Patients with multiple sclerosis in Russia have started receiving free therapy with innovative domestic drugs, divosilimab and sampeginterferon beta-1a. These medications have been included in the lists of essential and vital medications, making them accessible to patients nationwide. According to Biocad’s press service, “Russian patients with multiple sclerosis have begun receiving divosilimab and sampeginterferon beta-1a for free, included in the lists of essential medications and high-cost nosologies. By 2025, these innovative drugs will be available for 4,000 patients.”
The wide availability of these drugs is due to their inclusion in the essential medication lists in 2024. Experts note that this will allow treatment for 11% and 17% more patients compared to foreign analogs without increasing the burden on the healthcare budget. The drugs are provided free of charge through state funding in pharmacies and hospitals across Russia.
Divosilimab and sampeginterferon beta-1a are the first original Russian medications that modify the course of multiple sclerosis. Both drugs were registered by the Russian Ministry of Health in 2023. The development process took Biocad scientists 10 years, and the entire production cycle occurs within Russia.
