Laboratorio Reig Jofre S A : REIG JOFRE reaches the milestone of 15 million vials of its intravenous anesthetic sold in Japan

At the event, representatives from ACCIÓ were also in attendance, including Yuko Kijimoto, Director of the Catalonia External Office in Tokyo, and Joan Romero, Executive Director of the Agency for Business Competitiveness. It was in 2015, during a multi-sector mission organized by ACCIÓ, when the signing of an agreement marked the beginning of commercial relations between companies from both countries. In 2019, the various project partners celebrated the achievement of 5 million doses and the strengthening of the relationships between the partners at the Osaka Castle Garden in Japan.

REIG JOFRE's facilities are accountable for producing 30% of the global supply of this ultrashort-acting anesthetic, which ensures the necessary hemodynamic stability for optimal anesthesia control during surgical procedures. This anesthetic does not accumulate in the body, facilitating a swift patient recovery in the postoperative period.

The company plans to continue supplying this anesthetic in Japan in the coming years and aims to expand in line with market demand, leveraging Maruishi's expertise and knowledge in this field, reinforced by the exceptional relationship of trust and collaboration between both companies.

The accumulated experience in Japan, the second-largest pharmaceutical market in the world, with a population exceeding 125 million inhabitants, has paved the way for the creation of new business opportunities. This will enable the expansion of the range of products within the Pharmaceutical Technologies unit in this highly complex market, characterized by stringent regulatory and quality standards. Furthermore, there are plans to extend the distribution of this intravenous anesthetic to other countries in Asia and South America, where its excellent hemodynamic profile could prove highly advantageous.

Internationalization is one of the fundamental strategic pillars in the expansion of REIG JOFRE. Since entering the markets in Japan in 2016, the Philippines in 2017, Indonesia in 2018, South Korea, and Myanmar in 2019, Asia has consistently maintained its status as a strategic geographical area due to its growth potential.

Specialization in the development and aseptic production of sterile injectable hospital medicines, primarily designed by the R&D teams, has been one of the key elements in the company's global expansion. Currently, approximately 60% of the revenue comes from operations outside of Spain, with a strong presence in Europe through in-house teams in France, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Poland, and the United Kingdom, as well as the trust of an extensive network of 160 commercial partners across more than 70 countries worldwide.

Ignasi Biosca CEO of REIG JOFRE stated: " We celebrate this achievement with great satisfaction, made possible through the exceptional decade-long relationship, built on the foundations of trust, transparent communication, and a profound alignment of objectives, since our initial contacts in 2013. In business, as in life, time and commitment are essential ingredients for establishing strong bonds."

Katsuhito Inoue, President and Representative Director of the century-old company Maruishi Pharmaceutical, founded in 1888 in Osaka, Japan, stated that "We are so delighted that the collaboration between multi-companiesfrom Europe and Japan resulted in a great success and contributed to managing severe pain in patients in the acute care settings. We will continue to commit to the medical care by strengthening our collaboration."

Raúl Díaz-Varela,CEO of Kern Pharma, stated that "At Kern Pharma, we specialize in the production of narcotic substances for the management of anesthesia and pain. However, entering the Japanese market presented both regulatory and quality challenges. Thanks to the collective efforts of the five companies involved in the project, we have succeeded in providing Japanese patients and doctors with a new treatment alternative."