Operational Synergies Key to Succeed in Mexico’s Dynamic Market

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Q: How would you define Weser Pharma’s identity in the Mexican market, and what sets it apart from other specialized pharmaceutical laboratories?

A: Weser Pharma is a young company in the Mexican pharmaceutical landscape, having recently completed eight years since its founding. We are part of Grupo Roemmers, which is headquartered in Argentina and operates across Latin America. In Mexico, we operate under Siegfried Corporativo alongside sister laboratories Siegfried Rhein, Weser, and Avivia. While Avivia focuses on pure unbranded generics, Weser Pharma serves the primary care segment with quality branded medications, driven by our belief that a brand represents a promise of quality.

Our business model centers primarily on off-patent molecules focused on primary care needs, addressing everyday conditions such as digestive, respiratory, and pain disorders rather than oncology or complex autoimmune diseases. Out of the 32 brands we commercialize, only two are over-the-counter (OTC), while the remaining 30 are prescription-only ethical pharmaceuticals. Our core portfolio is composed of antibiotics, pain management medications, and treatments for allergic and infectious respiratory conditions, with expanding units in gastroenterology and urology.

Q: How does your corporate group leverage the operational capabilities of Weser Pharma, Siegfried, Rhein, and Avivia to expand its presence across the market?

A: Rather than an external alliance, we are integral parts of the same corporate group. However, belonging to the same group does not mean we do not compete; each entity actively competes for market share and seeks market expansion. Avivia competes in pure unbranded generics, while Weser, Siegfried, and Rhein share similar business models targeting prescription-issuing physicians and patients.

We derive substantial operational synergies across several key areas. In manufacturing, we leverage installed capacity across group facilities. For example, Weser and Siegfried maintain manufacturing plants in Queretaro and perform cross-manufacturing for each other's product lines. Across back-office and corporate functions, we centralize human resources, finance, business development, and supply chain management to service all companies within the group efficiently. Furthermore, as part of Siegfried Corporativo, which ranks between first and second in Mexico's audited pharmaceutical market, we command significant commercial leverage and negotiating power for strategic partnerships, business expansion, and acquiring new brand rights.

Q: How does Weser Pharma use its infrastructure to ensure efficient distribution across the Mexican market?

A: The paramount objective in pharmaceutical supply chain management is ensuring that the patient receives the necessary treatment at the right time. To achieve this across the primary care sector, we utilize established wholesale and retail distribution infrastructure. Our distribution framework relies on major national wholesalers as well as direct retail accounts, which supply downstream retail pharmacy networks and regional accounts. To penetrate geographic areas that are logistically complex or inaccessible for centralized national chains, we engage specialized sub-distributors that reach regional networks and independent pharmacies.

Within the public sector, we generally do not participate in large-scale biennial government tenders (such as IMSS or ISSSTE) because high-volume pure generic producers dominate those price points. Instead, we target Decentralized Public Bodies (OPDs), state-level Ministries of Health, regional public hospitals, and specialized clinics with independent procurement budgets, via specialized public-sector distributors.

Q: How does Weser Pharma engage healthcare professionals, and what role does continuous medical education play in building prescriber trust?

A: Because 31 of our 32 brands require a prescription, direct engagement with physicians is the foundation of our commercial model, as a sales transaction occurs only after a healthcare professional writes a prescription. Our scientific and medical engagement relies on three distinct pillars. First, our medical representatives undergo rigorous clinical and product training to engage physicians with evidence-based data, presenting specific dosage, indication, and patient-profile information for brands like Bactrim, while escalating unresolved queries to our Medical Affairs department.

Second, we leverage hybrid and digital communication channels. While pre-2020 interaction was predominantly face-to-face, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual channels, and today we utilize hybrid models, live-streamed product launches, and interactive webinars to connect local audiences with nationwide medical communities in real time. Third, through the Weser Academy, our flagship annual medical education initiative, we bring physicians together for comprehensive clinical agendas covering key therapeutic areas in our portfolio, recording and archiving all sessions on our digital platform to provide on-demand access to medical professionals who could not attend live.

Q: How do you measure the return on investment (ROI) and prescription conversion rates from these medical education initiatives?

A: We track performance using third-party market audit platforms, primarily IQVIA. Through these monthly audited market reports, we monitor two primary metrics: absolute sales volume and total prescription generation. By correlating campaign launches or educational events with regional audit data, we evaluate sales force effectiveness and marketing impact.

However, tracking the entire Mexican market presents a structural challenge due to the split between audited and unaudited markets. The audited market comprises traditional pharmacies, major chains, and national wholesalers that report monthly sell-out data. Conversely, the unaudited market is dominated by adjacent-clinic pharmacy chains (such as Farmacias Similares), which operate an integrated, low-cost consultation and dispensing model where in-house doctors prescribe internal generic lines. Because these chains do not share point-of-sale data, this segment remains unquantified in national audit reports. For branded ethical portfolios like ours, patients visiting adjacent-clinic pharmacies are often converted to the pharmacy's own private-label generic equivalent, which can obscure overall demand trends and reduce sales forecast accuracy by introducing unaccounted market variables.

Q: How is the rise of digital pharmacy channels and e-commerce impacting Weser Pharma’s commercial strategy?

A: Digital commercialization and home delivery services have become essential components of retail pharmacy operations in Mexico. Consumer adoption has grown significantly as friction and security concerns around online purchasing decrease.

To capitalize on B2C e-commerce growth through pharmacy partners, Weser Pharma negotiates annual commercial plans tailored to digital platforms. These strategies include targeted digital shelf placement, sponsored visibility on pharmacy websites, and seasonal promotional discounting aligned with therapeutic demand. Integrating into pharmacy digital ecosystems ensures our branded prescription products remain accessible across both physical and digital points of sale.