A corporate dispute is currently unfolding at Infamed pharmaceutical company. Business FM engaged in a discussion with one of its co-founders to ascertain whether a potential drug shortage should be anticipated.
Recent media reports suggested that the popular antiseptic Miramistin and eye drops Okomistin might cease production in Russia due to restrictive measures imposed against their manufacturer. Although a lawyer representing the owners later refuted these claims, the market reacted with apprehension.
The journey of this highly popular medication began in the 1990s when a group of entrepreneurs revived a Soviet-era antiseptic development, initially conceived for infection control aboard space stations. The inaugural batch of the future `Miramistin` bore the label `before and after,` alluding to its use in preventing sexually transmitted infections.
The product even featured Anfisa Chekhova as its public face, showcasing the bottle on television in a nurse`s uniform. Over time, Miramistin`s applications diversified, and Infamed grew into a pharmaceutical company with a billion-ruble turnover. Currently, Infamed holds exclusive rights to produce Miramistin and Okomistin, with their sales surpassing 3 billion rubles between January and July.
It`s crucial to note that two distinct legal entities are involved: Infamed and Infamed-K. The ongoing legal disputes primarily involve Infamed, which, while not directly manufacturing the products, holds the crucial registration certificates. Ruben Markaryan, the attorney representing the owners, asserts that his clients, Irina Khugaeva and Vitaly Nikolaev, were allegedly coerced into a deceptive transaction to sell half of the company at an undervalued price. He implicates Pavel and Oksana Kheyfits, a married couple, in this alleged scheme. Currently, three lawsuits are pending, all featuring these four individuals, concerning the sale and purchase agreements of company shares, with the Kheyfitses having initiated two of these cases. Markaryan declined to provide further details to Business FM, offering the following statement in writing:
«Currently, there is no threat to the production of the drug. The dispute between Infamed owners Irina Khugaeva and Vitaly Nikolaev and the couple Pavel and Oksana Kheyfits is separate from the direct manufacturing process and does not jeopardize the product`s release or successful distribution.»
Ruben Markaryan
Lawyer
As clarified by the lawyer, the interim legal measures imposed do not prohibit the drug`s production but specifically restrict the transfer of rights to its registration certificates.
The production of the pharmaceutical substance for `Miramistin` is handled by a separate entity, Infamed-K, which includes a manufacturing plant in the Kaliningrad region. According to SPARK data, Infamed-K was owned by Infamed co-founder Andrey Gorokhov until 2021, after which it passed to his son, Anton. A change in ownership occurred again in June. Andrey Gorokhov, now a State Duma deputy, has exited the business. He shared the following with Business FM regarding the corporate dispute and the current production status of Miramistin:
Andrey Gorokhov stated: «First of all, I`ve left the company and am now a State Duma deputy. Secondly, this is a rather prolonged conflict, but production is active, and products are being supplied, so there will be no shortage. This dispute involves LLC Infamed, where the owners are in disagreement, whereas we are Infamed-K.»
When asked about potential changes in the Kaliningrad plant`s operation given the ownership change, Gorokhov responded: «That`s right, the ownership changed; the company was sold to Otcpharm. They are managing the conflict, but production continues, and deliveries are ongoing, so there is no shortage.»
The State Duma has advised against panic-buying Miramistin due to scarcity fears, while some media outlets have speculated that the entire situation is a publicity stunt for the drug. Industry reports indicate that this year`s sales figures are largely consistent with those of the previous year. Nikolay Bespalov, Development Director at RNC Pharma, notes that readily available alternatives, such as Chlorhexidine, exist in the market:
«Indirect analogues are available from manufacturers other than Infamed. For instance, Evalar produces a similar product, and several other companies, including Pharmstandard, also manufacture and sell it in smaller quantities.»
Nikolay Bespalov
Development Director at RNC Pharma
Conversely, sales of `Okomistin` in May—the most recent data available—saw a significant decline of nearly 30% compared to April, as reported by `Pharmaceutical Bulletin`. In June, Infamed initiated legal action to challenge the legality of Infamed-K`s production of Okomistin, though this lawsuit was subsequently withdrawn. Furthermore, according to Roszdravnadzor, not a single batch of these eye drops has been released into circulation since January.
