Hungarian pharmaceutical company Richter Gedeon Nyrt is strengthening its scientific foundation to achieve further international success in its most profitable and fastest-growing focus area, neuropsychiatry, CEO Gábor Orbán announced at the company’s press conference in Budapest last Friday.
The CEO attributes much of their success to the fact that Hungary is a major centre for central nervous system (CNS) research. He also revealed that they are increasing their R&D budget by nearly 30 million euros this year, which represents 10 per cent of their 2 billion euro revenue last year.
Orbán also pointed out that their proprietary antipsychotic Vraylar, which contains their self-developed active ingredient, has become one of the top hundred drugs in the world in terms of revenue. This result is an ‘Olympic podium’ in terms of donations, a milestone that no other Hungarian medicine has reached so far. With an expanded research budget and a robust research base, Richter aims to add new solutions to the toolbox of psychiatrists and
to become the leading manufacturer of gynaecological medicines in Europe by the end of the decade.
István Greiner, Director of Research and Development at Richter, explained that drug development is a lengthy and uncertain process, with costs rising rapidly and ranging from 1.5 billion to 2.5 billion dollars from start to market. However, thousands of molecules are generated every year, from which the most promising are selected. This is how the active ingredient in Vraylar, cariprazine, was developed, making it the first drug labelled ‘Made in Hungary’ to be marketed in the United States. Greiner expressed his optimism that Richter could enter the global market with new developments, as several of their projects show promise at the international level. Their most advanced project is targeting the central nervous system to reduce appetite, potentially helping those who suffer from a genetic mutation that causes a constant feeling of hunger. Richter is also working on treatments for psychiatric and cognitive disorders, as well as autism.
Kristóf Kóczián, head of the CNS business, is optimistic that Richter will be able to launch further original developments by 2029, when the patent protection for cariprazine, available in 64 countries, expires. Cariprazine has so far helped more than 1.3 million patients, making it the 46th highest-grossing innovative medicine worldwide in 2023, with sales of 3 billion dollars. It has the potential to be the highest-grossing atypical antipsychotic ever by the time the patent expires. In addition to its independent operations and marketing network, Richter aims to deepen its research and corporate partnerships. Given the significant costs and risks involved, it is seeking regional and international partners willing to share results and risks with significant commercial networks.
Szilveszter E. Vizi, chairman of the board, emphasized that psychiatric illnesses cause incalculable damage to companies and countries worldwide. It is therefore crucial to develop medicines that can relieve the symptoms and keep those in need able to work.
Beáta Sperlágh, Director of the Institute of Experimental Medicine, highlighted that Richter’s scientific collaborations can lead to new ideas, solutions, and drug targets. Nearly every family has a family member suffering from some form of psychiatric disorder, and breakthroughs in treatment can only be achieved through exploratory research that understands the brain at the molecular and neural network level.
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