Read the Conversation
EF: Could you please provide us with a quick annual review, highlighting your major goals, opportunities, and difficulties for the coming year, 2024?
MO: I began working in clinical development in 2022. I was working with a German-Austrian based organization when. Due to the importance of the Polish market for clinical trials, smaller Polish companies were largely outsourcing this portion of the pharmaceutical industry to larger ones during this time. The number of organizations conducting clinical investigations in Poland steadily increased, as well as the number of employees in the industry. At the moment, we have a corporation with a larger hub that employs roughly 100,000 people.
Beginning in early 2015, there was a change in the industry as companies attempted to perform manufacturing. We may be able to anticipate the first significant results from production in 2024, as developing new medications takes time. I'm hoping that significant agreements between major players and Polish biopharma will occur in 2024 and 2025. Poland is an excellent location for conducting clinical research. Poland, in my opinion, is the 6th or 7th largest market in the world because Polish patients are more willing to try new things and are open-minded in their search for new treatments.
People in Poland actively search the internet for diagnoses, particularly when dealing with chronic conditions. Many people contact us as a pharmaceutical biotech company asking to be involved in our research. We would have to inform them that they are unable to participate as we, of course, do not make this decision. Polish patients take an active role in improving their health. There are benefits and drawbacks to this. For example, in Poland, advertisements for prescription drugs and dietary supplements are common. The United States is the only other nation that has this level of advertising for supplements and medications.
Polish people use medications to manage their health in a very proactive manner. They do not put much emphasis on diet and exercise, but they are starting to. In Poland, there is a significant market for products. Numerous businesses employ the outsourcing concept. Big organizations will benefit from this and partner to develop in the 3rd phase, but there are a few elements that are going to change.
EF: Why is investing in Poland a good idea?
MO: In addition to our early advantage in clinical research, we are still less expensive when considering the whole picture, and our investors place a great deal of importance on our ability to secure non-dilutive funding. Poland is a good place to locate a good company. The difference with other European companies lies not only in the quality of science but also in the extent to which non-dilutive funding and inexpensive study methods may help you support your model. Everything in biotech is expensive. Polish investors were mostly concentrating on service-oriented businesses before the arrival of European investment; thus, the cost factor and non-dilutive funding could propel the Polish market upward.
I worked for a service-oriented business, and I sold one to Neuca, a major participant in the Polish healthcare industry. Their non-service categories are excellent. The service type is insufficient at the moment. Some investors are willing to take on additional risk in exchange for future profits. The shift from service providers to businesses creating new medications is being made gradually. The expertise produced by service providers is already useful in this developing field.
Adam Kruszewski is one of the individuals behind the success of KCR, the largest clinical research institution in Poland, and now he co-founded Orphinic. Adam currently runs Orphinic, which is developing a number of programs that tackle indications with high unmet needs. The trend is that successful businesses in service organizations are influencing manufacturing products now.
In this industry, having knowledge and understanding of the market is crucial; while investing money, you run the risk of losing it all if you lack the right skills or know how to conduct clinical studies, research and development. This information is previously known by those in the manufacturing sector. There is a Polish business that specializes in CMC and has extensive production experience. Although the manufacturing sector involves developing something as a sponsor or not as a contract research organization, there is undoubtedly experience from the outsourcing sector.
EF: Could you explain the oncology trends and the reason you are concentrating your efforts there?
MO: WPD is not just a business, but a mission, as many of our investors and employees have a personal stake in the fight against brain cancer. Along with nations like Estonia and Greece, Poland is one of the epicenters of glioblastoma in Europe. We have the highest proportion of patients per population who have both glioblastoma and pass away from the illness. Both adults and children are included in this. The demands in this country are more pressing than those in other nations, particularly when considering the options available.
Some medical devices are utilized in France or Germany that may be tested for the treatment of glioblastoma. However, patient's alternatives in Poland are extremely limited. Brain cancer is a terrible disease that can alter a person's personality if it is in the wrong location. Families are suffering as a result of this. Even though it's challenging and complex, we are here to find a solution.
EF: How can we make the biotechnology industry more aware of these partnerships and emphasize their significance?
MO: In Poland, social capital is a problem for our type of business and there are clear opportunities in Poland. This is because of historical factors that go back a long way. Numerous challenges have been faced in this region of the world. Building social capital and trust therefore becomes essential. As Polish people, we must endeavor to address this issue. It will take time to achieve, but it won't be an easy road. By working on larger-scale initiatives repeatedly, we can build trust and social capital, and eventually, our social capital will be on par with that of Western European nations. It will take time we will not be able to create social capital in one generation.
EF: What, in your opinion, makes WPD an excellent investing partner to the sector?
MO: The knowledge that we have sets us apart. It is possible to acquire tactics in addition to knowledge. It's critical to understand medications. You might hire individuals, purchase businesses, or acquire information, but these people might not fully comprehend the problems. You must arrive at a point when you have a thorough understanding of the matter, beyond that of anyone else. Although we aren't there yet, our organization and its partners want to be able to achieve this as a group. We are collaborating with numerous scientific and other partners who are very knowledgeable about these subjects. A company, or collection of companies, that truly delves into illness and rises to the top is needed.
We are meeting with a group in France that is working on glioblastoma, and we are talking about collaborating on European projects that will advance both their programs and our understanding of the disease. Because it's a business, we must decide things like who will own which portion of the intellectual property, but ultimately, building social capital and a degree of trust are crucial. However, you ultimately cannot accomplish things on your own. You need people to have very deep knowledge in a very narrow period, and we are one of the sources of this knowledge.
EF: Do you have a final message to our readers?
MO: A crucial objective that is both attainable and extremely challenging is finding a partner to conduct our drug's phase three trial.
If your study benefits patients, Poland is an excellent location for clinical research because patients are the ones who make the decisions in their lives. There is a saying in Poland that says people make decisions whether they want to or not. The Polish patients are well educated, and they are aware of the kinds of studies that will and won't be beneficial to them.
