WE CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE
Dr. Şerhan ŞİMŞEK, Group CEO of CT Pharma Research and TFLL Pharma: The only fact that we consider in all our studies, both in research and development and in our patented innovative supplement products, is “We cannot stop thinking about the future”.
We know CT Pharma Research as a company that has been involved in sustainable projects as a reference to scientific studies since its establishment. Can you introduce yourself and your company?
I decided to work in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in the R&D department, when I entered university. I entered the industry in 1996 as a biologist in the R&D department of Bilim Pharmaceuticals. In parallel, I continued my academic career. In the same year, I started the Molecular Biology Master Program and completed it in 2000. In the same year, I started the Ph.D. Program in the Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Marmara University. I completed my PhD in 2007. In 2003, I started to work as formulation development chief at the German company, which was then called İlsan-Hexal and later became Sandoz. In 2009, I worked as the Türkiye and Middle East Regional Technical Manager at Colorcon. I founded CT Pharma Reserach in 2012, TFLL Pharma Turkey in 2017, and TFLL Pharma BVBA, a Belgian company with the same name, in 2018. Operating since 2012, CT Pharma Research is a pharmaceutical research and development company. It continues its activities in Tübitak Technopark. It carries out turnkey projects of equivalent pharmaceutical products to its customers in Turkey and abroad. Our research and development activities cover the fields of small molecules, biotechnological peptides and biosimilars, food supplements and dermocosmetics. To date, we have completed more than 190 projects. In 2015, CT Pharma Research also started to carry out product development activities for itself in the fields of pharmaceuticals, food supplements and dermocosmetics. We have started to bear the fruits of this work. We made our first drug license applications in 2018. In the same year, we released two patented food supplement products and four dermocosmetic products to the market. In this context, we established TFLL Pharma in 2017 within the licensing, sales and flashing activities of these products. This company, with the scientific power of CT Pharma Research behind it, continues its strategy of adding products suitable for the concept of healthy aging, especially starting from birth, to its portfolio. We are the first company in Turkey to develop a food supplement and make a patent investment in it. Two of our products are of great interest to our physicians with their innovative features. Our products are available in the form of ODT tablets containing “Curcumin + Selenium” and capsules containing “Glutathione + Selenium” under the brand of Custom Supplements.
You have been carrying out studies since 2012 in your laboratory located in the TÜBİTAK Technology Development Zone in Gebze. What kind of contributions do you make to the pharmaceutical industry with these studies?
We think that our biggest contribution is in reducing the need for know-how imports, which is one of Turkey's biggest problems. All of our development works are carried out in accordance with current regulations and the licensing regulations of the Ministry of Health. In addition, all of these legislations are fully integrated with European legislation. Using this advantage, we have started to export know-how in the field of pharmaceuticals through our foreign company.
We know that you are one of the successful and colorful managers of the sector and that you make great contributions to your company with your future plans. We also know that you have recently started overseas operations. We would love to hear from you on this matter.
I would like to answer this question in connection with the Michelin-starred chefs that I am interested in. Just as the first 2 stars are looking for criteria such as the quality of ingredients, mastery in preparation and cooking, creativity in paying for the payment and stability in quality standards, the integrity of the general ambiance with the menu, the quality of service, the innovativeness of the restaurant, and the chef being the owner of the restaurant; It is obvious that there must be some things other than these for the 3rd star. In fact, although these are obvious, they are not so easy to implement. It is necessary to constantly work hard in order to constantly improve, develop and achieve greater perfection. The reason why we started our overseas operations was actually to get this 3rd Star. In other words, to go further than where we are, to think about what we can do to reach more perfection and to always be in search. The 3rd star can only be obtained in this way.
TFLL Pharma BVBA was established in 2017. We are located in the bioville Technopark of Hasselt University in the Flemish region, the northern region of Belgium. We obtained 3 food supplement licenses in one year. All of our brands are registered in the European Union. We have local consultants for both medicine and food supplements. We have dedicated CMOs in different dosage forms. Our production will start very soon. In addition, we have advanced to the position of providing support for companies from Turkey in their work abroad. The Flemish region has great potential for pharmaceutical R&D and has a lot in common with our goals. We plan to use this place as a base in terms of opening up to the world. We have also started the sale of pharmaceutical know-how from Turkey to Belgium, which is a first for Turkey. TFLL Pharma is also a member of BVBA, FlandersBio and Happy Aging platforms. As a company, we are also on the board of directors of the TURKISH-BELGIUM-LUKSEMBURG TRADE ASSOCIATION.
You have solutions covering a very wide area. Can you share them with our readers?
In the field of product development, we operate in the fields of small molecules, peptides, biosimilars, food supplements, dermocosmetics. However, we think that we have filled a big gap in the field of complementary medicine with our patented food supplements that we have developed in the market. ODT tablet containing “Curcumin+Selenium” is the first product in the world to have ODT form with its wide range of clinical studies from cell culture to human clinical studies, as well as supplementation with selenium. The capsule containing "Glutathione + Selenium" is the highest dose in Turkey, and it provides high bioavailability with its supplementation with selenium and its insoluble feature in stomach acid.
