Fiat, even if they were using the drug on a limited basis for 6-7 years, without approval they probably couldn't get out and promote, unless NAFDAC has little authority to prevent non-approved drugs from being sold.
When you say "the old process" are you referring to Xechem's original process they had, which worked, before the one they spent a bunch of of time and money trying improve? If so, I've been told the new process didn't work and they are back to that "old process" and have no more capacity than they've ever had because they have the same equipment installed as they've ever had... Lots of plans and lots of money spent, but no follow-thru to get things actually working as planned...
So you're saying that underestimating your market is something only an inexperience marketing person would make? I guess when Apple runs out of iPods during the Christmas rush or Sony doesn't have enough Playstations... Well, you see where I'm going, it happens. Would you have known that these people would have gotten on their bikes and rode out to pick up product? Now, tell me what information those people were given while they were there and I'll determine if it was a disaster or not. If they heard about the new product, learned about how to get it and got to see their President, I'm thinking it was a good day for everyone, they created interest and demand...
I've also been in sales organizations for 25 years. I've been an International Sales and Marketing Manager for a couple of companies and managed large sales territories (one was all of North America) for a few others. In all those companies the CEOs were people that knew their market specifically, had amazing relationship building skills, knew how to work within their industry to get things done and most importantly, knew how to get people around them to do the things they didn't have time to do (because they were running a company). In Xechem's case, what's needed is a V.P. of Sales and Marketing that can focus on building and training a sales/marketing staff (including training managers) in Nigeria first and foremost. That person also needs to be able to get in the field and actually sell with their sales people as all good sales managers do field work with their reps to offer support, training and guidance. At the end of the day they report to the CEO, who needs to focus on the big picture.
As for Akinyanju, I also have to respectfully disagree with you, he is a problem. He's a visible man, has the media's attention as is evident by his sponsoring of the red carpet affair we all saw in posts recently and sits on a WHO advisory panel. Regardless of what we think of him, people are going to listen to him. Probably not all people, but if anyone does, he's cost Xechem market share. He needs to be won over, he needs to be helped, he needs to be worked with. Do I mean he needs to be bought? No, but I would call and visit him on a regular basis, offer him more information on NICOSAN than he can handle, keep him updated on any trials being done, ask him to be on an advisory panel so he has access to information, offer to sponsor events at his facility, etc., etc. Ignoring him certainly won't help, embracing him can.
What the company needs is a long-term plan and a vision of where it's going, not just short term sales to keep the lights on another day. They just wasted 11 months with no movement on approvals to be able to market the drug(s) anywhere else.
I doubt Dr. Pandey is hanging on for anything considering he's busy organizing research teams from six different countries to find a treatment for Malaria, but I do know he's got a plan to turn Xechem around, people ready to help him and financial backing to do it. If it happens, it happens, if not, there are plenty of other pharmaceutical companies out there looking to pick up products to market...
Of course, as was recently stated, this is just my opinion, take it with as many grains of salt as you all see fit.
