SPANISH FIRM ESTEVE INTERNATIONALIZES

In order to face the future, the Spanish pharmaceutical industry is going to have to learn to do more with less, according to Alfredo Bassal, director general of the Spanish pharmaceutical company Laboratorios Dr Esteve, which is part of the Esteve Group. In comments made to a new Spanish magazine, Direccion Farmaceutica, he said that it is necessary once again to render Spanish technology capable of finding solutions in areas where others have given up searching. The industry must also recognize the importance of investing in technology and learn to delegate more, giving decision-making powers to technicians. Now more than ever, he continued, resources must be concentrated on business areas which will be the most profitable for the industry.

Grupo Esteve, which was the number one pharmaceutical group in Spain last year, is made up of four companies, namely Laboratorios Dr Esteve, Laboratorios Pensa, Esteve Quimica and Laboratorios Isdin. In 1992, the group achieved provisional sales of 32.3 billion pesetas ($279.2 million), an increase of 13% on the previous year. It employs around 1,500 staff, with 150 of this total engaged in R&D. The group dedicates around 11% of sales to R&D.

Labs Dr Esteve's Best-selling Products In 1992 Products 1992 sales ($mill) Masdil (diltiazem) 36.0 Cesplon (captopril) 31.0 Doxium (calcium dobesilate) 11.3 Velmont (ciprofloxacin) 10.8 Panfungol (ketoconazole) 9.8 Stugeron (cinnarizine) 8.8