Aegate News

Aegate strengthens European management team with senior appointment

London, September 2007 - Aegate, the leading pharmaceutical authentication company is supporting its rapid European growth with the appointment of Graham Smith to its management team. Graham takes on the role of Aegate's Business Development Vice President.
With over 15 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Graham Smith joins Aegate from AstraZeneca where he was Project Director for the company's European Supply Chain. Graham has also worked as Chairman for the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Distribution Group, the body responsible for recent proposals to harmonise coding of pharmaceuticals across the EU with unique, mass serialised numbers using 2D barcode technology.
Graham Smith, Business Development Vice President, said "As patient safety and drug counterfeiting continues to be a problem for the global pharmaceutical industry, Aegate's drug authentication system offers a groundbreaking solution for the market. I'm excited to be joining the team in leading the company's success in protecting patients Worldwide."

Backed by the PA Consulting Group, Aegate's patient safety solution supports pharmacists and pharmaceutical manufacturers Worldwide in the authentication of medicines at the point of dispensing. The solution acts as a protective mechanism, securing each end of the supply chain to prevent substandard medicines from reaching patients through identifying potential counterfeits, recalled, expired or even stolen products. Counterfeit and stolen medicines are a growing problem both in developed and developing countries, which are estimated to cost the industry $75 billion by 2010. The Aegate solution is already implemented in Belgium and is currently being introduced in Greece.

Gary Noon, CEO of Aegate, said: "The appointment of Graham is another step forward for Aegate as we continue to work with leading pharmaceuticals in ensuring global patient safety standards can be met. Graham brings with him excellent knowledge and experience of the pharmaceutical industry and I am delighted to welcome him to our senior management team."