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Boehringer Ingelheim Korea has marked a turning point in its R&D-driven journey under the leadership of General Manager Ana-Maria Boie. Celebrating her first anniversary as head of the Korean branch of the German drugmaker, Boie brings a unique perspective to the pharmaceutical business as a medical doctor-turned-industry leader, with over 25 years of experience across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
In an interview with Korea Biomedical Review, Boie discussed the company’s vision for innovation, challenges in Korea’s reimbursement landscape, and why Korea has emerged as one of Boehringer Ingelheim’s top 10 strategic markets globally.
Boehringer Ingelheim Korea General Manager Ana-Maria Boie speaks about the company’s future plans in a recent interview with Korea Biomedical Review at its headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. (Credit: Boehringer Ingelheim Korea)
Boehringer Ingelheim Korea General Manager Ana-Maria Boie speaks about the company’s future plans in a recent interview with Korea Biomedical Review at its headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. (Credit: Boehringer Ingelheim Korea)
From physician to pharmaceutical leader
Ana-Maria Boie began her career as a physician before transitioning to the pharmaceutical industry. After obtaining her medical license in Romania and practicing medicine for two years, she decided to pursue her growing interest in business by joining the pharmaceutical sector. With 25 years of industry experience across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, she brought a wealth of global perspective when she joined Boehringer Ingelheim Korea as General Manager in 2024.
"As a physician in the pharmaceutical industry, I've always maintained a mission to keep patients at the center of everything we do," Boie said. "I also have a strong commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of everyone I work with."
Strategic priorities for Korea
Under Boie's leadership, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea has focused on three key areas: R&D expansion, organizational culture enhancement, and pipeline development.
"We're concentrating on R&D to develop breakthrough therapies in areas with unmet medical needs," says Boie. "We take an integrated approach for both humans and animals, striving to develop treatments for both."
This commitment to innovation is evident in the company's activities in Korea, with 33 ongoing clinical studies. A significant milestone in 2024 was establishing a Business Development & Licensing (BD&L) department in Korea, making it the third innovation hub in Asia alongside Japan and China.
"In recent years, Korea has emerged as a 'new kid on the block' in the biotech field, gaining global attention," Boie notes. "With Korea becoming one of the top five countries globally in R&D, Boehringer Ingelheim has set a strategic goal to further expand R&D activities here."
The BD&L department aims to discover innovative new substances with Korean researchers and strengthen collaboration with Korean companies. "Our key role is to identify new molecules, collaborate on R&D with Korean companies, and support their entry into global markets," explains Boie.
Future pipeline and market strategy
Boehringer Ingelheim plans to launch at least 20 indications or new drugs globally within the next seven years. Korea, as one of the company's top 10 strategic countries, is a priority market for introducing innovative therapeutic options.
The company's human pharmaceuticals division focuses on three areas -- cardio-renal-metabolic (CRM), pulmonary fibrosis, and oncology.
"We're working to quickly introduce two key new drugs currently in clinical trials in Korea," Boie said. "The first is survodutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist that has shown positive results in treating fatty liver and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)."
Another promising development is the reimbursement approval expected for Ofev (ingredient: nintedanib), a treatment for interstitial lung disease. Looking ahead, nerandolamide, a follow-up drug to Ofev designated as a breakthrough therapy by the U.S. FDA, and zongerdinib, a HER2 inhibitor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), are expected to be launched in Korea over the longer term.
In the animal health division, the company is focusing on parasiticides as a core pipeline, with products like NexGard Spectra and NexGard Combo receiving positive responses. Other products include Vetmedin for heart failure in dogs and Semintra for chronic kidney disease in cats, with ProZinc (an insulin product) and Senvelgo (an SGLT-2 inhibitor for cats) expected to launch soon.
Commitment to innovation
Boie emphasizes that Boehringer Ingelheim's core strategy is centered on innovation rather than relying on existing products with expired patents. "We reinvest more than 20 percent of our revenue in R&D, which demonstrates our commitment to being an R&D and innovation-based company," she states.
In 2022, the company invested over 5 billion euros (approximately 7.97 trillion won) in R&D globally, increasing to 5.8 billion euros (approximately 9.24 trillion won) in 2023—a growth of 14.2 percent.
Challenges in Korea's healthcare system
While praising Korea's world-class healthcare system and its position as the fourth-largest pharmaceutical market in the Asia-Pacific region, Boie highlights some challenges for innovative pharmaceuticals.
"Despite having one of the world's finest healthcare systems, Korea faces delays in introducing innovative medicines and ensuring access to them,” Boie said. This is because innovative medicines are not given sufficient value for their innovation.”
According to 2022 data, innovative drug launches in Korea are delayed by at least 12-18 months compared to other countries. Between 2012 and 2021, only 33 percent of 460 innovative new drugs were successfully launched in Korea, significantly lower than Germany's 61 percent and the UK's 59 percent.
"The time window for providing these medications to Korean patients is very limited when considering the lifecycle from domestic approval to reimbursement approval and patent expiration," she said.
Patient-centric approach
Boehringer Ingelheim maintains a strong "Patient Centricity" philosophy. One notable initiative is a drug cost support program for interstitial lung disease patients in collaboration with the Korean Blood & Cancer Association (KBDCA).
The program provides financial support for Ofev treatment, offering approximately 1.4 million won ($950) monthly for lower-income patients and about 800,000 won for others, with support for up to two years of treatment per patient.
"We continue our efforts to get Ofev included in the reimbursement system while also responsibly supporting patients until reimbursement approval," Boie said.
As Boie reflects on her legacy in Korea, she shares a heartfelt wish.
"I hope to be remembered as someone trustworthy and reliable by everyone I've met in Korea,” she said. “It would mean a lot to me if people remember me as someone who brought positive and meaningful changes to their lives, whether professionally or personally."
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Lee Han-soo corea022@docdocdoc.co.kr
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