“Will rise independently as Organon in the industry”

So Eun Kim, Managing Director of Organon Korea

“Established the women’s health pipeline...secures capability in chronic diseases”

"Staiblized rapidly after the spin-off...will reinforce communication to raise company awareness”

So Eun Kim, Managing Director of Organon Korea

Spin-offs, which are made for various reasons in various circumstances, bring out various positive and negative issues in the process.

 

Organon’s course of the spin-off was also quite eventful.

 

However, the company quickly straightened its affairs after completing the spin-off and being reborn as an independent organization in June last year.

 

Organon was established in 1923 in Netherland and had become part of MSD.

 

In 10 years since then, the company again was separated from MSD and reborn as Organon.

 

Utilizing the power of its existing legacy brand, the company heralded its new leap into a pharmaceutical company specializing in biosimilar and women’s health.

 

Dailpharm met with So Eun Kim (51), the founding Managing Director of Organon Korea, to hear about the company’s vision and value.

 

-A year has already passed since the establishment of Organon Korea.

 

Has the company undergone many changes? During the past year, the company had made efforts -small and large – to lay the foundation to realize our women's health vision.

 

Above all, we were able to achieve organizational stability, and in terms of business, Global Organon has earned the trust of its investors by making a stable start from the first year.

 

Organon Korea made a 4% YoY growth in the first year of the spin-off, expanding its product influence.

 

-There must have been difficulties as well. One of the things our employees had the most trouble with was meeting with various healthcare professionals who were unfamiliar with our name, ‘Organon.’ The heightened COVID-19 situation had further rendered sales activities and external meetings with partners and stakeholders difficult.

 

Therefore, we focused on utilizing digital channels in communicating with healthcare professionals.

 

One main example of this is ‘Organon Connect,’ a portal site we prepared for HCPs.

 

Korea was the first among all Organon subsidiaries globally to launch the portal and had launched it upon the establishment of the company.

 

Through the system, we have continued to hold symposiums during the pandemic.

 

-In addition to your existing items, what other products are you preparing for your goal to become a women’s health pharmaceutical company?

 

Organon has signed agreements for 6 solutions in the field of women’s health where unmet needs remain.

 

In the case of our solution for postpartum hemorrhage, the solution has been approved by the FDA and is being sold in the US.

 

XACIATO, the bacterial vaginosis treatment, has been granted accelerated approval by the FDA.

 

We are preparing to introduce these treatments to Korea as soon as possible, through market analysis in Korea.

 

Clinical trials or preclinical trials on solutions for premature birth, endometriosis, breast cancer, contraception, etc.

 

are also being completed.

 

We are preparing to launch the products in development according to their development stage.

 

Also, the contraception, infertility, childbirth, and postmenstrual treatments that we already own have much potential in the Korean market.

 

Although the company was unable to pay sufficient attention to these products but based on Organon Korea’s vision, we plan to make the most of the opportunities owned by each and every product.

 

-With so many of your women's health products in development, it seems like not many products are readily available for introduction to Korea.

 

In this sense, the company would have to focus on its chronic disease area.

 

What kind of efforts and attempts have you made to increase your influence in women’s health in Korea? Well, we expect that Korea will be able to participate in various stages of applicable clinical trials of the various products in development, and is preparing plans for such trials.

 

Also, for the FDA-approved products, we are working to quickly introduce them to Korea.

 

The chronic disease business accounts for over 90% of Organon Korea’s business.

 

This field will be our main business for the few years to come, during which we will be making efforts to expand our portfolio and share in women’s health.

 

-has the labor-management issues that you experienced in the course of your spin-off been resolved? Many of the concerns and anxiety held by our executives and employees with regard to the spin-off have been resolved.

 

At the time of the spin-off, we focused on listening and communicating with our executives and employees about their various concerns and received consent from each through discussion with the union.

 

After the spin-off, we worked to relay the direction of the company and build solidarity among our executives and employees.

 

We are regularly communicating with the union every week, and are holding a labor-management council to listen to the opinions and answer questions held by the employees, facilitating smooth communication between the union, executives & employees, and the company.

 

For your reference, only a very few employees left the company due to the spin-off.

 

-What are your future ambitions? Based on Organon’s global ESG reporting standards, we believe we need to find areas where Organon can contribute to Korean society and increase our influence in Korea.

 

Building on the vision and confidence we have today, we plan to grow together with our executives and staff and strive to lay the foundation for bigger dreams, toward our vision of women's health.