Highlights in the Year 2007
29. 1. 2007 |
On the occasion of the first European Data Protection Day, on January 29 the Information Commissioner prepared a public panel at the Faculty of Law and awarded prizes for good practice in the protection of personal data. Lek was the only company in the private sector to receive one.
30. 1. 2007 |
The Immunal and Persen brands received the Superbrand award at a ceremony in Moscow at the end of January. The award is given to the strongest brands in more than 55 countries around the world, based on sales volume and brand awareness. The award-winning brands are among the five leading products that Sandoz markets in the Russian Federation under the Lek brand.
Leciklarna
11. 4. 2007 |
For a number of years, in cooperation with the Medical Students Association of Slovenia, we have been organizing a campaign called Leciklarna for the collection of unused medicines at home in various Slovenian regions. On all four Saturdays in April 2007, we were collecting medicines in Central Slovenia: in Ljubljana, Kamnik, Domžale, Grosuplje and Vrhnika.
7. 5. 2007 |
The expanded third edition of the Slovene Medical Dictionary, published by the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana, was presented at Lek on May 7. The new edition contains 67,319 entries and cross-references, which is an increase of around 11% over the first edition. The dictionary will be of assistance to doctors and pharmacists in their daily work with patients and also for their interpersonal communication. The instructions for correct writing, pronunciation and use are also welcomed by students and all professionals who write professional or lay papers or make public appearances.
Community Partnership Day
10. 5. 2007 |
On May 10, within the framework of community partnership through the volunteer work of our employees, we helped those in need. At Lek sites we organized five different activities which were rafting for teenagers from the Youth Home Jarše, social gathering of children at the Soča Rehabilitation Institute and collecting toys for them, a food kitchen for the homeless and collecting linen and clothes for them, social games at elderly people’s homes and donating blood.
14. 5. 2007 |
On May 14, the day before the International Day of the Family, the Minister of Labor, Family and Social Affairs Marjeta Cotman together with the Young Mothers/Family-Friendly Employment development partnership awarded the first Family-Friendly Company certificates at a ceremony at the Cankarjev dom congress center. Lek was among the 33 organizations which joined the certification process in the autumn of 2006 (for formal reasons 32 certificates were awarded).
Auction of Rag-dolls
16. 5. 2007 |
At the third UNICEF charity auction of Rag-dolls by Slovenian fashion designers, which was on May 16 in the City Museum of Ljubljana, more than €30,000 were collected. A total of 42 dolls were sold. The highest price was €2,000 for the doll called Anastasia Zoya made by Alan Hranitelj.
11th Lek family cycling marathon
26. 5. 2007 |
Just like ten times before, in 2007 we organized the Lek family cycling marathon from Ljubljana or Mengeš to Preddvor. A considerable number of Lek associates, their family members and friends joined us in the marathon. The senior Lek cyclist Herman Bratanič also joined.
Lek, a Sandoz company, won the patent dispute in a US court
31. 5. 2007 |
On May 31, the court of first instance in New York ruled that Lek’s product Omeprazol, which is the generic version of the product Prilosec (omeprazol), originating from the Swedish-American pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, does not breach its patent rights. AstraZeneca filed the action in a court in New York in 2000. The dispute in the first instance ended successfully for Lek, a Sandoz company, after more than six years which makes it one of the longest American pharmaceutical court cases.
7. 6. 2007 |
The 24th annual Slovenian Clean Teeth and Healthy Food campaign was concluded on June 7 at a final ceremony in Tivoli Hall, organized by the Dental Section of the Slovenian Medical Association together with the general sponsor Lek and the company L-Kozmetika, which was founded upon the acquisition of Lek Kozmetika by Ilirija. Last year’s campaign included 95% (673) of Slovenian elementary schools and 43 groups of kindergartens, of which 35 classes or groups were from schools and institutions for children with special needs. At the final ceremony, awards were handed out for the best class and regional winners.
11. 7. 2007 |
More than 2,000 children have spent their summer holidays at the holiday facilities of the Friends of Youth Association of Slovenia (FYAS), including many who were there with the help of the initiative “A Wink at the Sun” – Free Holidays for 650 children. Pacug, an idyllic little bay on the Slovene coast, was filled with children’s laughter during the summer months and on July 11 their holidays were further brightened by the Sunshine Games, which have been put on for the children as part of the “A Wink at the Sun” initiative every year by Lek, a Sandoz company, a major sponsor and partner to the initiative.
1. 8. 2007 |
At its meeting on July 10, the Supervisory Board of Lek, a Sandoz company, approved the expansion of the company’s Management Board on the proposal of Vojmir Urlep who succeeded Janja Bratoš as the President of the Board of Management. In addition to two new members – Markus Delfoss, responsible for technical operations and Darja Brečevič, responsible for human resources – the Lek Board of Management will include current members Ksenija Butenko Černe, member of the Board of Management responsible for management and legal compliance of the operations of the company in accordance with applicable national and European legislation; and as a socially responsible company, a member of Novartis/Sandoz group, Marjan Novak, member of the Board of Management and Worker’s Director; and Anette Weber, member of the Board of Management, responsible for finance.
We win together!
3. 9. 2007 |
Bled rowers Luka Špik and Iztok Čop added another victory to their many successes as they rose to the top in Munich. Their main competition of last year finished brilliantly and they won a gold medal. As expected, the rowing regatta was difficult, neck and neck, ending with a duel between the Slovenian and the French boat in the last 200 meters but the world champions of 2006 had to give in to the Slovenian double scull. We support the rower Luka Špik, who, among his many other achievements, is a winner of gold and silver Olympic medals, and three gold and two silver medals from world rowing competitions.
Slovenian Pharmacies Day
26. 9. 2007 |
On September 26, in what has already become a tradition, a section of pharmacists of public pharmacies, under the Slovenian pharmaceutical society and the Slovenian Chamber of Pharmacies, organized the third Slovenian Pharmacies Day. The main sponsors were Lek and Kemofarmacija. The Slovenian Pharmacies Day was dedicated to medicine and traffic safety. On this occasion, in every pharmacy across Slovenia, there were activities on September 26, directed to making the public aware of the affects of certain medicines, treatment procedures for certain diseases, alcohol and drug consumption on psychophysical abilities, and associated safety in road transport and while working with machinery.
Brand name Lekadol® is a winner of the 'Trusted Brand' research, a trust worthy brand
28. 9. 2007 |
Once a year, the Readers Digest magazine conducts the research ‘trusted brand’ throughout the world where the readers decide which brand name they trust the most in various categories (medicine, cars, cosmetics, food, cleaning supplies). Last year, Slovenia also joined in such research. In the only two categories concerning medicine, the absolute winner was the brand name Lekadol® – it won among pain-relief medicines and medicines for relief from cold and flu symptoms.
1. 10. 2007 |
The Children’s Week began on October 1 in Slovenia and is dedicated to an important question in the lives of children: Do our children and youth have sufficient opportunities for the relaxed, healthy and creative enjoyment of their leisure time and holidays and interest in appropriate forms of enjoyment? Their right to these things is set out in the Convention on the Rights of Children. Children’s Enjoyment and Leisure Time was also a topic of this year’s 18th annual Youth Parliament.
4. 10. 2007 |
The official opening ceremony for the Lek Biopharmaceuticals Development Center in Mengeš was held on October 4. The Development Center, which is one of six biopharmaceuticals centers at Novartis, helps consolidate Lek’s and Sandoz’s position in biopharmaceuticals, and Lek’s expertise will contribute to develop new biosimilars for Sandoz global markets, including Slovenia.
4. 10. 2007 |
On the day after the inhabitants of the Municipality of Železniki were struck by the terrible forces of nature, Lek, a Sandoz company, offered assistance and initiated a humanitarian campaign. The first part of the funds, amounting to €10,000, was earmarked for repairing the Health Center. All of their equipment is unusable so we decided that, in addition to assistance in the form of medicines, we would also donate five computers so that they would be able to get back to normal work as quickly as possible. Therefore, we allocated €16,000, which the Lek Trade Union had earmarked for New Year’s gifts for its members, to the purchase of household equipment so that the inhabitants of Železniki could re-establish normal living conditions as soon as possible.
20. 11. 2007 |
The recipients of this year’s TOP 10 – 2007 awards were announced at the Education Management Conference that was organized by the company Planet GV at Bled. The Education Management Institute Sofos chose ten Slovenian companies and organizations that systematically invest in knowledge and promote the training and education of their employees. Lek was one of the companies that received the award. According to the committee, Lek is among the 10 selected companies that show a direct connection between education and the business strategy, systematically selected knowledge, provision of work experience and gaining new knowledge, encouraging the gaining and transferring of knowledge and the availability of training for all employees.
Among Sandoz scientists, a Lek associate was also awarded for exceptional scientific achievements
21. 11. 2007 |
On November 21, leading Sandoz scientists were awarded Novartis global awards for research for the eighth consecutive time, in Holzkirchen. Among them was Lek’s researcher Janez Kerč, MSc who contributed to creating a number of innovative procedures in Lek, including the development of advanced technological substances and finished pharmaceutical forms. Other winners from Sandoz were Carsten Brockmeyer from Hexal, Rafael Cruz Garcia from Sandoz in Spain, and Dr. Ursula Thyroff – Friesinger from Sandoz International. All were given Leading Scientist Novartis certificates.
Lek and Persen among the strongest brands in Slovenia
21. 11. 2007 |
On November 21, at the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, the international organization Superbrands, which is present in 73 countries and involves the most leading brands, marketing agencies and media, presented a selection of the strongest brands in Slovenia which included Lek and Persen.
21. 11. 2007 |
On November 21, a survey on the reputation of Slovenian employers ended with an award presenting ceremony of the Reputable Employer in 2007 certificates. The company Moje Delo (My Job) measured the reputation of employees on the employment market, and how well known and attractive a particular company is on the Slovenian market. The Reputable Employer certificate was given to companies that exceeded the threshold of reputation – that is, to companies that are significantly above average employers and are regarded as good and attractive employers by job seekers. Aside from Lek, the certificates were also presented to IBM Slovenia, Microsoft, Kompas, Telekom, etc., and the title as the most distinguished employer was given to Krka.
27. 11. 2007 |
Delo’s business supplement, Delo FT, analyzes the best Slovenian companies throughout the whole year using several indicators to make a series of ratings as the criteria for the selection of the “super champion” – the top company at the end of the year. This prestigious title was awarded to Lek in 2007.
Amoxiclav pallet number 100,000
4. 12. 2007 |
On December 4, we produced the 100,000th pallet of the finished medicine Amoxiclav, since the production began at the new production unit in Prevalje. Pilot production started in 1996 and for the first 10,000 pallets of Amoxiclav we took three and a half years. Approximately the same amount of time was needed for the production of 50,000 pallets and for the last 10,000 pallets we needed a little more than seven months.