Iran unveils 2 new nano drugs for curing leishmaniasis, inflammatory diseases

Iran unveiled two home-made medicines for the treatment of leishmaniasis and inflammatory and other skin diseases, which have been produced through the application of nanotechnology. The two drugs were unveiled at the inauguration ceremony of the Sixth Nanotechnology Festival in Iran attended by Iranian President's Chief of Staff Mohammad Nahavandian and Vice-President for Science and Technology Nasrin Soltankhah in Tehran's permanent fairground in October. The two drugs included the Nano-Liposomal Amphotericin B gel for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis, fungal and topical diseases and PerComin nanomicelles gel effective in curing inflammatory diseases and tumors. The nanotechnology growth indicators for Iran have marked a high rise during the recent years as in the total number of the scientific publications, the country jumped up two ranks at the beginning of 2012 to stand 10th in the world. Iran ranked 14th, in the same list, at the beginning of 2011. In relevant remarks in June, Secretary-General of the Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC) Saeed Sarkar appreciated Iran's advancements in nanotechnology, and announced that 8 industries in the country are making use of nanotechnology to improve the quality of their products. "At present over 8 Iranian industries enjoy and use nanotechnology," Sarkar told FNA in June. "The industries in the fields of Agriculture, construction, nano materials, environment, water, hygiene and health, energy, automaking and textile are utilizing nanotechnology," he added. Sarkar also said that over 250 Iranian companies active in the Iranian market are using 150 nano-based technologies. Iran has also taken wide strides in medical and medicinal fields in recent years. Also in June, an Iranian official announced that the country has gained self-sufficiency in producing blood factor 7 products - used to treat hemophilia disease- and MS drugs, adding that Iran has also managed to produce a new type of hi-tech anti-cancer drug and the raw material for penicillin G. "The production line of a new hi-tech anti-cancer drug named Docetaxel will be inaugurated in Iran next Saturday which has applications in treating different types of cancer," Deputy Head of Iran's Food and Drug Organization Shams Ali Rezazadeh told FNA. He also announced Iran's self-sufficiency in the production of factor 7 and the medicines needed for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. "The raw material for penicillin G is also being mass-produced for the first time in the country," Rezazadeh said.