Beximco Pharma launches 96% cheaper drug for rare disease

Beximco Pharmaceuticals has developed a generic version of a high-cost medicine used to treat cystic fibrosis, a rare genetic disorder that severely affects the lungs and digestive system and can significantly reduce life expectancy.

The first group of patients came to Bangladesh last week from several countries to receive the treatment, which the Bangladeshi drugmaker has made available at a price 96 percent lower than the patented version.

They received their medicines at a special event in Dhaka, according to a media release of Beximco Pharma. The drug is sold globally under the brand names Trikafta or Kaftrio, while Beximco’s version is called Triko.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic illness people are born with. It damages the lungs and digestive system. In many cases, without diagnosis and treatment, patients may die in early childhood, while in other settings life expectancy remains limited.

US biopharmaceutical company Vertex Pharmaceuticals produces the original branded medicine for the treatment of the disease. In the United States, it costs around $370,000 per patient per year.

Although highly effective, the treatment remains out of reach for many patients globally due to its high cost, especially in low and middle-income countries. As a result, many continue to suffer or die even where treatment exists.

The generic version developed at Beximco Pharma’s facilities is priced at $6,375 per year for children and $12,750 per year for adults, marking a sharp reduction compared with the original branded treatment.

Among the first group of patients to receive the medicine last week was Simon Sevcik, who travelled with his father, Stanislav, from Slovakia. He said he experienced early signs of improvement shortly after starting the treatment.

“I felt the effect within an hour -- I started coughing and I knew it was working. My lungs were clearing,” he said. “This is an amazing moment for me -- I feel like my future has opened up. I hope every CF patient gets to experience this very, very soon. For most of my life, this medicine was not an option for me. Finally, there is effective, affordable treatment.”

Apart from Slovakia, patients from five countries, including South Africa, Qatar, the United States, the United Kingdom and Bangladesh, were among those who received the first doses of Triko last week.

Rabbur Reza, chief operating officer of Beximco Pharmaceuticals, said the drugmaker aims to address major gaps in access to essential medicines.

“At Beximco Pharma, we have always sought to address the unmet medical needs of patients, particularly in therapy areas characterised by severely limited access,” he said.

“We are deeply proud to be part of this meaningful initiative,” Reza added. “We believe that access to this life-saving treatment will have a truly transformative impact on the thousands of patients living with cystic fibrosis who are currently deprived of treatment due to the significant cost burden.”