According to Actoverco’s Public Relations, we are currently producing the raw material of interferon beta-1a from the cell line in the Actover Group in the Actoverco Biotech factory. Actoverco’s technology for the production of this material is unique in Iran and the Middle East and the Continuous Perfusion Bioreactor (CPB) method has been used for the first time. In this technology, the animal serum was not used in the medium used to grow cells. In addition, this system is continuous, in which nutrients are continuously introduced to and used by cells, and the produced protein by cells is also continuously harvested. In this system, the cell has the same conditions at all times of protein production and there is no fluctuation in its function, thus the produced protein by the cell has uniform and appropriate quality. Moreover, it is impossible to develop any kind of infection in this system. Production capacity in this method is higher than existing closed systems and sometimes the production capacity is increased up to 10 times.

Also, the rate of this drug’s adverse events on the user is less. Since patients suffering MS have to take it for years, side effects of this drug are very important. The clinical studies performed by Actoverco Pharmaceutical Company on interferon beta-1a and interferon beta-1b, are the largest clinical trials performed on these drugs in Iran, which about 300 patients were recruited and the results were published. In this study, it was found that the immunogenicity of these two drugs is low and the side effects of the drug are comparable to the brand drug. Therefore, a high quality protein with high production volume and economical price is obtained by using this technology. In our applied technology, the cost of the product is reduced and as a result, the final price of the drug for the consumer is also decreased. We have shown this with the decrement of Actoverco interferons’ price in the market, and now its price in the market is the base price of insurance.

Regarding the new drugs of Actover Group, we can mention the new drugs of AtiPharmed Pharmaceutical Company, which has recently introduced the drug “Dydrogesterone” as the first domestic manufacturer of this drug. In the second half of the last year, Actoverco factory introduced new drugs such as “Lacosamide” for epilepsy, “Aripiprazole” and “Mirtazapine” for treatment of psychological disease, “Amlodipine/Valsartan”, and “Rifaximin” for irritable bowel syndrome and hepatic encephalopathy and about 10 new drugs will be launched by the end of the year.

The Actero’s factory will also launch several cancer treatment drugs by the end of the year. Hazardous drug production site, Alborz Zagros, will be established this year, in which transplant and MS oral drugs will be produced.

Ali Etemadrezaei

 Medical affairs manager of Actover group

Source: PHANA