Abu Dhabi is the first city in the world to receive a shipment of the new “Covid-19” treatment

The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, revealed its cooperation with Rafid Company, the leading group procurement institution in the country, the global company GlaxoSmithKline for Biopharmaceutical Industries, and Etihad Cargo, a subsidiary of Etihad Airways, to obtain the first shipment of the drug “sutrovimab”, which is intended to treat infection with the Covid virus. -19.

Abu Dhabi becomes the first city in the world to receive the new treatment.

Sotrofimab is the latest drug in the world to treat certain cases of people infected with the Covid-19 virus, and it contains monoclonal antibodies given intravenously, and can be used to treat adults and children over 12 years of age who meet certain criteria and are at risk of developing symptoms of Covid-19. They have severe acute respiratory syndrome, according to protocols developed by the National Scientific Committee.

Studies have shown that the drug prevents the disease from developing to severe cases or death in more than 85% of early treatment cases, and it can treat all mutated forms known to date.

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection has approved the new drug sotrofimab, from GlaxoSmithKline, after completing the national evaluation procedures, and after it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and granted an emergency use license.

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi signed a cooperation agreement with Rafid Company to ensure the early delivery of the drug, starting from June and July 2021, which makes patients in the UAE among the first in the world to receive this new treatment.

The National Scientific Committee and the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi have also developed treatment protocols for the drug to be a reference for doctors in identifying dangerous cases and to ensure that the injured receive sotrofimab according to the level of risk and eligibility criteria.

The Abu Dhabi-based Rafid Company will facilitate the process of securing, storing and distributing the property through the Rafid Distribution Center, the largest specialized cold storage facility in the region, which is part of the Hope Coalition, and in cooperation with entities working in the fields of healthcare, logistical support and supply chains. .

This comes within the framework of strengthening Abu Dhabi's continuous efforts to support the medical field and life sciences to address the global health crisis, locally, regionally and internationally.

The Undersecretary of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, Dr. Jamal Muhammad Al Kaabi, said: “Abu Dhabi continues its efforts to maintain its leading position in the world in terms of flexibility and safety in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to the continuous support and guidance of our wise leadership.

He added, "We are continuing our daily preventive efforts to research, evaluate, identify sources and areas of local and international cooperation, to obtain the best medical solutions for the community in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and abroad. The new drug is one of the most prominent advanced achievements in the pharmaceutical industry, and it constitutes an effective tool to limit the spread of the Corona virus." We look forward to implementing the eligibility criteria for the emergency use of sotrofimab, which reflects Abu Dhabi's commitment to leading comprehensive efforts to combat the Covid-19 virus, prevent its spread, treat and care for those infected with it."

For his part, Rashid Saif Al Qubaisi, CEO of Rafid, said: “Sotrofimab is a major advance in the efforts to combat the Covid-19 virus. Thanks to the close cooperation with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and GlaxoSmithKline, we were able to ensure the supply chain of the drug, in order to ensure the safety of the drug supply chain. To distribute it throughout the country in an effective and timely manner. The Rafid Distribution Center continues to implement its goals of improving the services provided to the residents of the Emirates and transferring Abu Dhabi’s experience in addressing the disease to a wider scale around the world.”

In conjunction with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi finalizing a comprehensive framework clarifying the criteria for obtaining sutrofimab treatment, Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of the Etihad Aviation Group and the Hope Coalition, worked to transfer the first batch of treatment to the UAE through the Pharma service LIFE has been accredited by the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Auditors.

In this regard, Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said: "This achievement will contribute to strengthening Abu Dhabi's leading position in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and confirms the great joint capabilities of the cooperating institutions to achieve this achievement. As the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates. In the United Arab Emirates, the Federation plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of vaccines and medical supplies to and from the Emirates through its services specialized in transporting pharmaceutical products.”

GlaxoSmithKline submitted an emergency use authorization request to the US Food and Drug Administration, after a positive scientific opinion was issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency, and the UAE obtained approval from both sides, which is an important step for the use of the drug in Europe. To treat COVID-19 patients in the early stages. 

“We have worked closely with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and Rafid since the initial clinical trial results for sotrofimab were available to speed up its delivery to patients,” said Jezem Akalin, vice president and general manager of GlaxoSmithKline.

Akalin added: "We have an integrated partnership with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and Rafid Company, where they demonstrated unprecedented flexibility and rapid response to provide promising new treatments to patients, and made unremitting efforts to make the residents of Abu Dhabi and the UAE among the first recipients of the new vaccine in the world. We witnessed an unprecedented level of Scientific cooperation aimed at ensuring the readiness of medical teams, as GlaxoSmithKline sees this close cooperation as an indication of Abu Dhabi’s growing position, as a new center for the best medical treatments, research, logistics and manufacturing.”

The high efficiency and support provided by the General Administration of Abu Dhabi Customs played a major role in enhancing efforts during the process of receiving shipments of the new drug at Abu Dhabi International Airport, as it ensured fast and smooth customs clearance of medicines to facilitate the clearance of the shipment from the airport customs port within a short period of time that reflects the flexibility of the procedures that are adopted A digital system, allowing the drug to reach patients faster.

• The drug sotrofimab approved by the Ministry of Health and Prevention has shown that it prevents severe illness and death in more than 85% of early treatment cases.

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