According to the latest global innovation index (GII) report in 2019, a large part of Iran"s pharmaceutical market needs are met by domestic companies and 70% of the domestic drug market ($4.5 billion) is owned by domestic companies.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, the GII report 2019 emphasizes on health and has allocated a separate chapter to the status and abilities of Iran in the drug field, mainly focusing on bio-drugs.

According to the report, the emergence and expansion of the bio-pharmaceutical sector in Iran, which is a sophisticated and high-tech sector, hosts a relatively large number of successful export firms.

70% share of Iranian Pharmaceutical Market Owned by Domestic Companies

In today’s 4.5-billion-dollar drug market of Iran, domestic companies have a 70% share. In 2018, 97% of the drugs consumed were domestically produced and 67% had used APIs produced for domestic drugs. The market value for medical equipment in Iran is also $2.5 billion, with 30% of the market owned by more than 100 domestic manufacturers. The GII report 2019 regarded the implementation of health transformation plan in Iran as one of the effective steps in increasing access to health services, and expressed that implementation of the project has decreased the share of costs from 37% of all costs to 10% in urban areas and 5% in rural regions.

60-billion-dollar Export of Iranian-made Bio-drugs

The report also points to the biomedical sector as one of the most successful and advanced areas of health in Iran, adding that Iran has achieved $60 million in annual exports to the country in addition to a significant increase in domestic manufacturing and drug self-sufficiency, a significant portion of which has been exported to European countries. These products have brought about $1 billion in annual currency savings to the country.

According to the report, the biotechnology sector in Iran has been able to produce multiple successful drugs for treatment of MS, cancers (e.g., breast cancer), immune system disorders, infertility, bone and muscle disorders and hemophilia with a low cost, compared to the foreign counterparts, and with high availability.

Rapid Growth of Development of Biopharmaceutical Companies in Iran

The latest GII report points out that the rank of Iran in global science production in the field of bio-engineering and biotechnology reached 9^th and 13^th in 2017, respectively.

According to the report, the most important successful exporting companies in the field of bio-drugs include CinnaGen, AryoGen, Ronak Daroo, Drug Organization, Zist Daru, Pooyesh Darou, Exir, and Osvah Pharmacy, each producing several endogenously developed and complex drugs produced at very low prices.

It is worth noting that the Global Innovation Index report examines the status of countries in a particular area each year. The 2019 GII report examines the subject area of health and for the first time deals with the status of the Islamic Republic of Iran in this area.