Valruzia

[Aethan]

NOVA Pharma: Valruzia's bet on public Biopharmaceutical development

Nowik aims to slash drug prices and put effort into rare diseases research and vaccine development

April 5644

Chancellor Nowik visiting the industrial complex of Nova Pharma 

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In a world where private giants dominate the global healthcare industry, the government of Valruzia under Szymon Nowik has decided to take a different approach. NOVA Pharmaceutical Innovations (shorted as NOVA or NOVA Pharma), the nation’s newly launched public biopharmaceutical conglomerate, aims to become a world leader in drug development without having to rely on private shareholders to dictate its priorities.

Announced this week by Chancellor Szymon Nowik, NOVA Pharma will combine Valruzia’s top research institutes under one banner, with a 12 billion VPO annual budget and a clear mandate: "Our science is for patients, not for profits".

Logo on Nova Pharma, the newly created public Biopharma company in Valruzia

Although the Nowik government has paid special attention to the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries in Valruzia since the end of the Morawski regime - Nowik himself is a microbiologist - it is their belief that private firms, even those who aimed to serve the Valruzian people, often prioritize blockbuster drugs over research and development of rare diseases and their cure. For this reason, NOVA will focus especially on neglected conditions and genetic disorders, while still contributing to the producting of generic drugs at lower prices than those coming from third nations.

"When we have shareholders demanding 20% returns, cancer research gets often sidelined for yet another erectile dysfunction pill"

says NOVA’s director, Dr. Marzela Markoswa.

"Instead, NOVA has now the chance and the muscle to contribute to those who often see their diseases marginalized or not worthy of research because of profit-hunger. If we can have public transport, or public services, why can't we have a public pharma?"

she wonders.

Not only will NOVA focus on the development and research of drugs and rare diseases, but it will also try to develop homegrown mRNA technology and stockpile critical drugs.

"Pandemics won’t wait for patent negotiations"

warned the Valruzian Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs, Mateusz Bolda

"If we want to protect ourselves, it is important that we are self-sufficient not only in the food or energy markets, but also in the healthcare market, because one never knows what will happen next"

One of the most important issues NOVA Pharma will tackle is drug price. With no profit motive, NOVA’s drugs will be sold at cost domestically, slashing Valruzia’s healthcare spending by an estimated 40%. It is also estimated that it will provide with more than 20,000 jobs all around Valruzia, and will collaborate with hospitals and private research centres all around the national territory.