their contributions to the community. I think that is the spirit of changing tomorrow. We strongly believe in that, and I am trying to cascade that to every level. It does not matter which position you are in.
EF: What role does Astellas play in advancing gene therapies in Poland?
HN: Gene therapies will be coming in the next few years. They are part of our corporate strategic plan. We will need to see how to approach this because since it is very innovative, we must convince the Ministry of Health about the value of financing costly lifesaving therapies.
Regarding the strategy on how the healthcare system can finance this sort of therapy, I think that as an innovative industry, we have to be aligned because the budget is specific; it has to be allocated somehow. The unique possibilities of gene therapies are something that we will need to align within the association.
EF: On the prevention side, how do we make awareness an investment for the future? How do we create this urgency?
HN: Astellas invests in awareness campaigns and cooperates with patient associations and stakeholders to raise awareness about diseases like prostate cancer, including running a self-funded campaign involving the Ministry of Health. This campaign is aimed at prostate cancer because it is a disease that can be managed if it is detected early enough and can be a lifelong treatment; it does not have to be fatal. We are investing in this because it helps patients manage the disease proactively.
We are doing the same thing in the transplant portfolio. We are working with the transplantation society, surgeons, and the Ministry of Health to find a way to increase awareness about organ donation and help surgeons or hospitals identify possible donors according to their state.
EF: Could you elaborate on concrete initiatives for bringing innovation to Poland?
HN: Earlier, I touched on the ophthalmology area that Astellas recently entered with the geographic atrophy age-related macular degeneration. It will be the first therapy registered in this indication! We are very excited to bring this into Poland, but the European Medicines Association (EMA) has not yet approved it. This is still under approval. Oncology and hematology are already bringing innovation to Poland.
EF: How does Astellas attract and retain the best talent aligned with its mission?
HN: I think it is all about values. We must ensure that the values of the company are aligned with the values of the people working for it. We need to ensure that the Astellas values exist in the people working for Astellas in Poland and the candidates we would like to attract. This is important because, nowadays, most companies, more or less, have the same HR policies and benchmarks against each other.
The difference between attracting and retaining talent is not only monetary or benefit-related. However, we aspire to be competitive because people must work for practical reasons. To go the extra mile and excel in what we are doing, we need to have passionate people who are passionate only if their values align with the company's. We believe in that.
Many leaders can communicate effectively, but it is important to be consistent with these values daily and make decisions that prove you believe in them. That is the only way people can connect, engage, and be passionate about their actions. This is even more important now with the existence of remote and hybrid ways of working. We are committed to supporting flexible working methods, and work-life balance is important. How do you keep your people connected to the company? One common goal, one common passion.
EF: You will be celebrating 20 years at Astellas next year. What would you like to celebrate? What are the biggest milestones you would like to toast?
HN: I would like to celebrate my impact on the people I have worked with and how I have positively changed their lives. I want to celebrate my mark on the markets I have worked in and the patients I have reached. Reflecting on those years and every activity I was involved in, I want to remember how positively I impacted the people I've worked with and touched patients' lives through my work.
If you are passionate about what you are doing while being very clear about your goals as a leader and as a person, then whatever you do will have an impact and be successful. I think that should be our guiding light in life. Be the best you can, and the rest will come.
