The Department of Energy Technology (IFE) at the Norwegian town of Kjeller have been producing and exporting approximately 400,000 doses of the cancer drug Xofigo in the last seven years. Now China is adding to the list of recipient countries and the first shipment of the cancer drug left Kjeller for China 04 December 2020.
The drug Xofigo is radiopharmaceutical and emits radioactive radiation in the form of alpha particles. Because alpha particles act within a short radius, they can kill cancer cells effectively with less damage to the surrounding tissue.
Erik Flatmark, division director for radioppharmaceutical at IFE says: “We are very happy to be a supplier and manufacturer of this drug in China. It shows some of the potential that lies in Norwegian drug production and export.”
The drug was first developed by Norwegian Algeta, which in 2014 was acquired by the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer. Since then, Bayer has invested more than NOK 2 billion in, among other things, research and development in Norway.
Jan Børge Jakobsen, CEO of Bayer sees a lot of potential with a country as China on the export list and explains that China is the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market. He says, “This market is very important, and this gives us a unique position in bringing value creation here in Norway into a new phase.”
With China on the team, the product is now approved for sale in 54 countries.
Source: NRK
