Sintetica: Where Everything is done to Achieve Scientific Leadership

There has been an explosion of innovations over the past couple of decades in every sector of the economy, including healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The market-driven global economy of today has created a world of immense options that have contributed to improving life expectancy and quality of life. When it comes to pharmaceutical companies, the research and development of new drugs have created a new ray of hope for mankind.

Today, the pharmaceutical organizations face unprecedented challenges to maintain quality standards and ethical values. Although there are various regulatory bodies and laws, every pharmaceutical organization in the world has its own ethical and quality standards, right from testing to patenting and marketing the product. It is evident that these companies are undergoing massive developments, especially with the advancements in technology.

We have Sintetica with us, a pharmaceutical company established in 1921 in Switzerland. Since its inception, the company has become a leading pioneer in delivering injectable anaesthetics and analgesics to patients worldwide. Its innovative science and excellence in development, production, and marketing have molded the company’s growth over the years.

Innovation in Pharmaceuticals

While the organization has been primarily centered on healthcare, local anaesthesia and pain relief are two leading areas in which Sintetica has been a market leader for many years. With such a long trail of history, the company is also paving the way to develop a leadership position in the growing field of neuromodulation.

Sintetica is also fully committed to researching and developing innovative therapies and drugs in local anaesthesia, pain management, and neuromodulation. With this, the company continues to outshine with passion and competence in the full respect of people and the environment. “All our efforts and resources are focused to become a leader in these fields by developing novel medicine and better treatment options for physicians and patients worldwide,” says Augusto Mitidieri, the Corporate CEO of the firm.

Growth of the Global Division

The organization embarked on a remarkable change in 2012 when it established the global division, the first corporate structure of the company. “To achieve this leadership by innovation in the context of global growth, we consider strategic partnering and business development the key factors,” says Mitidieri.  

High-speed sturdy partner selection and affiliation in every country of the world is the prime focus of the global division. With a strong determination to offer a dynamic portfolio of selected branded medicines, Sintetica has trodded this path. Also at the same time, it strives to develop answers to unmet clinical needs and build sustainable and long-lasting alliances with its global division mantra.

With a primary task to pursue international growth, the global division team set out under two distinct models, which are B2B licensing strategy and somewhat later, a B2C strategy in selected markets. In detail, the B2B model was sought to license out Sintetica’s top brands to partners with whom it shared its values.

“Foremost among these values is that people and relationships, including business relationships, come first,” he says. “Thus, Sintetica seeks to build a business by finding partners with whom we can share our values.” This is why all of Sintetica’s partners need to meet the strict ethical criteria established by the company. Moreover, the partners also need to share Sintetica’s innovation-driven ‘quality without compromise’ value proposition.

Making Headway

While driving the point to follow and practice ethical values, it can also prove to be a critical and tough challenge as well. “This was the most critical and difficult challenge we have faced since beginning our internationalization efforts, however I am proud to say that we have been very successful,” Mitidieri proudly notes.

Through the network of partners built over the past few years, Sintetica has submitted more than 350 product registrations spread across 100 different countries. With 41 years of service, the company has expanded to new horizons with the expansion journey kick-started by covering North, Central and South America, South East Asia, and the Pacific. Although many of these registrations have to still come through, there is yet a robust growth in the US along with fruitful returns in the Pacific region.

The ethically driven company employs 300 people from over 29 different countries in the world, including Germany, Austria, Italy and the United Kingdom, with its headquarters in Mendrisio, Switzerland. All the offices collaborate together to bring out striking new innovations. This is why the innovation department at Sintetica employees 15% of total workforce.

That’s not all. The gigantic company’s Swiss manufacturing sites of Mendrisio and Couvet have a production capacity of 60 million ampoules, 5 million infusion bags and over 5 million vials, where the production capacity is being increased to 10 million. Also, the YOY Global Division growth is far exceeding 200% growth, consolidating the impressive growth stream of the last years.

Standing Out with Respect

Four decades of rich history and a strong ethical base has magnificently contributed to the growth of the company. However, if there’s one thing that differentiates Sintetica from other competitors in the market, is its culture. Here, competitors are looked as a best possible option for partners. The organization reflects on how the Sintetica culture and its strategic choices are firmly based on respect.

“Respect is the core value of the company and it permeates across every employee,” explains Mitidieri. At Sintetica, the ideals and concept of respect are divided into three well-defined directions. Respect is expressed in relation to the employees, highlighting and accepting the different characteristics of each one. The environment at Sintetica be it work or otherwise, is a pleasant one. People can work and express themselves through activities and bring out the best in themselves.

The respect also extends to the patients as well. Patients using Sintetica drugs worldwide are provided with the highest quality products. There is a lot of investment in bringing out the best care solutions for the future of the patients. And finally, it materializes towards Sintetica’s global partners. There is absolute loyalty when it comes to the partners, along with absolute ethics and both operational and development support of advanced go-to-market strategies.

The convergences of the above-mentioned areas make up the Sintetica Value Proposition. This paints a picture of a unique and strategic element of the company’s identity in the wide world panorama of the pharmaceutical industry. “The culture of total respect and the focus to the individual person shall be considered as our fundamental heritage,” he adds. “The people are the real stars of our business and the biggest resource we count on to grow and develop the company.”

Maintaining Ethics and Standards

When it comes to meeting highest standards of business ethics and integrity, it is the highest priority of the company and Sintetica ensures that every employee maintains these standards and responsibility. This is also the key defining criteria that is considered while hiring any new employee.

“We look for ‘smart’ people who share our thirst for diversity, our respect for traditions and our aim to be a global leading company,” Mitidieri comments. “I believe in a company culture that promotes creativity and informed risk-taking. In this respect, it must also promote a good feeling for all employees that work here, who should always feel safe when they are at work.”

Making Sintetica a great place to work is my firm belief, something that is very much a part of the company DNA, he further adds. Mitidieri considers that all his people to be the company’s core resource. This is also why he trusts those who work in the organization to be open to change and drive the innovation in management process in the long-term.

A Proud Moment

On a recent note, Sintetica obtained the Marketing Authorization in the US for a new drug application Clorotekal (spinal Chloroprocaine). This is a proud moment for the company as there are few in the world who has achieved this and it is in fact, an outstanding achievement. “In fact, we are one of the few small medium-sized companies in the world which actually managed to register an original “innovative” product in the United States,” proudly notes the CEO. The Clorotekal New Drug Application (NDA) is based on a complete dossier, ranging from cell and animal toxicity to clinical research on human beings, obviously going through pharmaceutical development. Clorotekal is mainly conceived for the fast track spinal anesthesia in day surgery cases, enhancing the recovery after surgery.

A Pain-free Future

Speaking about the future, Mitidieri optimistically says, “Hopefully a lot of good news and strong returns to my team’s great efforts!” The company is on its way with a radical innovation in the field of pain relief after surgery is under final stages of development. This innovation has immense potential and it could be disruptive all over the world. This could also enhance the way pain is managed in hospital and at home after surgery. Surely, the future looks bright for Sintetica.

Meet the Champion

Augusto Mitidieri is the CEO of Sintetica. He is an Italian and Swiss citizen with a graduation in Management Engineering from Politecnico di Milano. He also obtained a CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) in Economics and Health Policy at the University of Lausanne. His activity in the pharmaceutical field began as Project Manager for the Engineering Division of Bioren SA, (Bigmar Group) in Couvet (NE). He went on to become Production & Logistics Manager of Bigmar Pharmaceuticals SA in Barbengo (TI).

In 2000 Augusto joined Sintetica SA, Mendrisio (TI), as Production & Engineering Manager. In Sintetica, he also worked as Quality Assurance Manager, before becoming General Manager of the Company in 2004. Since 2011 Augusto has held the position of Corporate CEO of the Sintetica Group. Under his guidance, Sintetica SA, the oldest pharmaceutical company in Ticino, has undergone a period of extraordinary growth, entered international markets with its high-quality products in the field of local anaesthesia and pain therapy.

Able to implement a real strategic vision which places the individual at the very center of corporate decisions, Augusto Mitidieri, together with the whole of Sintetica SA, has gained important international awards and recognition. Mitidieri was awarded the 2016 European CEO of the Year Award by the CV Magazine. In 2017, he won hoards of awards including the Global Pharmaceutical CEO of the Year for the Small Business Awards by the CV Magazine. He also received the Business Worldwide CEO Awards and became the winner of the Le Fonti Awards in 2017. The same year, he was also recognized and awarded by the Worldwide Business Review. 

“We move forward with passion and competence in the full respect of people and the environment.”

“We believe in a company culture that promotes creativity and informed risk-taking.”

“All our efforts and resources are focused to become a leader in these fields by developing novel medicine and better treatment options for physicians and patients worldwide.”