CAIRO: Egypt has imported a total of 120,000 bottles of hepatitis C drugs Qurevo and Daklinza to be used to treat 34,000 patients, Youm7 quoted a source at the National Committee to Combat Hepatitis diseases Monday.
With one of the highest hepatitis C rate in the world, Egypt is currently importing a new regimen of medicines to treat those suffering from the virus.
The treatment, dubbed as the “new generation” of hepatitis C drugs, include: Qurevo, Daklinza and Harvoni.
Further, the ministry has announced it is about to release locally-produced drugs of the imported medicines after experimenting them.
The imported Qurevo will be available at pharmacies at a cost of 23,000 EGP ($2,863.)
The U.S. Daklinza drug will hit the local markets at a price of 8,000 EGP, while the domestically-produced drug will be available at 200 EGP per bottle at liver treatment centers, and 1,315 EGP per bottle at markets.
The Health Ministry has previously announced that the price of locally-made Sovaldi will also be reduced to be less than 680 EGP/bottle per bottle at liver centers; it will be priced at 1,200 EGP/bottle at pharmacies.
A protocol for the treatment using the complex medicine (Sovaldi and Daklinza) at liver centers and on state expenses will be drafted Monday, according to Yehia el-Shazly, a member of the national committee.
Since 2014, Egypt has imported large amounts of U.S.-made Sovaldi, and is currently testing the imported Harvoni before it hits Egyptian markets in December. Harvoni will be available at a rate of 1,750 EGP/bottle.