Bulletin
Athens, 15 February 2023
The Research Laboratory of IFET reopens
The Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Technology (“IFET”), announced the reopening of its research laboratory, while presenting a new action implemented in collaboration with the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas. Research (FORTH). The announcements of IFET were made during an informative event that took place at the INNOVATHENS multi-purpose hall of Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens. The event was attended by, among others, the Minister of Health Mr. Plevris, the Vice President of the Hellenic Health Organisation (EOF) Mr. Lyberis, the President of Okana Mr. Theocharis, the Vice President of the PEF Mr. Koletes, the Secretary General of the PEF Mr. Skylakakis, as well as representatives of research centres and the pharmaceutical market. The Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Technology is a complex mission organization established to enhance access to new therapies through the production and marketing of rare medicines, as well as to offer integrated solutions in the field of medicine, always for the benefit of all Greek patients and public health. Consequently, the strategic choice of IFET to develop the Research & Development sector is a strategic choice. Development of the company, while promoting the partnership between the public and private sectors with the cooperation of the research community, aims to meet the demands of all stakeholders in the health and pharmaceutical care sector. The reopening of the research laboratory is driven by the following three main pillars, namely:
- Pharmacochemical and pharmacological research and development of innovative therapeutic formulations, such as the synthesis of new bio-active molecules and their pharmacological study mainly at preclinical level.
- The provision of services related to the marketing of the drug, such as pharmacological toxicity studies, pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics, and more generally medico-biological studies (bioequivalence).
- Linking basic research to the pharmaceutical market, where the IFET will act as a link between academic research and end users in the pharmaceutical market.
Regarding the collaboration between the Institute of Physics and Technology, a joint action is being launched to study neuroinflammation through simulation units of the Human Brain. This brain-on-chip microfluidic platforms/neuroinflammation on a chip study aims to make the lives of an increasing number of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and depression, more sustainable through personalised therapeutic approaches. This innovative action between the scientific centres is a milestone in the history of both IFET and FORTH, with the ultimate goal of developing domestic research and technology, as well as research entrepreneurship, always for the benefit of public health. In his address during the event, Minister of Health Thanos Plevris pointed out:
“This is a special moment for the IFET. We have to understand that what we are seeing today is the IFET. Because this perception that exists, that we are just dealing with a government pharmacy, as some people like to say, does not correspond to reality because the soul is missing. The IFET may in one respect be related to the search for medicines, but that is not why it was set up. Its main objective is pharmaceutical research and technology.
Right now we are giving the IFET the direction it needs. Using research and technology. With all our efforts we also want to contribute to the reopening of the laboratory so that we can create a better testing framework in the country. This is important for us because it has a substantial footprint in the health sector. The more research that is done in our country, the more patients have access to new treatments.
From the point of view of the Ministry of Health, it is important to run as many studies as possible so that our patients have access to them. We need to understand the potential of this particular institute. And we insult it when we say that it is a government pharmacy.
Recently, and on the basis of some documents that have been circulated in the IFET, I tend to conclude that even people in positions of responsibility have not understood how the IFET works. In this direction, I want to be clear, there will be full support, so that its research role is upgraded and we have better access to markets.”
In his speech on the reopening of the research laboratory, Yannis Sotiriou, CEO of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Technology, said “Today is essentially the start of a course that will bring back RESEARCH to the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Technology. We feel great pleasure and satisfaction that the systematic and targeted investment in innovative collaborations and services, built on modern foundations, is dynamically introducing the Institute into the research field. We are also committed to ensuring that a significant part of the company’s profitability will be channelled into our research programmes, always with a view to serving the public interest and the health of patients.”
