Julio Gosálbez Adsuar, director of marketing and business intelligence at Asac Pharmaceutical Immunology, gives us his views on the market dynamics in the field of allergen and bacterial immunotherapy, the company’s current projects and its short- and long-term perspectives.
- What are your main functions as Marketing and Business Intelligence Director at Asac Pharmaceutical Immunology? What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the company?
As Marketing Director, my functions consist in evaluating and developing, together with the Product Managers, the company’s marketing and communication strategy, as well as the supervision and performance of the department so that the strategy can be developed in an optimal way. In order to carry out these functions, it is necessary to know the market, the competitors and the environment in which we operate, as well as to carry out strategies and methodologies that allow us to measure and evaluate the actions that are implemented. This is where business intelligence comes into play, which could be defined as the set of tools, methodologies and capabilities focused on the creation and management of information, with the aim of improving decision-making.
On the other hand, the biggest challenge I have faced within the company and which is still on track, is to position API as a referent in the immunotherapy sector both nationally and internationally, creating a broad vademecum in the field of allergen and bacterial immunotherapy, and adapted to the reality of the market, offering innovative and differentiating solutions for our prescribers.
- What elements do you consider key to achieving a good marketing strategy in the immunotherapy sector?
The knowledge of our prescribers and their motivations when prescribing this type of treatment, without forgetting the patient, is key to the development of the strategy. Thanks to this knowledge obtained through long-term relationships with the specialist, it has been possible to develop new presentations and treatments that have allowed the brand to grow in recent years and differentiate itself from our competitors.
- Over the years, how has Asac Pharmaceutical Immunology grown? What is your philosophy for achieving innovation?
Innovation is achieved through knowledge, and for this it is vital to communicate and work together with the different departments that make up the organisation, from the sales departments (national and international), which know the reality of the prescriber, their needs and those of their patients, the R&D&I department, which is at the forefront of scientific advances and makes the technical development of our latest products possible, as well as the marketing department, which must combine all the information and previous experience to develop a strategy and appropriate communication tools.
In recent years, thanks to the work of all the company’s departments and the knowledge acquired, we have responded to the needs of the allergen immunotherapy market, increasing the concentration of our allergens and launching specific presentations for polysensitised patients; and in the field of bacterial immunotherapy, remodelling our production facilities to adapt to current legislation.
- How do current market dynamics impact the immunotherapy-based vaccine business?
The immunotherapy market is a complex market. However, it is also a large and clearly evolving market.
In the case of allergen immunotherapy, epidemiological data suggest an increase in pathology in the coming years and an increase in polysensitisation. On the other hand, the recent pandemic phase has changed certain pre-established paradigms, which will benefit companies that know how to read and take advantage of them. In our case, we believe that this is a good time for sublingually administered allergen immunotherapy, which, as a consequence of the social and administrative attempt to reduce the healthcare tension in the national health system, is presented as a valid and effective alternative. At API we have been working for years to offer the specialist a differential sublingual immunotherapy that allows them to have this alternative at the times when they consider its use to be appropriate.
In the case of bacterial immunotherapy, epidemiological data also suggest an increase in pathology due to the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. On the other hand, it has been a challenge to adapt to current regulations and legislation. At API, we have managed to adapt to this by remodelling our facilities to manufacture our own bacterial autovaccine.
- In the current market, what do you think distinguishes Asac Pharmaceutical Immunology from the rest?
One of API’s distinctive features is that we manufacture and market our own products. This has allowed us to be agile and fresh in our innovation processes, as evidenced by the aforementioned launches. For us, the priority is the patient, which is why all our products are based on two pillars: safety and efficacy.
On the other hand, we have created a sustainable business that provides innovative solutions. Our business strategy is based on increasing innovation in R&D and in-house and third-party manufacturing of vaccines. We contribute significantly to research and development, making treatments increasingly targeted and effective.
- What projects are you currently working on?
One of the main objectives of the marketing department is to show globally what defines us as a company. Specialists should know that we are a company that stands by their side, listening to them and offering them the right solutions for their daily clinical practice, always guaranteeing the efficacy, safety and quality that characterises us as a manufacturer.
Similarly, we have recently launched a web portal that aims to place us at the hub of communication between the doctor, the patient and the pharmacy, offering useful information for all parties involved in the processing of our products.
- What are your short- and long-term perspectives? How do you see Asac Pharmaceutical Immunology 10 years from now?
As we mentioned earlier, innovation is born of knowledge and continuous improvement. In this sense, we are constantly working to improve everything from our processes to our catalogue in order to offer the best alternatives both at national level, where our short-term objectives are to expand our coverage, and at international level, where the latest launches are enabling us to expand into new territories and improve our market share in existing ones.
On the other hand, at company level, in the short term we have the challenge of adapting to the regulatory changes that are coming and in the long term to improve our facilities to incorporate other types of products to our portfolio.
