"THE Pharmaceutical industry, as a niche investment area, requires concerted efforts at the regional level." This was stressed by FOI Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Sector Group co-ordinator Claude Farrugia at the first Euro-Mediterranean Investment Summit organised by business journal The Economist in Marseille between January 13 and 14.

Dr Farrugia, who was representing the FOI and Malta in general at the summit, delivered a presentation during one of the workshops of the seminar entitled "Euromed Pharmaceutical Industry: Applying national experiences to regional development".

Dr Farrugia's participation was made possible through the support of Malta Enterprise, which was also represented at this summit by Mario Galea, head - Niche Area Development, and Josephine Vassallo, Malta Enterprise official in France.

In his presentation, Dr Farrugia went on to state: "An increasing number of drugs are of biotechnology origin. Methods of drug development and criteria for comparing generic to originator products have to be updated, and new skills and knowledge required by all players in the field must be developed.

"The future of the industry depends on the successful integration of generics, biotechnology and innovation."

Dr Farrugia highlighted the recent experiences of the local pharmaceutical industry and explained how these could be applied to the development of the pharmaceutical industry as a niche investment area in the Euromed region. An outline of the current and prospective trends in the global pharmaceutical industry was delivered, particularly in the fields of generic pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

The translation of such trends into a regional knowledge-based economy to provide the necessary research and development, and human resource support to the industry, was also emphasised.