Page 11 - Retail Pharmacy March 2021

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Sylvain Vigneault COUNTRY MANAGER AUSTRALIA, VIATRIS Seeing the impact of life-changing treatments in otherwise chronic and debilitating conditions inspires this 25-year veteran of the pharmaceutical industry, who shares with Retail Pharmacy the newly formed global healthcare company’s plans. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 9 Sylvain, please tell us a little about yourself and your experience in the pharmaceutical sector. I started out in the pharmaceutical industry in Canada at the then small, privately owned French company, Fournier Pharma, later acquired by Solvay, Abbott EPD, Mylan – and now we’re Viatris. For the past 25-plus years, I’ve worked in various sales and marketing roles and as Country Manager in several regions and countries, including Europe, Russia, China, India, South-East Asia, New Zealand and Australia. I was appointed Country Manager for Viatris last December. From the earliest days of my career, I was driven by the extraordinary privilege of being involved in an endeavour that helps improve the quality of life of patients. It’s so satisfying to see the impact of life-changing treatments in otherwise chronic and debilitating conditions. I’d say that most people working in this industry are driven by the satisfaction of helping patients. As Country Manager for Viatris, tell us about the exciting path to the birth of the company. Viatris is a global healthcare company formed in 2020 through the combination of Mylan and Upjohn, a legacy division of Pfizer. We provide access to medicines, advance sustainable operations, develop innovative solutions and leverage our collective expertise to improve patient outcomes. At Viatris, we’re redefining the healthcare landscape. Our unique capabilities, commitment and vision position us to help meet the world’s evolving healthcare needs. With a global workforce of about 45,000, we’re headquartered in the US with global centres in Pittsburgh, US; Hyderabad, India; and Shanghai, China. We have about 50 manufacturing facilities around the world and our strong technical resources comprise more than 2500 scientists, more than 1000 regulatory experts, and more than 600 medical and product safety professionals worldwide. In Australia, our manufacturing plant at Carole Park in Queensland is the largest local manufacturer by volume and supplier of prescription tablets and capsules to the PBS and supplies more than 40 export markets. What are the strengths of the new combined business? At Viatris, we see healthcare not as it is, but as it should be. We combine best-in-class scientific, manufacturing and distribution expertise with proven regulatory, medical and commercial capabilities to bring quality medicines to patients when and where they need them. Our local workforce of more than 700 works with colleagues around the world to expand access to medicines. Our broad and growing global portfolio comprises more than 1400 molecules. In Australia alone, we have more than 380 products in more than 1000 presentations across a broad range of major therapeutic areas, including best in class, iconic brand-name products, as well as global key brands, generics (including branded and complex generics), biosimilars and over-the- counter offerings. From cardiovascular health to oncology, we offer quality treatment options across more than 10 major therapeutic areas covering a wide variety of noncommunicable and infectious diseases. We have one of the strongest local commercial infrastructures in the industry across Australia, providing unparalleled reach to a wide range of customers, including retail and pharmacy establishments, wholesalers, governments, institutions, physicians and other customers. The sector is still impacted by Covid-19. Tell us about the challenges you faced as a business. We’ve demonstrated our agility to adapt to the new business environment, including accommodating more virtual and digital interaction and consultation with healthcare professionals. We continue to look at how we can evolve our service delivery to best suit our customers. Maintaining a reliable supply of pharmaceutical products is always critical, but even more so in the midst of a pandemic. As an essential business, Viatris has taken action to ensure supply chain continuity to critical medicines. With a sustainable, diverse and differentiated portfolio, Viatris has worked in consultation and collaboration with the federal government to maximise reliability and sustainability of medicines supply to patients in Australia. I’m incredibly proud of the dedication of our colleagues to serve Australians during this time. What are your priorities in 2021? Our priority is to deliver on our mission to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. We have the advantage of being able to provide access for patients in Australia to a broad portfolio of medicines across major therapeutic areas, and we manufacture locally, so we can be responsive to local need. RETAIL PHARMACY • MAR 2021