Nicosia, Cyprus, Dec. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rafarma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. OTC:(RAFA) is pleased to announce that one of the acquisition companies of the previously-announced Biocogency merger, Bebig LLC (http://en.bebig.ru), received an updated Russian registration certificate for the production and sale of nanostructured microspheres based on yttrium-90, used in the treatment of both primary and metastatic liver lesions. This will start industrial production and sale of ready-made batches of microspheres to medical institutions for use in radiotherapy of primary and metastatic liver tumors. This technology is recognized as the most effective for treating inoperable patients with liver cancer. In total, three companies in the world own this microsphere production technology: MDS Nordion (Canada), Sirtex (Australia), and now Bebig LLC (Russia).
“We have done a great job together with the Russian Ministry of Health and the Medical Radiological Scientific Center to allow patients to get priority access to the most modern and effective treatment methods. We not only managed to realize industrial production in our country and become the third company in the world for the production of microspheres, but with a 3x cost reduction of the drug in comparison with a foreign analogue," said Kirill Mayorov, General Director of Bebig LLC.
In the Russian Federation, about 8 thousand new cases of primary liver cancer are registered annually. Of these, radical surgery is possible only in 20% of cases. For the last 20 years, the leading world clinics in the treatment of liver cancer and liver metastases have been actively using this method of radioembolization, based on the introduction of microspheres containing a radionuclide drug into the vessels feeding the tumor. This method stops tumor growth in 90% of patients and increases life expectancy by 4-5 times compared to other standard treatments.
Bebig notes that the launch of the mass production of microspheres will satisfy the needs of not only patients with primary liver lesions (hepatocellular carcinoma), but radioembolization is also used to treat metastatic liver diseases caused by other tumors, such as metastases from breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and neuroendocrine tumors that have spread to the liver. Microspheres with a radioactive isotope of yttrium-90 are used as palliative care when cancer cannot be completely cured, but tumor growth can be slowed down and symptoms of the disease can be alleviated--providing a better quality of life for the patient. Radioembolization is also used when patients are not suitable candidates for surgical interventions or liver transplantation. This method is also used in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy, to maximize the effect of killing cancer cells. According to preliminary estimates, the annual requirements of Russian clinics for microspheres containing yttrium-90 amount to about 1000 individual doses.
Information about the company
BEBIG LLC is the first Russian manufacturer of micro-sources for the treatment of cancer using low-dose brachytherapy. The method is based on the implantation of micro-sources of radioactive radiation based on iodine-125 around the tumor perimeter and is a low-traumatic treatment method. It has been widely used in Europe and America for over 30 years. In Russia, low-dose brachytherapy is included in the list of high-tech medical care available under the program of state guarantees for the provision of free medical care to Russian Federation citizens and is the most cost-effective for both patients and medical institutions.
Since 2008, the BEBIG company has been introducing innovative methods of treating oncological diseases in the Russian market. Bebig has helped create 29 brachytherapy rooms in Russia, Armenia and Kazakhstan, in which more than 8000 patients suffering from oncological diseases of various organs were treated.
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