NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE
PAN-AFRICAN PLASMA-DERIVED MEDICINES Focused on delivering human plasma-derived medicinal products to an international client base, we take a look at the National Bioproducts Institute and discuss the how and why behind the company’s nonprofit mission Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Callam Waller
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stablished in 1994 as a pharmaceutical manufacturing business in the African healthcare space, National Bioproducts Institute (NBI) has come a long way. Today, the company operates as a private, non-profit entity based outside Durban, South Africa, with a core focal business relating to the pharmaceutical manufacture of human plasma-derived medicinal products; a range that includes clotting factors, immunoglobulins, albumin solutions and solvent detergent treated dried plasma. “We also develop and manufacture diagnostic kits and diagnostic monoclonal antibodies used in the South African and international markets,” begins Shanay Singh, Head of Business Development at NBI. “We are Africa’s only plasma fractionator. We supply products via our own sales and marketing efforts as well as through our partners in other countries to business clients and patients all over the world, such as 2 | Africa Outlook issue 92
those in the US, China, India, France, and Australia. “We are only able to achieve this level of business through our dedicated workforce. There are over 270 employees that drive NBI to be what it is; they are the gears behind the company.” NBI’s comprehensive range of plasma-derived medicinal products are registered with the South African regulatory authority, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). Several of these are listed in the South African Essential Medicines List as well as the World Health Organisation’s Essential Drug List. “Being a non-profit company gives us a really unique perspective in the industry,” Singh explains. “We are able to put the patients’ needs first, witness their responses to the company, and direct all of our efforts towards specific needs that derive from this. At the same time, we invest in our employees, which really allows our mission to flow and allows us
to provide quality and life-saving products to more patients across more locations.”
NAVIGATING COVID-19 Throughout the trying period that has seen the vast industry impacts stemming from the COVID19 pandemic, the international healthcare sector has been pushed into higher gear. Despite this, NBI has been able to operate more or less as
HEALTHCARE
they had prior to the pandemic. “We’ve been lucky and fortunate enough to have experienced incredible stability during this time,” Singh reflects. “I think that this has been due to the nature of our products being used for, in many cases, rare diseases. But we have tried to play our part during this period, firstly by continuing to support our patients with pharmaceutical needs during the pandemic, but also through
joining the COVID-19 Plasma Alliance that saw major plasma fractionators across the globe investigate the use of immunoglobulins in the treatment of the virus.”
EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD Another side to NBI’s help during the pandemic has been the support it has provided its staff. As the backbone of the company, and as the key individuals that collectively oversee
and make happen the manufacturing of human plasma-derived medicinal products, NBI has recognised the importance of employee safety and welfare and has acted with such in mind. “Certainly, from an employee perspective we have sought to support staff as much as possible,” Singh affirms. “Most of our nonmanufacturing staff, those who didn’t need to be in the office and worked Africa Outlook issue 92 | 3
NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE remotely, we have always ensured that they have the correct equipment and whatever else they need. “NBI has always offered employee wellness services, and this has overall been very successful. The company has not had a single day of production loss which we are very grateful for, and this largely comes down to the dedication of our employees, especially during this period.” For NBI, these dedicated individuals are a primary asset and very difficult to find. As Africa’s only plasma fractionator, fractionation experience becomes a rare commodity within the continent and sector. “I believe that we are quite fortunate in that many of our employees have stayed with us for decades,” Singh tells us. “In general, we have a very high retention rate. Many of our people stay with us for decades across the business regardless of the levels of seniority, and this low employee turnover rate enhances the retention of knowledge,
NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE – COMPANY MISSION NBI strives to meet the needs of patients and improve their quality of life by providing protein therapies and services within the South and Sub-Saharan African region and diagnostic products globally. This will be achieved by: • Building and maintaining value-added partnerships with stakeholders in the public health environment. • Continuously providing a dynamic range of products and services. • Being cost effective, efficient, and competitive. • Strict compliance with internal, national, and international quality standards and regulatory requirements. • Committed employees who are qualified, competent, and empowered. • Behaving in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. • NBI is respectful that donated human plasma is a scarce national resource and is committed to optimising its use for patients. • NBI will show care and concern for the wellbeing of its employees, the patients it serves and the wider community.
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NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE
AFRICA OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PAST AND HOW YOU CAME TO WORK FOR NBI? Shanay Singh, Head of Business Development: “I started working in the healthcare sector as a hospital pharmacist and after a couple of years I moved into clinical work. “This was a great opportunity because I was able to help patients and make an instant difference to their lives. When I started this line of work, I thought it was a good idea to undertake further higher education, so I chose a master’s in Clinical Pharmacy and eventually an MBA. About halfway through my clinical master’s course I was approached by a large multinational pharmaceutical company who needed a person from the clinical field in their business development team. “For me, this was an opportunity to help patients on a much larger scale and so I took the chance. After six years with the company, I had progressed in my responsibilities and positions and had also picked up the business side of company operations. “Following this, I joined NBI as the Head of Business Development, and here I remain!”
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skill, expertise and familiarity. “But where we have open positions, it can sometimes become difficult to find people to fill them. We begin with internal promotion first, where possible, and then we look externally. Whoever we recruit, we do so with potential in mind and we are investing in their personal and professional growth to reach the level that is required by the business.” NBI ensures that it makes and retains key suppliers in order to continue providing its client base with its human plasma-derived medicinal products. Due to the company’s unique place in the industry and the continent, strong and reliable supplier partnerships are vital to this continuation. “We have strong relationships with our existing suppliers in this regard,” Singh says. “These are critical when it comes to securing materials and adding revenue streams to the business.
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“NBI also has been involved with programmes that work with blood services in various countries across Africa, working alongside them to secure high quality plasma to help enhance and meet quality standards that provide accreditation for industry use. We generally try and collaborate as much as possible to secure plasma and supply partners.”
MOVING FORWARD IN HEALTHCARE Since its inception, NBI has traditionally been a product-oriented company. But moving forward, NBI is taking the opportunity to offer its clients a new range of services to best help those who need it. “We have a whole new suite of service offerings that we are going to launch soon,” Singh elaborates. “These new services present a huge opportunity for us, both in terms of the expertise we can deliver but also in supporting the local and international pharmaceutical companies that are in search of such service providers.”
“WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL OF BUSINESS THROUGH OUR DEDICATED WORKFORCE” – SHANAY SINGH, HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE NBI is aiming to introduce a multitude of different offers, from contract manufacturing and biotech services to sales and marketing, enabling the company to provide its clients with a greater calibre of options. “Contract manufacturing will regard sterile products that have seen a rather high demand, especially among corporate clients,” Singh informs us. “Our suite of biotech services that we are able to offer includes custom antibody creation and manufacture. “We are also hoping to add value to our clients through our strong sales and marketing presence. This will additionally consist of a greater focus on partnerships and promotional products in South Africa through the division. NBI works with many different medical groups and so we will be able to offer sales and
marketing support to these people.” These expansion plans will bring great value to NBI’s patients both in South Africa and globally, with a focus on a number of areas such as introducing new products and the growth of supply for existing products; an aim that aligns with the company’s three-to-five-year goal of bettering the health of patients internationally.
NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE Tel: +27 (0)31 714 6700 info@nbisa.org.za www.nbisa.org.za
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NATIONAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE 10 Eden Road, Pinetown, 3610, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)31 714 6700 info@nbisa.org.za www.nbisa.org.za
PRODUCED BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE