EVER Pharma, in collaboration with the Egyptian Society of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery (ESNPN), announced the launch of an awareness campaign about stroke and traumatic brain injury and their rehabilitation programs. The campaign focuses on the enrollment of the first biological Neurotrophic Factors (NTFs) in global treatment guidelines (EAN, Canadian, German).
“Stroke is the third most common cause of death worldwide, with about 15 million people experiencing one each year. Approximately five million die and another five million are left permanently disabled as a result. Stroke is also the leading cause of disabilities and motor function impairment worldwide. Early intervention is therefore key. During a stroke, patients suffer damage to two million cells every minute, so patients must receive effective treatment as soon as possible. Urgent transfer to a medical facility equipped to handle a stroke can prevent permanent disabilities. Treatment options range from rapid intervention using thrombolytics to conservative management with active follow-up,” Prof. Ashraf Abdo, President of ESNPN and Professor of Neurology, explained.
“Stroke has several comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolemia (Dyslipidemia) and atrial fibrillation. Each year, the burden increases due to unhealthy lifestyles. They are more common in men between the ages of 20 and 40 and women over 60, and symptoms include disorientation, difficulty controlling muscles used for speech or in comprehending speech, and numbness and weakness in the upper or lower extremities.” Dr Ossama El Ghanam, Professor of Neurosurgery at Al-Azhar University, said. “Our goal today is to raise awareness about risk factors, symptoms, and the importance of early treatment. All stroke cases should be managed with medication as well as active early rehabilitation. The first biological Neurotrophic Factors (NTFs) were included in international guidelines in June of this year and relate to a multi-modal neuropeptide drug that improves the brain’s ability for self-repair by stimulating neuro recovery. The treatment is used for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), different forms of dementia and cognitive disorders. It is also used to prevent cognitive decline after brain injuries,” Dr Ossama El Ghanam, added.
“Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 15 million people globally each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it will surpass several other diseases as a major cause of death and disability by 2022. Head injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for those 44 years of age or younger. They are generally caused by strenuous activities and sports injuries. Falls are the main cause of TBI, generally affecting the very young or the elderly. Other causes include car accidents and assaults. Men are significantly more likely to experience a TBI at varying ages, with symptoms including headaches, repeated vomiting and/or nausea, and slurred speech. Additional symptoms such as one dilated pupil, convulsions or seizures, and loss of consciousness are red flags that require urgent critical care. I am happy to report that Egypt’s car accident figures have dropped significantly, leading to a reduced number of head injuries and any associated TBI. This is a testament to increased awareness and active governmental surveillance and it is important to maintain these efforts and expand public understanding of the causes of TBI,” Dr El Ghanam added.
“When a stroke affects a young person, it can impact the most productive phases of their life, potentially derailing it entirely. We must continue to actively monitor young people with the help of modern diagnostic tools. This can inhibit stroke risk by 20%. In Europe alone, 1.5 million people were diagnosed with stroke in (2019). The direct economic impact of strokes in the western world totalled $60bn in 2017,” Dr Amany Salem, Assistant Lecturer and Consultant of Health Economics, Public Health and Community Medicine-Cairo University, said.
“When it comes to TBI, around 57% of victims were aged 17 to 45, again having a significant impact on the most productive phases of life. Africa demonstrates a higher TBI-related incidence rate of 150–170 per 100,000 due to road traffic injuries, compared to the global rate of 106 per 100,000. The one-year-per-person average number and value of lost workdays due to the head, neck, and face injuries were approximately 19.8 Days and $2,787, respectively, for TBI,” Dr Salem added.
“EVER Pharma is a family business. For us, this means that we are fully “dedicated to health” said Dr Friedrich Hillebrand – Chairman, EVER Pharma Group. “Our strengths lie in our strong research and development capabilities, our production capacity and quality and our commercialization activities. Together, this allows us to improve the lives of patients and help restore their health wherever they may live in the world. Ever Pharma has been operating in Egypt for 25 years and is proud to mark a quarter of a century of activity in a key strategic market in the Middle East Africa region as companies continue to realize the immense potential the country has as a regional and continental pharmaceutical hub. Our goal now is to launch additional innovative therapies in Egypt.
“In the coming period, we will continue to leverage our research capabilities to bring to market new therapies for stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, critical care, and oncology” added Dr Julia Hillebrand – Managing Director of Global Neurology Business Unit, and member of the Executive Board of EVER Pharma Group. “Beyond pharmaceuticals, our research also encompasses medical devices that facilitate drug delivery to patients and enables these therapies to be used on a broader scale. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Germany provide the highest quality products and adhere to the latest European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines. Additionally, we recently invested more than $200m into production expansion projects,”
“EVER Pharma is a global leader in neurology, oncology, and critical care, based in Austria. Our mission is to enhance patient wellbeing by focusing on debilitating diseases, improving patient access, and driving innovation. Our long-established competency in neurology has enabled us to introduce unique therapeutic solutions for nervous system damage and movement disorders. As a speciality pharmaceuticals company, we are looking to introduce a number of our innovations to the Egyptian market in the field of Parkinson’s disease, intensive care and oncology in the coming years,” Dr Georges Kahwati General Manager – EVER Pharma-Worldwide, said.
“We are currently conducting several scientific programs under the patronage of the ESNPS. Localized scientific programs are important for a variety of reasons and help us ensure that treatments address population variation while also offering patients early access to transformative therapies,” Dr Salim Sabbagh Regional Director- EVER Pharma-MEARegion said.
“EVER Pharma is working hard to connect with business partners and establish an effective network and distribution system to enhance access for Egyptian patients. We are proud to work closely with the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA) as well as several hospitals to ensure affordable prices for our treatments for local patients. Our short and long-term plans for Egypt include the launch of ‘convenient’ medications that can improve handling and therapy compliance for patients and healthcare professionals,” Dr Ossama Asaad, Managing Director –EVER Pharma – Egypt and Africa cluster, said.
