BUSINESS: 381 PRACTICES
With more than half a century of life, Tsetis Pharmaceutical Group of Companies (OFET), is a reference point for both the pharmaceutical market and society, supporting them with important actions and Environmental Programs.
The innovative formulations of OFET Group industries are the most reliable ambassadors of Greece in over 65 markets internationally.
This initiative is addressed to professors and researchers of University and research foundations, or startup and spin-off companies whose main scope is the research on the development of pharmaceutical raw materials or new pharmaceutical forms, or the use of the Greek biodiversity with the intent to isolate bioactive plant extracts, or the development of functional foods or medical devices.
The initiative seeks researchers, regardless of their experience (young or mature), and any new scientists at the beginning of their research careers, as well as any post-doctoral students, PhD candidates and postgraduate students will be met with a positive response
OFET persistently focuses on the triptych of Research, Innovation and Development. In this framework, the Group has assembled an Innovation Team, which consists of members from the departments of Research and Development, Business Development and Sales, with the addition of an external associate who is expert on matters of intellectual property. OFET’s Innovation Team meets on a monthly basis in order to keep track of the group’s current development projects and the planning and design of new projects.
The Innovation Team approaches Research groups with specific collaboration proposals, although it remains open to new proposals that are developed through the interactive cooperation of parties and combine the research background of the academic community and the needs and requirements of OFET.
Research proposals are funded either by OFET’s own funds, or through external funding in the framework of funded research projects.
This initiative aims at the continuation of the joint contribution of OFET and the scientific community to the scientific and business development and excellence. This continuous and unvarying investment in innovation has resulted in more than 55 national (12 pending) and 25 international (16 granted, 8 pending) applications for patents in more than 60 countries worldwide. 14 national and international applications for patents have been filed in 2020 alone.
Having these principles as its cornerstone, OFET constantly develops strategic partnerships with University and Research organizations in Greece and abroad, implementing numerous scientific research projects, in the capacity of coordinator or stakeholder, whose total budget is more than 6 million euro. More specifically, OFET currently participates in an extensive international project on the bioactive substances of olive, in a European infrastructure program, and in 6 funded proposals from the 1st Cycle of the “Research-Create-Innovate” Action, while it has already submitted another 8 proposals in the framework of the 2nd Cycle of the same action.
Additionally, OFET has been an active participant in the design, supervision and sponsorship of more than 30 clinical researches on various fields and in collaboration with eminent university and clinical physicians and hospital foundations in Greece and abroad.
The OFET Group has already granted 5 scholarships through the Kleon Tsetis Nonprofit Organization that was founded with the objective of boosting scientific research and innovation through the award of scholarships to postgraduate students with outstanding performance and the support of research groups.
OFET is active in the area of Kifisia, through the new plants of UNI-PHARMA and INTERMED, ans also at Oinofyta, Boeotia, through UNIHERBO, a new model production unit of plant extracts. Collaborations are developed with local University and Research Foundations.
OFET has already developed collaborations with all University and Research Foundations in Greece (Departments of Medicine, Pharmacy and Chemistry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Democritus University of Thrace, University of Ioannina, University of Crete, National Hellenic Research Foundation, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” (EKEFE Demokritos), Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Foundation of Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) of Crete), and also participates in an international infrastructure network (Instruct-EL) and has collaborated with University Foundations of France, Spain and Morocco in the framework of an extensive international research program. Moreover, it has already entered into collaborations with new and emerging companies, such as Pharmagnose, registered in Chalkida, which specializes in the isolation of active substances from plant extracts, and FoodOxys, registered in Larisa, which specializes in the development and assessment of innovative functional foods.
OFET employs more than 500 employees as permanent staff (according to 2019 figures). 30% of its staff comprises tertiary education scientists, 30% of whom hold Master’s Degrees.
The Innovation Team of OFET consists of two members from the Department of Business Development, two members from the Department of Research and Development, one member from the Department of Quality, one member from the Department of Regulatory Affairs, and one member from the Group’s Sales Department. The team also includes an external advisor, who is a former director of the European Patent Office and expert on matters of intellectual property. All members of the Innovation Team are scientifically-trained and highly-specialized experts, who hold Master’s Degrees or PhD qualifications.
The benefits for OFET are multiple and related to participation in the development of innovative state-of-the-art technologies, whose aim is to produce high-quality value-added products, which, at the same time, will also be accessible for the average consumers.
