EVA Pharma launches the first Egyptian medication for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- “Inhalex” the first Egyptian medication for COPD patients that provides affordable treatment, regular availability in the Egyptian market, and a 24-hour lasting effect.
- Egyptian medicine will reduce the cost of treatment to half.
Cairo, July 20, 2020 – EVA Pharma today announced the launch of the Egyptian drug Inhalex® (tiotropium) a long-acting bronchodilator for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which will reduce the cost of treatment for the patient to half.
“Throughout 5 years of work and consulting German expertise, we have been able to manufacture this high-quality product,” said one of the researchers at EVA Pharma on Inhalex.
“Inhalex reduces the cost of treatment to half.” said Dr.Ashraf Hatem, member of the High Committee for Respiratory Viruses at the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research, the former Minister of Health and Population “As smokers, secondhand smokers and who are exposed to severe pollution are the most affected, this treatment helps COPD patients breathe normally throughout the day.”
In his press statement earlier today, Dr.Hatem said that the disease prevalence is 5-10% of the population, estimating that 10 million Egyptians suffer from COPD & it’s prevalent not only in Egypt but also globally.
The Egyptian drug “Inhalex”, a generic product for a similar previously imported drug, will reduce the patient’s treatment cost to half, as it’s a medicine that has to be administered daily for a lifetime.
Hatem added, “COPD patients had no other option but to buy the imported drug, to help them breathe normally to be able to do their daily activities. The Egyptian “Inhalex” will provide an affordable treatment, regular availability in the Egyptian market and a 24-hour lasting effect of the treatment”
“COPD patient needs this treatment for life; it is important for the patient to have a generic drug similar to the imported treatment in the Egyptian market with an affordable price since the imported drug is double the cost of the Egyptian Inhalex” stated Hatem.
He also emphasized the importance of asthma and COPD patients’ adherence to their daily treatment to avoid exacerbation of viral infections including the COVID-19 and to have fewer effects in case the patients have a viral exacerbation.
Hatem valued the efforts made by EVA Pharma to produce this drug in Egypt, including importing the pharmaceutical active ingredients and the apparatus used to inhale the active ingredient, along with high manufacturing quality. Illustrating that “a good generic product attracts the patient due to its effectiveness and affordability.”
EVA Pharma, one of the major multinational pharmaceutical companies headquartering in Cairo while operating in more than 40 countries, is currently launching “Inhalex” in the national market. The new drug “Inhalex” has the same quality as the imported drug with a 50% price reduction. And EVA Pharma is able to provide any required quantity to the national market, along with international export” said Dr. Mina Henien, a senior R&D manager at EVA Pharma’s Mounir Armanious Research Center (MARC).
He added that EVA Pharma owns a set of laboratories that ensures the product’s quality, as Inhalex was tested on an artificial lung to ensure the product’s high effectiveness as part of the testing process applied at the top international companies of the pharmaceutical field. Henien explained that EVA Pharma has been examining the manufacturing of this drug 5 years ago, while delegates from the company traveled to Kiel University in Germany to share their experience in this field for the highest international manufacturing quality. The new drug delivers the active constituent directly to the lung via an inhaler that is included in each package of Inhalex, thus ensuring optimal treatment effectiveness for the patient.
About Inhalex®
Its active ingredient is (tiotropium), a long-acting bronchodilator used in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Which provides affordable treatment, regular availability in the Egyptian market, and a 24-hour lasting effect.
About COPD
The major cause of COPD prevalence in Egypt and the world is cigarette or hookah smoking. Its symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and inability to breathe normally.
COPD is more common in men, due to smoking, but there is prevalence among women in Upper Egypt who use traditional ovens and have been exposed to smoke for long periods, or who are living in areas with severely polluted air for a long time.
About EVA Pharma
EVA Pharma, one of the major multinational pharmaceutical companies headquartering in Cairo, Egypt while operating in more than 40 countries and one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in the MENA region. The company has partnerships with some of the leading international pharmaceutical names the world over and has a presence in 41 countries throughout the region. With a 3,000-strong team of some of the region’s most competent pharmaceutical professionals, Eva Pharma produces an average of 350,000 packs of more than 165 different drugs daily. Its state-of-the-art facilities are equipped with cutting-edge technology and are internationally recognized for innovation and the highest international quality standards.