Russia officially approves Zolgensma

The Russian Ministry of Health has approved the use of Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec), the world’s most expensive drug against spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in the domestic market, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent.

Unlike other drugs against SMA, it requires once in a lifetime treatment, with the cost of injection varying in the range of $ 2.1-2.5 million.

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) – the producer of the drug - applied for registration of Zolgensma in Russia in mid-July 2020. Olga Germanenko, head of the SMA Family Foundation, in an interview with the Russian Gazeta.ru business paper said that it usually takes about two-six months for the drug to go into trade turnover after its registration.