Iran targets 1.5 million liters of plasma supply amid growing demand

Iran aims to secure 1.5 million liters of plasma annually, both to meet domestic demand and to support future exports, said Hossein Afshin, Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, during the inauguration of the country’s second plasma refinery.

Speaking at the opening ceremony held at the Kouh-e Noor Conference Center, Afshin noted that Iran currently consumes around 1.4 million liters of plasma per year, the Communications and Information Center of the Vice Presidency reported.

“This new refinery marks a step toward national self-sufficiency and easing the burden on patients,” he said.

He emphasized the need to move away from raw plasma exports and instead focus on producing high-value derivatives, adding the government plans to invest 2.5 trillion tomans in the plasma industry and has outlined long-term strategies in coordination with the parliament.

Afshin highlighted that Iran spends $300 million annually on plasma-based medications, and domestic production will help reduce such expenses.

He also projected a $1 billion foreign currency savings over two years through expanded local production of pharmaceutical products.

In the past, Iran relied on Germany to refine its plasma. “Now we are witnessing the birth of an industry, not just a product,” he said, adding that plasma-based treatments once costing over 80 million tomans are now produced domestically for under one million.