Boehringer Ingelheim: Bringing tremendous impact to the pharmaceutical market

Boehringer Ingelheim takes ‘value through innovation’ to new heights as it brings the biggest groundbreaking product in 50 years.

There is no stopping Boehringer Ingelheim from delivering groundbreaking innovations to the pharmaceutical market even after 127 years in the industry. Founded in 1885 by German entrepreneur Albert Boehringer, the company remains one of the most successful family-owned pharmaceutical companies globally.

With its principle of bringing “Value through Innovation,” Boehringer Ingelheim’s success can be largely attributed to its strong foundation in research and development, which continues to be the major driver of innovative, new medicines for the treatment of diseases with an unmet therapeutic need. They focus on six major therapeutic areas, namely: Respiratory diseases, Cardiometabolic diseases, Oncology, Neurological diseases Immunology and Infectious diseases.

Innovation at work
According to Augusto Muench, Regional Managing Director of Boehringer Ingelheim Southeast Asia and Singapore, the company has brought products to the global pharmaceutical market that have had a tremendous impact.

Boehringer Ingelheim has been a long time player in the respiratory area. The latest product that was launched in this area was Spiriva which is indicated for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

“Along the way, we’re doing additional research for Tiotropium, for the molecule that we have for Spiriva that might bring also additional indications in the future,” says Muench.

In terms of Oncology, Boehringer Ingelheim has two targeted therapies that will hopefully reach the market in the near term. The first product is Afatinib, a targeted therapy for non-small cell lung cancer. “We’re looking into expanding our products for breast cancer or head and neck cancer. Along the path, we also have one oncology product that will be used mainly for liquid tumours, for leukemia, for blood type of malignancies.”

Biggest innovation in 50 years
Boehringer Ingelheim launched Pradaxa, a prescription bloodthinning medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib) not caused by a heart valve problem. Muench notes that the anti-coalgulant was launched in Singapore in 2011 and in the rest of South East Asia.

Pradaxa is the first oral anti-coagulant for stroke prevention that was approved by international regulatory agencies in the last 50 years after Warfarin which was understood to be the golden standard, says Muench. “Pradaxa has been by far the biggest groundbreaking innovation that Boehringer Ingelheim had seen because it offered an unmet area for 50 years.

The excitement that you would see in patients when you talk about the product was fantastic. It was the satisfaction that gets the feeling to you that you are doing something useful for them,” reckons Muench.

The real-life trial of Pradaxa involved more than 18,000 patients across different countries like Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and India. And after doing research across all these countries, Muench sees more highlevel research arising in Asia.

More pharmaceutical research
Muench sees an increased relevance of research being done supported by governments like Singapore. Research in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand will also increase. “We recognize that Vietnam offers a good opportunity for clinical research” More countries and companies are getting agreements in the relevant Asian population and I think that’s fantastic because that will offer different perspectives to molecules and products being developed,” adds Muench.

He reckons that another trend that may guide the way the healthcare industries work in SE Asia is that countries have realized that cooperation is essential for the enrichment of countries. “It’ll be really interesting to see how the new legal setting under the ASEAN +10 has repercussions in the healthcare industry because I think it will offer increased fl exibility for patients and an additional portfolio of opportunities that I believe could come for pharmaceutical companies, for governments, for patients in general.”

It is clear that Boehringer Ingelheim is paving its way for a stronger footprint in Asia. “We’re not only working to put the company in a position of recognition in Southeast Asia but we’re working to put Asia in the global market within Boehringer Ingelheim in a different position. That’s always a guiding principle that we keep in our heads,” says Muench.

Bringing 13 years of experience in Boehringer, Muench is firm to take part in this expansion in Asia. He concludes: “ When I look at time back and when I question myself ‘what did I do in Southeast Asia?,’ I would like to think that I was able to provide justice to the talents and the teams that work so hard here to make sure that our products get to where they need to be.”