Iran breaks Israel's monopoly by producing MS drug

Iranian scientists managed to break Israel's monopoly by producing a new MS drug which makes Iranian patients needless of foreign medicines. "Fortunately, the production monopoly on the drug was broken by Iran's pharmaceutical industries and is now being distributed in our country's drug market," Iranian Deputy Health Minister for Food and Drugs Affairs Ebrahim Sheibani told reporters on Monday. He also reiterated that the drug can be used even during pregnancy by ready-made injection syringe technology. Also, Iran shattered the United States' monopoly in the production of the most important drugs in the treatment of MS in 2007. Interferon beta 1, generically known as Ziferon, is mainly injected subcutaneously and has antiviral and immunomodulating properties. The drug is mainly used in the management of multiple sclerosis, although its mode of action is unclear. Iran has also introduced two other home-made MS drugs, namely Resigene (interferon beta 1a) and Cinnovex, in the last few years. The Center for Pharmaceutical Products has already produced five biotechnological drugs, making Ziferon the sixth medication produced by the company.