Orphan drugs are vital, sometimes life-saving. How can you ensure that medicine reaches the patients during a crisis? How do you manage reduced access to essential ingredients, closed transport routes, and other unexpected events?
Mikael Näslund, Head of Supply at Immedica Pharma, shares his insights. Mikael has over 20 years of experience working with supply within different pharma companies.
Mikael and his colleagues’ mission is to ensure and deliver medicine. As Immedica provides orphan drugs, they may be the only provider of a pharmaceutical needed to treat a patient with a rare disease.
– Working with rare diseases entails, regardless of whether a global crisis or local hurdles are occurring, to be solution-minded and identify alternative routes in order to ensure the safe supply of our pharmaceutical products, Mikael states. Our patients need their treatment – and Immedica is committed to our outmost that they will receive it.
Immedica has several warehouses in Europe and collaborates with partners in various jurisdictions globally to ensure a short lead time. Our partners also guarantee supply by keeping a healthy stock that can be quickly re-distributed in case of shortage somewhere. The Supply team makes this possible by working closely with the Marketing and Quality departments.
A solution comes first, the problem later
As for many other companies, the Covid-19 pandemic provided new challenges. Despite the situation, Immedica successfully maintained its delivery of supplies.
– At Supply, we work proactively. As soon as Covid-19 became a reality, we raised the issue. One key to success was that we were fast on the ball.
The Supply-team is tight and solution-oriented. During the Covid-19 pandemic and today with Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, they immediately reached out to their global network of suppliers, warehouses, and courier companies. During frequent meetings, they gather information and predict happenings and problems.
– We want to make sure we have the solution to a problem before it arises. To fail does not exist. The patients need a secure supply of their treatment. No matter what, says Mikael.
This way of working is the reason why Immedica managed to secure its delivery of drugs even though, for example, one of our supplier’s workforce decreased by 70% during Covid-19.
Immedica is a small but ambitious pharmaceutical company where all departments work closely together. This strategy gives us an advantageous edge during times of crisis since we can secure that all aspects are covered and execute flexibly as decision paths are short.
– We deliver – even if we have to walk ourselves, Mikael concludes.