On April 28, 2022, on the basis of the Single Distributor, a working meeting was held with representatives of Nazarbayev University to discuss the development of the medical and pharmaceutical cluster of the city of Nur-Sultan.
The meeting was attended by Massimo Pignatelli – Vice President for Medicine and Dean of the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Yerkhat Iskaliyev – Chairman of the Board SK-Pharmacy LLP Aigul Syzdykova – Head of the Strategy Department, and Adviser Chingiz Saparbekov.
The Head of State emphasized the importance of the domestic pharmaceutical industry development, stating that by 2025 the country expects to increase the share of its own pharmaceutical production in the country to 50%. In addition, the production of medical equipment and consumables will be actively developed. The President of the country instructed to expand the scope and nomenclature of offtake contracts with domestic manufacturers. These areas are open for investment, and such projects will receive full support from the state.
In the implementation of this instruction, the Government approved a Comprehensive plan for the pharmaceutical industry development until 2025. One of the main directions of the adopted Comprehensive Plan is the development of pharmaceutical science and the creation of new industries with the participation of world players, and the development of domestic production of medicines and medical products.
In this regard, it seems expedient to create pharmaceutical clusters through the involvement of domestic research institutes, scientific laboratories, large medical universities, domestic production sites, the involvement of investment project support institutions, local executive bodies, as well as the deployment of clusters in free economic and industrial zones by the type of R&D centers.
Single Distributor has developed proposals for the development of the production of expensive innovative products, the promotion of the industry in the technology transfer direction, its digitalization. In particular, the initiative of the establishment of medical and pharmaceutical clusters and the upper-level structure of clusters in Nur-Sultan, Aktobe and Shymkent has been developed.
As part of the activities carried out to support the development of domestic production of pharmaceutical and medical products Single Distributor takes the initiative to provide a platform for the entry of large brands into the country.
As part of the agreements reached with major brands, investment and grant projects will be implemented. Global brands are ready to assist in the introduction of new diagnostic methods, through both methodological support and logistical support with the necessary laboratory equipment for research projects and as grants. This, in turn, will strengthen the laboratory infrastructure of Kazakhstan to ensure its compliance with international standards.
One of such projects was the creation of an in vitro diagnostic training center on the basis of the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, in the context of the framework Agreement signed by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan with Roche, during a government visit to Switzerland. In addition to Roche, it is planned to launch educational and innovative programs for comprehensive professional development and training of specialists from all over Kazakhstan with other world vendors at the site of the established training center of the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine.
Also, during the meeting, Vice President for Medicine and Dean of the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine Massimo Pignatelli spoke about the initiative to create a Vivarium at the university.
Following the meeting, the parties noted that the COVID-19 pandemic is becoming an additional incentive in the process of reforming and finding ways to improve the system, and the development of a cluster initiative is an important factor in the development of the industry. The main priority in this direction is the involvement of domestic research institutes, large scientific laboratories, medical universities, domestic production sites, the involvement of investment project support institutions, local executive bodies, as well as the deployment of medical clusters in free economic and industrial zones.
The formation and preservation of a close relationship between science, education and the current pharmaceutical industry will give impetus to the development of domestic science and strengthen the scientific heritage of Kazakhstan. New challenges should be considered as an opportunity for real and fundamental changes.