Bjartur Shen, Vice President of Lotus Pharmaceutical, stated that following the June announcement of acquiring the Thai subsidiary and business of globally renowned generic pharmaceutical company Teva Pharmaceuticals, Lotus Pharmaceutical is open to further acquisitions in Southeast Asia. Specifically, if the opportunity arises, they plan to acquire a manufacturing plant in Thailand and will soon complete the acquisition of a new product.

Shen explained that Lotus Pharmaceutical's market growth strategy can be divided into geographical expansion and product expansion. In terms of geographical expansion, Southeast Asia is a key focus. For product expansion, the company plans to gradually move from generic drugs to more innovative products over the next five years, including 505(b)(2) new dosage forms and even new chemical entities (NCEs).

In early June this year, Lotus Pharmaceutical announced its acquisition of Teva Pharmaceuticals’ Thai subsidiary and its business for NT$1.5 billion. This acquisition is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2024. The company's revenue for the second quarter of this year was NT$4.74 billion, a quarterly increase of 13% and an annual increase of 6.8%.

Regarding the expansion into the Southeast Asian market, Shen stated that they will continue to seek acquisition targets, particularly in Thailand, where they may purchase another plant. However, he clarified that any overseas expansion must have a clear market objective. The company will not engage in contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services. Any expansion will prioritize product investment.

Shen mentioned that Lotus Pharmaceutical is interested in expanding into Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Several projects are currently under negotiation, with the possibility of completing a product line acquisition in the near future, rather than a company acquisition. Analysts speculate that this new acquisition could be completed by the third quarter.

Regarding the product expansion strategy, Shen explained that Lotus Pharmaceutical will gradually begin developing 505(b)(2) drugs. The relevant technology is provided by partners from other markets through licensing agreements. Additionally, they will introduce NCE drugs through specialized projects but will not develop them from scratch internally.

Resource (mandarin): 美時拚併購 瞄準東南亞