Iran ready to meet region, North Africa’s needs for HPV vaccine

Nivad Pharmed Salamat, a knowledge-based company, has successfully produced a vaccine to prevent cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) at a quarter of the price of the foreign samples. 

Amin Ghobadi, the company’s CEO, announced the firm’s readiness to address the vaccine needs of countries in the region and North Africa. 

Since its establishment in 2018, Nivad Pharmed Salamat has focused on developing vaccines to meet the country’s health requirements. 

The company has already produced vaccines for seasonal influenza, rotavirus, and HPV, with plans for additional products in the future. 

The technical complexity of HPV vaccine production makes it one of the most intricate technologies globally. 

Nivad Pharmed Salamat successfully localized the production of the HPV vaccine, conducting clinical studies that led to approval by the Iranian Food and Drug Organization in 2020. 

Ghobadi emphasized the importance of the vaccine in preventing HPV-related cancers, especially as cervical cancer prevalence has risen. 

The competitive advantage of the Iranian vaccine lies in its lower cost compared to foreign samples, making Iran the third-largest producer globally. 

With the capacity to produce 15 million doses annually, Nivad Pharmed Salamat aims to contribute significantly to the Middle East and North Africa region’s vaccine needs. 

Ghobadi highlighted the potential for substantial foreign currency influx into the country with the mass production of this cost-effective vaccine. 

To maximize effectiveness, Ghobadi stressed the importance of administering all three doses of the Papillogard vaccine before the onset of sexual activity, emphasizing the vaccine’s advantages, including cross-protection against other cancer types and a specialized formulation for enhanced immune response. 

The company’s goal is to include the vaccine in the country’s vaccination program for females aged 9 to 15.