Suprastin, used for treating allergic reactions, and produced and distributed in Georgia by Hungarian company Egis Pharmaceuticals PLC, has won the Georgian business award Golden Brand.
General Manager of Egis Pharmaceuticals PLC Representation in Georgia, Lina Topuria, sat down with Golden Brand to review the brand’s success in the Georgian market.
Q. Suprastin has won the Golden Brand in Georgia. What led it to this recognition, in your opinion?
A. Suprastin is a medicine tested by years and practice, consistently demonstrating high quality and efficiency, and that is why it deserves the trust of its customers.
Suprastin tablets are used to treat allergic reactions and problems such as itching, hives, hay fever, herbal dermatitis, and reduce symptoms and itching from allergies caused by food, medications, and insect bites.
Suprastin has a very long history on the Georgian market. It has been available in the country for more than half a century. It was one of the first indispensable antihistamines then and still is today.
Although in recent years many antihistamines of the new generation have appeared on the Georgian pharmaceutical market, Suprastin is still the sales leader. Every year, including 2022, Suprastin has demonstrated double-digit sales growth.
Q. What is the competitive advantage of Suprastin?
A. Suprastin is a time-tested and practice-tested drug for the treatment of any allergy.
Suprastin is distinguished by its speed of action, high efficiency and safety. It is the only antihistamine that can be used from the age of one month.
Suprastin comes in both tablet and ampoule form. Ampoules are used in urgent allergic cases, when seconds decide everything.
It boasts the best combination of price and European quality.
Q. How widespread are allergies in Georgia?
A. In less than half a century, allergies, originally perceived as a rare disease, have become a major public health threat, today affecting the lives of more than 60 million people in Europe, and probably close to one billion worldwide. Over the last 20 years the prevalence of allergic diseases has increased by almost 50-7%. Air pollution, consumption of genetically modified foods, less physical activity, obesity, stress, generally unhealthy lifestyle and many other factors contribute to the increase in the incidence of allergies.
So almost half of the population in the modern civilized world suffers from different types of allergies. In Georgia, approximately 40%of the population has an allergic disease in one form or another, and this rate is increasing.
Q. Now let’s talk about Egis Pharmaceuticals PLC Representation in Georgia. How long has the company been operating in Georgia?
A. Hungarian pharmaceutical company Egis is today the leading generic pharmaceutical company in central eastern Europe, and its activities incorporate all areas of the pharmaceutical value chain. Egis is a member of the Servier Group, an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation with its headquarters in France.
For years Egis has been making high-tech investments in order to modernize the existing infrastructure and equip it with the latest equipment and provide the highest quality medicines to patients.
Egis has medical offices in 18 countries and its products are available in more than 70 countries of the world, including Western Europe, the United States of America and Japan. Currently, the factory produces 151 active substances and 634 products.
As for the representative office in Georgia, it opened in 1999.
I would like to proudly inform you that last year, according to the general ratings of Georgian enterprises developed by the Swiss Rating Association and the Business Rating Union, our representative office received a “gold rating” among Georgian businesses in terms of financial and economic activity.
Q. What was the first medicine that Egis brought to Georgia?
A. In the second half of the previous century, Halidor, Zitazonium and Clostilbegyt were successfully introduced in the Georgian pharmaceutical market. The company has already officially introduced a large list of medicines to Georgia since the 1990s — including the well-known Betadin, Egilok, Grandaxin, Sorbifer Durules and others.
Egis products are available in any pharmaceutical network in Georgia, while the official distributor is PSP, where you will find guaranteed quality medicines at the most affordable prices.
Currently, more than Egis medications in 200 forms are available in Georgian pharmacies.
Q. What contribution have you made to the Georgian pharmaceutical market?
A. Egis has made a great contribution not only to the development of the pharmaceutical market in Georgia, but also to the development of the economy of our country as a whole. Since its establishment, it has contributed up to 4 million GEL to the budget. After the opening of the Egis representative office in Georgia, many jobs have been created both in the capital city of Tbilisi and in the regions of our country.
Over the years Egis has enriched the Georgian pharmaceutical market with a number of innovative and unique medicines of the highest quality in such therapeutic areas as cardio-metabolic, psycho-neurological, gynecological, urological, oncological and general therapeutic areas.
The Egis portfolio is growing, with innovative new mono- and multi-component medicines added every year.
All the actions of the company are patient-oriented. Due to high social responsibility, Egis conducts free examinations in various therapeutic directions, and in recent years our team has been actively working to raise awareness of hyperuricemia and gout in society.
The company always pursues its primary mission — “Egis dedicates its knowledge to people to ensure their long and healthy life!”
