Georgia has signed an agreement to purchase Givinostat, a drug used to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Minister of Health Mikheil Sarjveladze announced today.
Sarjveladze said the agreement was signed with Italian pharmaceutical company Italfarmaco, adding that Georgia will be among the first countries to include the medicine in a state-funded treatment program.
The drug is intended for patients aged six and older who are still able to walk.
“I am glad that Georgia will be one of the first countries in the world to take this step and will be an example for many other countries,” Sarjveladze said.
The minister said treatment is expected to begin in September, with the first deliveries depending on import procedures and other logistical factors.
He added that around 30 to 35 children are expected to receive Givinostat, although the final number of eligible patients has not yet been determined.
Sarjveladze also said negotiations are continuing with the manufacturer of a second Duchenne muscular dystrophy medicine but declined to provide further details.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.
The government’s decision follows nearly two years of campaigning by parents of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, who called on the state to fund four FDA-approved treatments for the disease. The campaign included months of protests outside the Ministry of Health and the Government Administration, as well as meetings with government officials.
In June, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the government had reached an agreement with parents to begin work on purchasing medicines for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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