Iran plans to start exports of its home-made Multiple Sclerosis (MS) medication to Syria, Armenia and Russia by next month, manager of the Iranian MS drug manufacturing company said on Saturday.
“The Iranian MS drug has been registered in Russia, Armenia and Syria at present and we have received a number of requests for its exports as well,” Haleh Hamedifar told FNA, adding, “The first cargo of this medication – which is the first Iranian drug introduced internationally – will be exported to these countries by the next month.”
She also reiterated that the Iranian authorities are now registering the Iran-made MS drug in several other countries.
Reminding that Iran started production of MS drug three years ago, Hamedifar said the country’s production capacity is ten times more than the country’s needs and Iran has, thus, decided to expand exports of the drug to other Middle Eastern countries.
Iran shattered the United States’ monopoly in the production of the most important drug in the treatment of MS in 2007.
Interferon beta 1, generically known as Ziferon, is mainly injected subcutaneously and has antiviral and immunomodulating properties. The drug is mainly used in the management of multiple sclerosis, although its mode of action is unclear.
Iran has also introduced two other home-made MS drugs, namely Resigene (interferon beta 1a) and Cinnovex, in the last few years.
The Center for Pharmaceutical Products has already produced five biotechnological drugs, making Ziferon the sixth medication produced by the company.
Fars News