In a dynamic session in Yogyakarta on Tuesday (Dec. 12), Tempo Scan Group engaged in talks with Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), exploring potential collaboration opportunities.
The meeting brought together key figures, including the President Commissioner, Handojo S Muljadi, and the President Director of Tempo Scan Group, I Made Dharma Wijaya, alongside prominent UGM representatives, such as the rector, Professor Ova Emilia, MD.
A broad spectrum of UGM’s leadership, including the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, the Director of Research, the Director of Business Development, the Director of Partnerships and Global Relations, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, and the UGM Paracetamol Team, joined the collaborative discourse.
At the heart of the conversation was the pursuit of drug self-sufficiency in Indonesia, with a particular emphasis on the prospect of jointly venturing into the production of paracetamol.
Handojo Muljadi, underlining the pharmaceutical industry’s nuanced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, shed light on the criticality of having a captive market.
The pharmaceutical landscape faces formidable hurdles without a consolidated market or a market that lacks cohesion.
Muljadi exemplified this concern by citing drugs like amlodipine or captopril, underscoring the importance of a captive market for sustainable industry practices.
In light of these challenges, Tempo Scan Group expressed keen interest in collaborating with UGM and contributing to a comprehensive feasibility study on paracetamol production.
Muljadi stressed that paracetamol constitutes a substantial portion, approximately 40 percent, of the national consumption.
“So, it’s about finding out what kind of collaboration and how. That’s the purpose of our visit here,” affirmed Muljadi.
Rector Ova Emilia welcomed the prospect of collaboration, highlighting UGM’s ongoing discussions and strategic interest in the pharmaceutical landscape, particularly in paracetamol production.
Having conveyed this intent to Professor Pratikno, the UGM Board of Trustees Chair, Professor Emilia underscored that the university has progressed to an advanced stage of discussions, finding common ground for collaboration.
Recognizing the inherent challenges, especially considering paracetamol’s raw material dependencies on foreign sources, Rector Ova Emilia emphasized the venture as an opportunity.
She reflected on the project’s significance, viewing it through the lens of national strategic interests rather than mere economic considerations.
“But I think this self-sufficiency is more related to confidence and doesn’t always have to do with money or the economy. It’s about a spirit that needs to be developed–values because these drugs are strategic in Indonesia,” she expounded.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photographer: Firsto