The companies Cycle Pharmaceuticals and Inceptua Group announced the expansion of the “Free Goods” program to provide the drug NITYR® for free in Morocco.
The drug is scientifically known as nitisinone and is given to patients suffering from hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT-1) and alkaptonuria (AKU).
These two conditions are very rare genetic diseases. Hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT-1) affects one in every 100,000 individuals worldwide, while alkaptonuria (AKU) affects one person out of 250,000 to one million people.
What is the Free Goods program?
The program allows for the provision of medicine to patients who do not have therapeutic alternatives in their country or have exhausted all available options. It ensures they receive treatment legally and safely, even in countries where the drug is not commercially available or where local health systems cannot afford it.
The program has been in place since 2018 in several countries such as Argentina, India, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Turkey. It has now been expanded to include Morocco and Egypt, thus giving patients there the opportunity to access treatment for the first time.
Corporate Commitment
Cycle Pharmaceuticals confirmed that the program will continue for the lifetime of eligible patients, regardless of their ability to pay for treatment, with the aim of expanding access to safe and equitable therapy.
Stuart Bell, Executive Vice President of Inceptua Early Access, stated: “Since the launch of the NITYR® Free Goods program in 2018, many patients worldwide have been able to access a medication that was not available to them. This is critical given the severity of these genetic diseases.”
James Harrison, CEO of Cycle Pharmaceuticals, added: “We are pleased to expand the program to include more patients. Our goal is for the number of beneficiaries of the program to exceed the number of patients receiving the drug through commercial channels.”
How to access the drug
The drug must be requested through a qualified healthcare professional (HCP). Doctors in Morocco can contact Inceptua via email at [email protected] or by phone: +44 20 3910 7670 to request the drug for eligible patients.
