The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated approaches to medicine security. As Europe moves to strengthen its pharmaceutical resilience, Cyprus-based Medochemie has emerged as a key player in securing access to essential treatments through its participation in the EU’s Critical Medicines Alliance.
Understanding the Critical Medicines Alliance
The Critical Medicines Alliance (CMA), established in January 2024, represents a pivotal European initiative to address pharmaceutical supply chain vulnerabilities. This consultative mechanism brings together stakeholders from EU Member States, key industries, civil society, and the scientific community to identify priorities for action and propose solutions to strengthen critical medicine supply in the EU.
The Alliance’s objectives are carefully designed to ensure comprehensive coverage of supply chain challenges:
- Providing an inclusive and transparent consultative platform for EU decision-makers
- Focusing on medicines facing the greatest supply vulnerabilities
- Identifying and addressing critical weaknesses in pharmaceutical supply chains
- Pooling expertise and resources to determine optimal solutions
- Recommending priority actions and proposing new tools to address identified challenges
The Alliance operates through a structured governance system with a Forum that includes all members, a Steering Board providing strategic direction, and two specialized Working Groups focused on strengthening EU manufacturing capacities and diversifying international partnerships.
Medochemie’s critical role
Medochemie’s involvement in the Critical Medicines Alliance reflects its significant position in European pharmaceutical manufacturing. As Cyprus’ largest pharmaceutical company, with 15 manufacturing facilities across Cyprus, the Netherlands, and Vietnam, Medochemie brings extensive production expertise to the Alliance.
The company’s representation in the Critical Medicines Alliance comes through Andreas Loizou, Group Business Development Director, who participates in high-level CMA events. This involvement highlights Medochemie’s strategic importance in European pharmaceutical manufacturing and its commitment to addressing medicine supply challenges.
One of Medochemie’s most valuable contributions to the Alliance is its extensive portfolio of EU-designated critical medicines, produced at European-authorized facilities. The company has made significant investments in maintaining production capabilities for these essential treatments, many of which are older medications with established efficacy and safety profiles.
Particularly noteworthy is Medochemie’s production of critical medicines that play a key role in fighting antimicrobial resistance. Many of these treatments are older molecules that face less bacterial resistance than newer alternatives, making them essential components of Europe’s antimicrobial arsenal.
The importance of generic medicines in supply security
Medochemie’s involvement in the Critical Medicines Alliance underscores the crucial role that generic manufacturers play in ensuring pharmaceutical supply security. Generic medicines account for 70% of all medicines consumed in Europe by volume, though they represent only about 19% of the market value.
The European Commission’s list of critical medicines for major events and public health emergencies reveals that 92% of these essential treatments are generic medicines. Among these critical generics, antibacterials, oncologics, and pain therapies represent almost 40% of the total.
As a member of Medicines for Europe, Medochemie stands among generic manufacturers who together maintain over 400 manufacturing sites across Europe. This extensive production network is essential for maintaining supply resilience, particularly for critical medicines with fewer producers.
Addressing Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
The Critical Medicines Alliance was established to address key vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains, many of which directly impact generic medicines manufacturers like Medochemie. Supply chain security has become a priority for governments worldwide, with medicine shortages increasing in patient-critical therapies.
Data shows that over two-thirds of all medicine shortages reported between January 2023 and January 2024 stemmed from products with low supplier counts (fewer than five manufacturers). This highlights the importance of maintaining healthy competition and multiple sources for critical medicines.
In many cases, generic medicines become the only treatment option years after patent expiration. Research indicates that in European markets where substitution is legally allowed, 40% of all off-patent products are only available as generic medicines 20 years after loss of exclusivity, representing 66% of the off-patent market by volume.
The path forward: Strategic recommendations
In February 2025, the Critical Medicines Alliance published its Strategic Report outlining key findings and recommendations to enhance the security and resilience of the EU’s critical medicines supply chains. The report highlights critical vulnerabilities within Europe’s pharmaceutical supply chains and proposes substantial investments in strategic projects.
The recommendations address several areas crucial to companies like Medochemie:
- Procurement policies that consider security of supply, not just lowest cost
- A harmonized framework for stockpiling requirements
- Strengthened partnerships with third countries to bolster supply resilience
- Increased European manufacturing capacity for critical medicines
These recommendations are especially relevant to generic medicines manufacturers, who often face challenges maintaining production of older, lower-margin products despite their continued importance in clinical practice.
Medochemie’s commitment to supply security
Medochemie’s participation in the Critical Medicines Alliance represents one aspect of its broader commitment to pharmaceutical supply security. The company continues to invest in maintaining and improving its manufacturing capabilities across European facilities, recognizing the strategic importance of regional production capacity.
As noted in recent press statements, Medochemie stands ready to partner with European authorities on a dedicated Critical Medicines Act that would support necessary investments in manufacturing technology, market policies supporting supply chain resilience, and digital tools to address shortage risks.
The company’s approach to critical medicines production emphasizes quality manufacturing across its 15 facilities, implementing rigorous standards to ensure product safety and efficacy. This focus on quality is essential for maintaining trust in generic medicines that form the backbone of European healthcare systems.
Collaboration for European health security
The Critical Medicines Alliance exemplifies the collaborative approach needed to address complex pharmaceutical supply challenges. By bringing together manufacturers like Medochemie, regulatory authorities, healthcare providers, and patient representatives, the Alliance creates a forum for developing comprehensive solutions.
Medochemie’s active participation demonstrates how individual companies can contribute to broader health security objectives. With nearly five decades of pharmaceutical manufacturing experience and an extensive portfolio of critical medicines, Medochemie brings valuable perspectives on practical challenges and potential solutions.
The Critical Medicines Alliance represents a significant step toward a more resilient pharmaceutical supply ecosystem in Europe. Through continued collaboration between companies like Medochemie and European authorities, the Alliance aims to ensure that patients across Europe maintain reliable access to essential medicines regardless of market disruptions or global challenges.
As healthcare systems continue to face evolving challenges, from pandemic threats to shifting demographic needs, the work of securing critical medicine supply chains remains an ongoing priority. Medochemie’s role in this effort highlights how established pharmaceutical manufacturers can contribute to health security while continuing to deliver high-quality, affordable medicines to patients across Europe and beyond.
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