Recordati's Normosang now approved in Russia; posts strong financials

Italian drugmaker Recordati (REC: MI) and wholly-owned subsidiary Orphan Europe announced that Normosang, or human hemin, specifically developed to treat acute attacks of hepatic porphyrias, is now registered and approved for use in Russia.

Acute hepatic porphyrias (acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), variegate porphyria (VP) and hereditary coproporphyria (HCP)) are a group of several inherited disorders of the heme biosynthesis pathway. They usually present with life-threatening acute attacks, typically consisting of severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, acute neuropathy, muscle weakness, even mental disturbances. The disease affects more frequently women in reproductive age. If not treated, neurological complications and severe discomfort could develop. Such acute attacks of porphyria could be controlled, provided precautions are taken and appropriate and early therapy is started.

Acute porphyrias are rare diseases which affect about one or two in 100.000 inhabitants. There should be up to 3000 patients in Russia suffering from this rare and debilitating condition. The specific therapy for acute attacks of porphyria consists of administration of Normosang (human hemin), which enables to alleviate the symptoms of porphyria. Normosang has been registered in most European countries in early 1990’s and today is considered as standard of treatment for all patients diagnosed with acute hepatic porphyrias, according to Recordati.