Iran has high capacity for producing medicine inside the country, Sattari said at a ceremony held in northern Iranian province of Alborz on unveiling four anti-cancer and ant-diabetic drugs.

IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

Within six months or a year, Iran relying on domestic capability can meet the country’s needs to medicines, Sattari said.

He made the remarks on Tuesday in an unveiling ceremony of four anti-cancer and anti-diabetics drugs in Alborz Eshtehard Industrial Park and added, “producing medicines and providing the required raw materials, particularly in the filed of biotechnology, should be taken into serious consideration.”

He pointed to the production of the newly developed drugs for cancer and diabetes treatment, saying “a contract was inked eight months ago for the domestic production of drugs subject to sanctions, the first batch of which will hit the domestic market today.”

Iran has high pharmaceutical capacities and potentials, he said, adding, “perhaps, most of our pharmaceutical projects should have been completed much sooner, but the imposition of US sanctions didn’t make it possible; that is why this year we are working on production of sanctioned medicine.”

During a ceremony at Eshtehard Industrial Town in Alborz Province on Tuesday morning, four Iranian-produced drugs for cancer and diabetes treatment were unveiled.

The anti-cancer drugs included the highly important and expensive Regorafenib and Sorafenib, while Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin were unveiled for the treatment of diabetic patients.

Four Iranian-produced drugs for cancer and diabetes treatment, including Regorafenib and Sorafenib, have been unveiled during the ceremony.

The anti-cancer drugs included the highly important and expensive Regorafenib and Sorafenib, while Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin were unveiled for the treatment of diabetic patients.

Regorafenib, under the trade name chemotherapy drug Stivarga, was first developed by Germany in 2012 for treatment of colorectal cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), and liver cancer.

Iranian researchers managed to obtain the highly complex know-how for the production of this pricey drug after seven years of relentless research and experiment. A 28-tablet pack of Regorafenib costs $5,870 on the global market. The Iranian version is sold at only 5% of the value of the German product.

Sorafenib, known by its brand name Nexavar, is used to treat kidney, liver, and thyroid cancer. The product was produced only by Germany and the US until now. The Iranian version of the product is sold at less than one-tenth of its price on the global market, which is as high as $4,880.

Empagliflozin, sold under the trade name Jardiance, is used to treat type 2 diabetes. Iran is now the third producer of the medication, after Germany and the US.

Dapagliflozin, sold under the brand name Farxiga, is also used to treat type 2 diabetes. Iran managed to obtain the technology to produce the medication after the UK.

It is predicted that the two Iranian anti-cancer drugs would potentially generate $1 billion worth of revenues in the country.