Washington Times –
By Marios Tsokkos and the Mercury Global Reports team
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Founded in 1933, Cooper Pharma is the oldest pharmaceutical company in Morocco and is ranked among regional leaders in manufacturing, distribution and export of pharmaceutical products.
The group employs 1500 people in Morocco. Cooper Pharma has eight manufacturing facilities fully owned or in JV located in Morocco, Africa and Middle-East. “We, as Cooper Pharma, aim to serve as a gateway of innovative international companies looking to bring their products in the ME&A region” explained Mr Ayman Cheikh-Lahlou, CEO of the company.
Mr Cheikh-Lahlou, a Stanford graduate with business networks in the American pharmaceutical industry, views the U.S. as one of the most important partners for Cooper Pharma and aims for more business both in Morocco and in Africa & Middle-East. “We already work with Pfizer, Abbott and other U.S. companies with whom we have excellent relationships” he said. “We are interested to develop more in-licensing activities in order to get more products from U.S. companies developed and delivered to the MENA region as well as to expand our own manufacturing of specific niche products and export to the American market”.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Morocco 2020
Earlier in 2020, Cooper Pharma established an R&D platform and has managed to attract American researchers and students who visited Morocco for an exchange of views and knowledge on specialty pharmaceuticals. “We have also partnered with Harvard as well as Stanford and we have worked with groups of students from those two leading global institutions”, Mr Cheikh-Lahlou said. Moreover, Cooper Pharma is investing in a transatlantic university led by academic consortia funders targeting international research excellence, in partnership with four American universities.
The strategy of his Majesty the King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, to make Morocco the gateway to Africa is paying off and is benefiting all internationally oriented companies, such as Cooper Pharma. “Morocco is well positioned and benefits from its established Free Trade Agreements as well as the great telecommunication and transport infrastructure of the country.” Mr Cheikh-Lahlou concluded.
