Domestic Hippocrates. Pharmaceutical mogul treats Manturov and Chemezov for poverty

Viktor Kharitonin secured an endless flow of governmental contracts for his companies

Contrary to a popular opinion, the domestic medical industry is not hopeless. While the entire world is looking for a remedy for ageing, we have invented a medicine against poverty. Its creator is pharmaceutical oligarch Viktor Kharitonin; he has already tested it on himself, Minister Denis Manturov, and Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov. The ‘clinical testing’ was amazingly successful.

In March, BIOCAD, one of the largest biopharmaceutical companies of Russia, has brought to the market a new immunosuppressant drug – Dalibra. In fact, this medicine is important and actual. Its humble announcement was made right before the holidays. The modesty of BIOCAD is understandable – the drug recipe was masterfully ‘borrowed’ from American company AbbVie Inc. producing original medicine Humira. Rumors about possible litigation with AbbVie Inc. had circulated – but the domestic pharmaceutical producer does not care of such things and follows the oath of Hippocrates: “Abstain from doing harm”. Hippocrates said nothing about stealing – perhaps, he had anticipated the import substitution problem?

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Viktor Kharitonin is a dollar billionaire, owner of Pharmstandard and OTCPharm pharmaceutical companies and co-owner of BIOCAD. Other oligarch’s assets include Northern Tower of Moscow City Business Center and Nürburgring motorsports complex in Germany. In 2018, the wealth of Kharitonin was estimated at $1.4 billion.

Apparently, Dalibra won’t do any harm – its primary objective is to be included in the registry of vital and essential medicines. BIOCAD has no doubt in the high demand on the new drug: its co-owner Viktor Kharitonin has secured an endless flow of governmental contracts for the holding. His tandem with Tatiana Golikova in the promotion of harmless Arbidol became a legend. Kharitonin’s Pharmstandard had played the first fiddle in that campaign. Nothing has changed since then: Kharitonin still relies on Pharmstandard and medical officials. Tatiana Golikova cannot perform her role anymore: as the Chairperson of the Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation, she is useless for the oligarch. Since recently, Kharitonin maintains active friendly ties with Sergei Chemezov and Denis Manturov. The pharmaceutical mogul has devotedly and openly built this friendship. As the old saying goes, when there's a will there's a way.    

Unhealthy triangle 

Rostec controls National Immunobiological company (Nacimbio) established for import substitution purposes. According to its founders (i.e. Rostec), the enterprises of the holding were supposed to ensure the substitution of essential medicines, including blood products, by producing the required drugs in large amounts. Too bad, but even losses in quality were unable to ensure the production of planned volumes of the medicines. Therefore, for the last four years, Nacimbio has been purchasing blood products from Pharmstandard. Somehow, Pharmstandard has acquired the status of the sole blood product supplier. It purchases such products from any vendor of its choice, while all others may purchase those only from it. This is how the free market works.

The harsh market economy laws written by Chemezov have enriched Kharitonin – the sole blood product supplier for Nacimbio – by 4.7 billion rubles ($73.2 million) in three years. Apparently, Chemezov has introduced pharmaceutist Kharitonin to his protege – Minister Manturov. Although the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation had already awarded contracts to Generium pharmaceutical company belonging to Kharitonin in the past, the signals sent by the head of Pharmstandard from Forbes pages have brought Generium additional 500 million rubles ($7.8 million) from the Industry Development Fund – the funds were allocated for the development of asthma drugs.

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Natalia Manturova, wife of the Minister of Industry and Trade, is the principal freelance plastic surgeon of the Ministry of Health. Taking that the compulsory health insurance does not cover aesthetic surgery, her functions in that status are not completely clear. However, the chain of plastic surgery clinics generates a stable income for the Manturov family. These clinics are a part of the holding structure controlled by Finance Systems Limited Liability Company belonging to Valentin Manturov and Stanislav Chemezov. The interests of the business group are pretty diverse – from hotels and restaurants to vineyards. Offshore structures constitute a significant part of this group of companies.

Natalia Manturova, wife of Denis Manturov

The Ministry of Industry and Trade became interested in asthma treatment for a reason. In 2017, Finance Systems belonging to the father of Denis Manturov and son of Sergei Chemezov has purchased Primorye (Seaside) Health Resort (specializing in non-tuberculosis lung diseases) and Druzhba (Friendship) Health Resort (specializing in hearing disorders) in Gelendzhik. 

Primorye Health Resort

Relatives of the officials decided to invest some 2 billion rubles ($31.1 million) into the health resort. Too bad, but the majority of deaf people are not very rich. Therefore, they are not welcome in Gelendzhik anymore. But now, Primorye Health Resort offers all types of plastic surgeries performed by Lantset (Lancet) Clinic belonging to Natalia Manturova and premium-class recreation. The medical industry is an important source of income for the Minister of Industry and Trade. The chain of plastic surgery clinics officially brings his spouse several millions of rubles on an annual basis. 

House, M.D. 

After the disappearance of people with hearing disorders from Gelendzhik, the Manturov and Chemezov families have realized the benefits of maritime air. The two noble clans continued taking the waters. By that time, the alliance of functionaries started building Fellini Park Residential Complex in the Gelendzhik Bay – one of the most scenic locations of the city. To control the construction progress, the father of Minister Manturov has settled nearby. It is difficult to oversee the project – builders need constant supervision, while the construction requires money – but he honorably does his job. The developer, Zhemchuzhina (Pearl) Joint Stock Company, has borrowed the major portion of the funds from its parent company – above-mentioned Finance Systems.

Fellini Park Residential Complex

It is difficult to understand who has lent funds to the parent company – but the audit report of Zhemchuzhina mentions Profit House Financial Company Closed Joint Stock Company belonging to Kharitonin – the developer has a depositary agreement with it. In addition, some Fellini Park assets were pleaded as a security until 2017 to Aresbank co-owned by Kharitonin. Apparently, the partners had never heard about such things as conflict of interest and anti-corruption principles. After all, there was a health resort for people with hearing disorders in the Gelendzhik Bay.

Home of Manturov senior

The oligarch has even purchased two apartments with the total living space of 800 square meters in Fellini Park to enjoy the nature and ‘other life beauties’ promised by the developer.    

However, it is unknown who exactly is going to live there – because Kharitonin is a rare guest in Russia. The oligarch has an apartment in One Hyde Park in London, next door to Kylie Minogue, and it is unlikely that he relocates from there to become a neighbor of Manturov senior. Most probably, members of clan Manturov, who have occupied the entire Gelendzhik Bay in a family way, would enjoy the ‘life beauties’. The residential complex ads promise, without false modesty, worthy neighbors and even mention artistic intelligentsia. Perhaps, this refers to the deeds of these people...

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