Medis has closed the first half of this year with revenue of EUR 106.7 million, which is 30 percent higher than in the same period last year. The company’s net profit almost doubled as a result. Growth was driven significantly by the expansion of the existing portfolio, particularly in the areas of rare diseases, oncology and immunology, as well as the successful launch of new speciality medicines in the markets of Central and Eastern Europe.
Medis’ Growth Has Been Distinctly International
The growth of the company, which currently employs 427 employees, mainly pharmacists and other specialists, and is present in 19 markets across Central and Eastern Europe with its own local teams, was distinctly international. Medis generated the majority of its revenue outside Slovenia and recorded its strongest growth in the first half of the year in Poland, as well as in Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria and Czechia.
This geographical spread confirms that we are able to successfully provide patients with access to state-of-the-art treatments across a wide variety of healthcare and regulatory environments. After all, diseases do not discriminate between patients based on their country of residence, which is why we strive to ensure that patients in different countries have as equal an opportunity as possible to access appropriate therapies,
said Maja Strnad Cestar, CEO of Medis, commenting on the half-yearly business results.
In addition to expanding our business, our goals also include strengthening our local teams and their expertise. This ensures that we are capable of taking on even the most demanding projects and providing our partners with comprehensive and professional support as they enter and conduct business in the region.
In addition to revenue growth, Medis has also increased its value added per employee, which amounted to EUR 153,000 in the first half of the year and is significantly higher than in the same period last year.
We create added value through our own knowledge, experience, local presence and continuous investment in both our employees and our processes and quality. In doing so, we create value not only for our partners but also for healthcare professionals, enabling modern treatments in this part of Europe to reach the patients who need them more quickly, professionally and responsibly,
added Maja Strnad Cestar, emphasizing that financial stability and capital strength open the door to further investment in expertise, strategic partnerships, new healthcare solutions and the expansion of local teams, while not ruling out the possibility of acquisitions:
We will continue to closely monitor acquisition opportunities that could further strengthen our expertise, expand our portfolio or broaden our geographical presence.
Medis Paves the Way for New Speciality Medicines in Central and Eastern European Countries
The strong half-year results were primarily driven by the launch of new speciality medicines, which Medis has recently made available to patients with severe and rare diseases in various countries. Standing out among the new medicines are those for Duchenne muscular dystrophy – a rare condition for which, until recently, parents often had to seek treatment abroad – as well as those for Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare neuromuscular disorder, and a rare form of epilepsy. In addition to expanding its portfolio of medicines for rare diseases, Medis is also strengthening its existing portfolio and presence, particularly in oncology, psoriasis and women’s health, while continuing to grow its own brands of over-the-counter products.
It is not enough simply to deliver a new speciality medicine to a particular country and ensure its distribution to patients. On the contrary, a comprehensive, professionally managed process is required, which includes a thorough understanding of the local healthcare system, the integration of the treatment into the reimbursement system, the provision of medical support to healthcare professionals, the monitoring of the medicine’s safety, and strict adherence to quality and compliance standards. And at Medis, we know exactly how to ensure all of these things,
emphasized Martina Perharič, PhD, CBO of Medis. She added:
When it comes to medicines, there is no room for error. The right medicine must reach the right patient as quickly as possible, and it must be prescribed and administered correctly, safely and only when it is appropriate and effective for the patient.
Among the significant achievements at the halfway point of the year is the successful roll-out of a large number of robotic systems in hospital pharmacies in Croatia and Slovenia. Such advanced technological solutions in hospital care reduce the risk of human error in the preparation of medicines, ensure better traceability and more economical use of medicines, ease the workload on healthcare staff and enable hospitals to operate more efficiently.