Talk:Swedish Orphan Biovitrum

Additions to the Sobi page

Hi Wikipedians. My name is John and I am employed by Sobi. The company has been going through a lot of change in recent years, and I would like to propose some additions/edits to the page. Okay if I post these proposals to this Talk page? Best, J JohnComSobi (talk) 13:18, 8 January 2019 (UTC)

Info panel

Products: Sobi currently markets products in more than 70 markets. Its largest products by sales in 2018 were its extended half-life recombinant treatments for haemophilia A and haemophilia B, and a treatment indicated for several inflammatory disorders. Sobi also markets a portfolio of other rare-disease medicines, primarily in the areas of immunology and specialty care. Sobi also manufactures drug substance for another company on contract.

Largest shareholder: Investor AB 36%

JohnComSobi (talk) 13:07, 2 December 2019 (UTC) JohnComSobi

Introduction

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) (Sobi™) is an international biopharmaceutical company dedicated to rare diseases. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Sobi has offices in 25 countries and distributes medicines in more than 70 countries.

References

JohnComSobi (talk) 13:20, 2 December 2019 (UTC)

Company

Sobi is an international biopharmaceutical company with head office in Stockholm, Sweden. The company's vision to “be recognised as a global leader in providing innovative therapies that transform the lives of people with rare diseases”.

The CEO and President, Guido Oelkers, joined Sobi in May 2017.

The company divides its product portfolio into the therapeutic areas of Haematology and Immunology, together with a Specialty Care portfolio.

In Haematology, Sobi has the exclusive rights in its markets (predominantly Europe, the Middle East and Russia) for two extended half-life clotting factor replacement therapies for haemophilia A and haemophilia B. (Sobi’s collaboration partner Sanofi markets the therapies in North America and other markets.)

The Immunology area focuses on treatments for immune system and inflammatory disorders.

In Specialty Care, Sobi markets proprietary and in-licensed products, focused largely on the areas of genetic and metabolic disorders.

Sobi is a pioneer in biotechnology with world-class capabilities in protein biochemistry and biologics manufacturing. Sobi manufactures the drug substance for another pharmaceutical company’s recombinant haemophilia therapy at its production facility in Stadshagen, Stockholm.

At the end of 2018, Sobi had total revenues of SEK 9.139 billion and about 935 employees. The share (STO: SOBI) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

References

JohnComSobi (talk) 13:20, 2 December 2019 (UTC)

Hi. Reworked suggestion for revision.

Sobi is an international biopharmaceutical company with head office in Stockholm, Sweden.

The CEO and President, Guido Oelkers, joined Sobi in May 2017.

The company divides its product portfolio into the therapeutic areas of Haematology and Immunology, together with a Specialty Care portfolio. In Haematology, Sobi has the exclusive rights in its markets (predominantly Europe, the Middle East and Russia) for two extended half-life clotting factor replacement therapies for haemophilia A and haemophilia B. (Sobi’s collaboration partner Sanofi markets the therapies in North America and other markets.)

The Immunology area focuses on treatments for immune system and inflammatory disorders.

In Specialty Care, Sobi markets proprietary and in-licensed products, focused largely on the areas of genetic and metabolic disorders.

Sobi manufactures the drug substance for another pharmaceutical company’s recombinant haemophilia therapy at its production facility in Stadshagen, Stockholm.

At the end of 2019, Sobi had total revenues of SEK 14.248 billion and about 1355 employees. The share (STO: SOBI) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

References

JohnComSobi (talk) 13:59, 6 May 2020 (UTC)

• @JohnComSobi: I've added {{reflist-talk}} after each of your proposals, as it makes it clearer. Thanks for taking the correct approach by making suggestions here. I see that the article has been edited in the past by several people apparently from the company. I take an interest in Sobi as the manufacturer of the wonderful Anakinra on which my health depends (daily injections for Schnitzler's syndrome): no more of a WP:COI than anyone else writing about the manufacturer of their favourite beer, so I'll have a look at your suggested text but would prefer to see some independent Reliable Sources. Are there any independent sources - ie not from the company itself, nor external articles which are pure press-release content - for the rest of the article, which is largely unsourced? PamD 14:37, 6 May 2020 (UTC)

1st ref should be https://www.sobi.com/en/press-releases/guido-oelkers-appointed-president-and-ceo-sobi-1488644 PamD 15:13, 6 May 2020 (UTC)

Done a couple of changes, can't work out how to do the stock symbol but have asked for help at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Companies, will have another look later - nice sunny afternoon, must get on with busy lockdown life. PamD 16:00, 6 May 2020 (UTC)

• @PamD: Thank you so much for helping here. I had posted these amendments on the talk page some time ago but then made them on the page when nobody picked them up (it seemed important to update the incorrect information). It was then reverted to a much older version (I can understand why) which contained inaccuracies so I am very grateful for your support.

One of the challenges with external sources is that as a pharma company in Europe, we are not allowed to name or link to any information that names our products. It is a strict rule, which I am obliged to comply with. Most external links that discuss our therapeutic areas, for example, name the products, so I am not allowed to provide such a link. It is also why I am not allowed to suggest updates for the history section, even though a lot has happened in recent years. All my suggested updates are in the Company section and fact box.

One area in particular that has changed is the focus of our therapeutic areas. We no longer work in neonatology, for example.

Again, really appreciate your guidance on this. A newbie when it comes to Wikipedia, and trying to do things the right way. Best

JohnComSobi (talk) 08:13, 7 May 2020 (UTC)

I suppose that illustrates the problems when people associated with a company edit the Wikipedia article. Neutral editors aren't bound by rules like that, but on the other hand not a lot of uninvolved people are probably interested enough in the company to write about it. I'll have a look. As far as I'm concerned it makes the most important drug in the world, but I don't think that counts as COI! PamD 08:58, 7 May 2020 (UTC)

Hi all. Following up the previous discussion. My edits were revoked (I understand why), but as mentioned previously, the entry is now incorrect. For example, it states that Sobi is focused on Inflammation and Genetic diseases, and has a late stage project in neonatology. Also, the history section now stops at 2012, which makes the entry incomplete. In the interests of accuracy, would someone be able to look at these points at least? My amendments should be available in the history, and I am happy to provide further information if required. Best, John JohnComSobi (talk) 10:50, 1 September 2020 (UTC)

Update 2021

Hi. As previously mentioned, the current entry contains some inaccuracies. The most important are in the Company section, where Sobi no longer has products or research in Neonatology. Also, the revenue and employee numbers references in this section are way out of date (revenue is now mentioned earlier in the piece, with a reference to the annual report). Here is a suggested update. I would appreciate it if someone could review and implement, if approved. I am employed by Sobi and work in the communication department. John Sobi is an international specialty healthcare company dedicated to rare diseases. The product portfolio is primarily focused on Haematologya and Immunology, and the company has 12 late-stage R&D projects. The company also market a portfolio of specialty and rare disease products for partner companies. JohnComSobi (talk) 07:22, 25 May 2021 (UTC)

Hallo again John, I've updated the article and particularly the "Company" section. Have just found https://www.sobi.com/en/history, which although it's not "independent" can I think be taken as a "reliable source" for factual stuff like dates etc, so I might have a look at the "History" section and try to tidy it up. But Real Life is calling.

You might be interested to read this! Compared to the lives of most rare disease sufferers mine are very much "First World problems". I'm very grateful that Sobi reduced the size of the boxes soon after I started in July 2018: someone had the sensible idea of putting the info leaflet on top of the syringes, instead of beside them, thus reducing the footprint of the box (and so its cost and carbon footprint too in reducing the amount of cardboard and plastic used), and saving space in my fridge. PamD 09:41, 25 May 2021 (UTC)

Just to satisfy my curiosity: at 2013 the history says "Sobi acquires full rights for Kineret". I'd love to know more about the history of it - are there any sources where I could find out more about this? Who developed it, why, when, etc? A rheumatologist I saw recently said that without treatment I'd probably have been on kidney dialysis by now, so I take a great interest in it. PamD 10:14, 25 May 2021 (UTC)

Forgot to say above: please check that I've expanded the various cryptic abbreviations correctly. I lifted the list from the "This is Sobi" summary pages. All the redirects from brand names to generic names were already in place, though Kineret was only lurking in a disambiguation page so I've standardised it by creating a disambiguated redirect. PamD 10:18, 25 May 2021 (UTC)

@JohnComSobi: And why was it called "Kineret"? Was it for the Sea of Galilee and/or related Kinneret (archaeological site)? For that matter, why "Anakinra" either ... though I think I have read something about "...inra" drugs being of a grouping. But Kineret? Any ideas or sources? PamD 10:28, 25 May 2021 (UTC)

References

@PamD:Hi Pam. thank you for the updates and corrections! The abbreviations look good and make sense. I will look around for background on the names and the history, but I am not allowed to make reference to our products in communication to the general public, of course. JohnComSobi (talk) 12:26, 25 May 2021 (UTC)