Iran Launches 20 Pharma Projects to Treat Cancer, Hepatitis

A senior official at the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy announced that 20 pharmaceutical technology development projects have been set in motion this year (began on March 20, 2025), aimed at advancing novel drugs and diagnostic kits for gastrointestinal cancers and hepatitis. Speaking at a Sunday press conference to present a report on strategic technologies, Saeed Sarkar noted that such technologies can create bottlenecks for various industries and, in some cases, bring an entire sector to its knees, ISNA reported.

“For instance, the petrochemical industry — worth tens of billions of dollars — would come to a standstill without access to catalysts,” said the head of the Strategic Technology Development Center at the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy. The catalyst market is worth about US$600 million, but the technology had been under sanctions, he said, adding, “Fortunately, we managed to develop it domestically and push a major industry forward.” Sarkar said that while diagnostic kits typically take about one year to reach fruition, drug production can take four to five years before reaching the market. He stressed that strategic technologies strengthen national resilience and reduce vulnerability. They also lower foreign currency outflows and cut dependency on foreign currencies — an issue he called “extremely important” for the country. “We have identified these as strategic technologies capable of mitigating crises and vulnerabilities,” he explained. Sarkar went on to say that the center houses four specialized headquarters, including Nano and Micro, Bio and Health, Cognitive Sciences, and Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine. Three of these four have extensive health-related activities. The Bio and Health headquarters, he said, operates entirely in the fields of health, pharmaceuticals, and traditional medicine. The Cognitive Sciences headquarters focuses on mental health and cognitive issues, which have gained significant global attention — including so-called “cognitive wars.” The Nano sector, he added, plays a major role in health.

350 nano-based health products
“Currently, there are about 340 to 350 health products based on nanotechnology in the country, many of which have a robust market,” Sarkar said. “Some are even exported abroad.” Highlighting advances in nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals, Sarkar noted that in the past year, three such medicines have entered the market — used for treating leukemia, pancreatic cancer, and severe fungal infections. Annual imports of these drugs were previously worth around US$6.5 million. The leukemia treatment “Midostaurin,” the domestically produced pancreatic cancer drug, and a liposomal injectable for severe fungal infections are among them. Referring to their former high prices, Sarkar said these drugs once entered the country at exorbitant costs — between US$800 and €1,200 per dose — making them accessible only to the wealthy. “Now that they are produced domestically, the price has dropped to about US$30, marking a 35-fold decrease. This ensures health equity and allows all segments of society to access them,” he said. On investment in technology, Sarkar remarked that returns on technology development can be many times the initial investment. “The more advanced the technology, the greater the price difference and the higher the value of investment,” he said. - Iran Daily