Vietnam-made drug reduces cancer treatment costs by 60 percent

A cancer patient under treatment (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The made-in-Vietnam
drug pegfilgrastim is
expected to be available in the first quarter of 2018, helping reduce cancer
treatment costs by up to 60 percent compared with imported drugs, according to
the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Pegfilgrastim
is a product of the national programme on , implemented
by the
biotechnology and pharmacy firm Nanogen in 2014.

Pegfilgrastim, which boosts white blood
cells and supports the immune system, is used in chemotherapy and radiation
therapy.

Nanogen plans to produce 120,000 tubes of
the drug (6 mg per tube) which meet European standards. The company has so far
completed the drug production procedures and tests of the drug quality in the
laboratory and on animals, while clinical trials have also been conducted.-VNA