News / Iran First

Iran defies US sanctions, breaks its monopoly in stroke medication production

Wednesday, 27 September 2023 9:12 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 27 September 2023 10:18 AM ]

Iran produces Alteplase (Altelyse), a medicine used to treat an acute ischemic stroke.

Iran has managed to develop Alteplase (Altelyse), becoming the second producer after the US of the medicine used to treat acute ischemic stroke.

During a ceremony on Monday, Arena Life Science, an Iranian knowledge-based company, inaugurated the production line of the medication that can break up blood clots, help restore the blood flow to the brain, and prevent complications and disabilities in stroke patients.

Alteplase can also be used for thrombotic treatment of patients suffering from acute heart attack and massive pulmonary embolism with hemodynamic instability.

The Islamic Republic can save an average of $10 million per year by producing the medicine.

Iran's Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-based Economy Rouhollah Dehghani, who was present at Monday’s ceremony, said that the country faced many challenges in importing Alteplase.

“With the help of experts and technicians of a knowledge-based company, a very important and vital drug, whose production has been monopolized by an American firm, is being produced inside the country in defiance of sanctions,” he said.

“Today, Iran is known as the second country producing the medicine.”

Over the past years, Iran has made great strides in the medical sector, producing most of the country’s pharmaceutical items and increasing exports to many countries.

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