EGYPT – Sandoz Egypt Pharma, a division of the Novartis Group, and Ibnsina Pharma have signed a distribution and promotion agreement for the Sandoz over-the-counter (OTC) portfolio of products.
Sandoz has banded together with Ibnsina Pharma to increase patient access to over-the-counter drugs in lieu of higher-cost prescription medications.
The agreement will further strengthen the pharmaceutical company’s commitment to widening access to products, with the help of Ibnsina’s expansive nationwide network.
It will build on ongoing business planning by Sandoz to expand its OTC portfolio and transform it into one of the company’s strategic pillars, alongside its generic and biosimilar drug portfolios. The Sandoz OTC portfolio currently spans eight products.
On the other hand, it will enable Ibnsina Pharma to strengthen its position in OTC products, thus helping the distributor reach out to more pharmacists and allowing it to optimize accessibility to non-prescription products for patients.
Ibnsina Pharma is the fastest-growing and second-largest pharmaceutical distributor in Egypt, with the capacity to efficiently deliver products to a large number of patients and consumers, leveraging innovative digital solutions to optimize performance.
The joint statement said: “The broad outlines of the agreement amplify both companies’ efforts to reach a higher number of underserved patients.”
On the knowledge-sharing and education front, the pact allows the two companies to share the latest advances and scientific breakthroughs with pharmacist networks.
Pharmacist networks are the first and main point of contact for patients and consumers, thereby the agreement will ensure they remain at the forefront of the quest for science-driven health outcomes.
“This partnership combines both companies’ unique expertise to advance pharmacists’ up-to-date knowledge and provide them with science-based information that allows them to strengthen value-based relationships with their customers,” the companies claimed.
The distribution and promotion agreement will allow more patients direct access to OTC products, helping people quickly recover from minor conditions and get back to enjoying their day-to-day lives faster.
Sameh Elbagoury, General Manager at Sandoz Egypt and Libya, said: “OTC products are vital to advancing healthcare, and our partnership with a true market leader like Ibn Sina is an important step, catalyzing our ability on-ground to live up to our relentless commitment to improving access.”
In addition to expanding the availability of OTC drugs, the agreement is designed to help reduce the need for people to visit treatment facilities as well as relieve the economic burden of minimal symptoms on households.
“In effect, OTC products are an indispensable part of the equation towards improved access to healthcare,” Elbagoury added.
Mahmoud Abdel Gawad, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ibnsina Pharma, underscored that the partnership with a recognized global leader like Sandoz is a testament that Ibnsina Pharma is the distributor of choice.
He pointed out that their combined knowledge, expertise, and assets are definitive factors that will help bridge the coverage gaps across Egypt and expand consumer medication access.
“We are proud of the network we have established which allows us to supply pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to more than 49,000 private and public-sector customers including pharmacies, hospitals, wholesalers, and health institutions, using a fleet of around 830 vehicles,” Abdel Gawad concluded.
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