On February 15, a working meeting on the implementation of a large-scale investment project for organizing the industrial production of APIs necessary for the manufacture of strategically important anaesthetics, implemented by FSUE “Endopharm” together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, was held in the Government of the Bryansk Region.
The participants of the meeting were Alexander Bogomaz, Governor of the Bryansk Region, Mikhail Fonarev, General Director of FSUE “Endopharm”, Valentin Subbot, Chairman of the Bryansk Region Duma, Vladimir Torikov, Director of the Department of Agriculture of the Bryansk Region, Dmitry Matrosov, Deputy General Director of FSUE “Endopharm” – Director of the “Pochep” branch, Valery Firsin, Deputy General Director of FSUE “Endopharm” – Director of the “ENDOPHARM Agro” branch, Dmitry Starkov, Chief Agronomist of the “ENDOPHARM Agro” branch, and heads of regional agricultural enterprises.
Opium analgesics are used for medical reasons to treat various diseases accompanied by chronic pain syndrome of moderate and high intensity, not relieved by other drugs. The main line of drugs with the INN “morphine” used in international practice, more than 90% of which are domestic, is currently available for the patients in Russia. However, APIs necessary for their manufacture are imported to the fullest extent, which makes the availability of pain relief for Russian patients dependent on the international market conditions.
Within the framework of the investment project implementation, FSUE “Endopharm” creates a modern high-tech complex for the production of full-cycle medicines as part of the agricultural division – the “ENDOPHARM Agro” branch, a site for growing plant materials for the APIs production, the “Pochep” branch, a site for processing plant materials into active pharmaceutical ingredients, and two sites for the production of finished dosage forms located in Moscow, which by 2024 will ensure the country’s drug safety for a number of vital and socially important drugs, and also increase local content in manufacturing opium analgesics in the Russian Federation.
Opium poppy (in agricultural practice – oilseed poppy) is a medicinal plant material for the manufacture of the substance “morphine hydrochloride”. In order to prevent the leak of narcotic drugs into illicit circulation, FSUE “Endopharm” has patented MARAL, a poppy variety having a low alkaloid content, which makes plants of this variety unattractive for the illegal production and consumption of narcotic drugs. Meanwhile, the alkaloid extraction technologies modernized and adapted by the scientific divisions of Endopharm allow manufacturing a high-quality pharmaceutical substance of morphine hydrochloride from low-alkaloid raw materials. It should be noted that the “Endopharm Agro” branch complies with all legal requirements for the cultivation of opium poppy, including the crop protection.
During the working meeeting, it was noted that it is no coincidence that such a hard-cultivating crop necessary for ensuring the drug safety of the country will be grown in the Bryansk Region. The region has a unique experience in cultivating fine-grained oil crops. Using the best scientific developments, the most advanced technologies and the experience of the best agricultural enterprises in the industry makes the region a world leader in the production and crop yields of rapeseed to date. Governor Alexander Bogomaz emphasized:
“The project is unique and has no analogues not only in Russia, but throughout the entire post-Soviet space. I am sure that we will cope with this task. We have extensive experience in cultivating fine-grained crops. In the Bryansk region we produce 25 percent of all rapeseed cultivated in Russia. Last year, we got yields from rapeseed amounting to 40 centners per hectare, compared with England, for example, they get only 34. We have gathered today in such a composition to discuss all issues. In the future, to implement this task, we will call both representatives of academic circles and agricultural manufacturers who are experts in agriculture. And we all in one must implement the task set by the state that you spoke about!”
Mikhail Fonarev, General Director of FSUE “Endopharm”, thanked the management of the Bryansk Region for supporting the Enterprise in the implementation of a strategically important investment project:
“Alexander Vasilyevich, let me thank you for the fact that the region is interested in implementing such a large and unique project. It is focused, first of all, on ensuring drug safety of the country. Denis Valentinovich Manturov, the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, set the task of organizing the manufacture of our own active pharmaceutical ingredients within the framework of import substitution strategy. I thank you for the high-quality support provided to the Enterprise by specialists of the Bryansk Region.”
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