Several More Multinationals' Drugs And Vaccines Will See Distribution Ending, Inside Russia -- As A Result Of Ukraine Sanctions...

New sales of Merck's Zepatier^®, a Hep C juggernaut, will be ending in Russia. To be certain, this won't fully roll out, until 2025 -- and by then, it may be that the Ukraine situation has been resolved, in favor of the people of Ukraine. We shall see -- but expect more of this, especially as to drugs/vaccines with alternatives already available in Russia (without regard to the pricing of the competitor therapeutic or vaccine).

Here's the story -- from the excellent inside source called The PharmaLetter:

. . .MSD has been reducing its portfolio in Russia since 2022, stopping supplying vaccines against chickenpox, measles, rubella and mumps, and the HIV drug raltegravir. MSD said it would focus on supplying life-saving supplies and vaccines for which there are no alternative products or treatments available in the Russian Federation.

Zepatier is used to treat hepatitis C genotypes 1, 3 and 4 in adults. In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health have given priority to pangenotypic schemes (that is, suitable for any type of virus), which also include AbbVie's (NYSE: ABBV) Mavyret (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir) and Gilead Sciences’ (Nasdaq: GILD) Epclusa (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir).

Nevertheless, Zepatier is one of the three most popular treatment regimens besides pangenotypic agents. In 2022, the share of this drug in treatment regimens paid for by the state accounted for 19%, in the first half of 2023 - 18% - the Russian Zdravresurs expert group reported. . . .

In April 2023, the Russian drugmaker Promomed received permission to conduct a bioequivalence study of its Zepatier generic.

The end of supplies of Zepatier will not be critical for patients, as there are several more schemes for the first genotype, says Natalia Egorova, an analyst at Zdravresurs. . . .

Now you know -- and of course, it is not the fault of Hep C patients and their doctors that Putin and his oligarchs have chosen this lawlessly murderous course. But each of these drugs and vaccines have already seen either generic, or local "in-Russia" equivalents on market, or each will soon.

Out, approaching a long weekend! Grinning. . . .

नमस्ते