Fiocruz signs agreement for the technological development of radiopharmaceuticals in Brazil

In partnership with the University of Coimbra, Fiocruz has signed an agreement for the technological development of radiopharmaceuticals and the future health registration of products in Brazil. The collaboration takes place through the Institute of Drug Technology (Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz) and was made official this Friday (7/19) in Coimbra, Portugal. On the occasion, two other agreements were also signed: one in the field of education and another for the health registration of Farmanguinhos products in Portugal.

The president of Fiocruz, Mario Moreira, the dean of the University of Coimbra, Amílcar Falcão, and the director of Farmanguinhos, Jorge Mendonça, sign the agreement (photo: UC/Dcom)

"We have a long-standing partnership with Portuguese institutions, a strategic country for the Brazilian government in Europe, as well as for Fiocruz. The collaboration between Fiocruz and the University of Coimbra marks a significant step in the Foundation's internationalization strategy with countries in the Global North in the sense of mutual knowledge sharing. I am sure that our Unified Health System (SUS, in the Portuguese acronym) will benefit from the technological development of radiopharmaceuticals, and that we can contribute to the Portuguese health system by supplying medicines produced by Fiocruz and registered in Portugal. The agreements being signed today also had the crucial support of our Anvisa, which is committed to expanding access to available treatments for the population of both countries," said Fiocruz president, Mario Moreira.

With little production in Brazil, radiopharmaceuticals are used for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes in clinical areas such as oncology, cardiology, and nephrology, among others. The aim is thus for Fiocruz to be able to add these medicines to its portfolio, increasing its capacity to meet the needs of the SUS. The action will be carried out in conjunction with a company linked to the University of Coimbra, ICNAS Pharma. With fully open share capital, the organization functions as an advanced platform of the Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS) for the provision of radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals.

"Farmanguinhos plays a strategic role in strengthening the pharmochemical industry, especially when it internalizes medicines with high added value and greater technological complexity, such as radiopharmaceuticals. Thus, the national production of these medicines represents not only a reduction in the cost of these products, but also the possibility of expanding access to treatments that give Brazilians quality of life," said the director of Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz, Jorge Mendonça.

To this end, the Foundation had the support of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa). Currently, the institution only recognizes around 45 medicines in this class for use in the country. 

"The meeting was also an opportunity to expand regulatory interaction between the authorities in Brazil and Portugal. The agreements signed are a positive challenge for Anvisa and Infarmed in terms of favoring convergence and our countries' access to quality medicines and products," said Meiruze Sousa Freitas, director of Anvisa's Second Directorate and Pharmaceutical Technology specialist.  

The Anvisa director, Meiruze Sousa Freitas, celebrated the signing of the agreement and the advances in regulatory interaction between the two countries (photo: UC/Dcom)

Brazil-Portugal partnership

The document provides for the obtaining of Marketing Authorizations (AIM) and health registration of medicines in Portugal produced by Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz. The initiative is part of the Research in Science, Technology and Technological Development project and will be aided by the University of Coimbra, which is responsible for manufacturing areas capable of replicating the development of medicines produced in Brazil. 

Also considering the structuring and development of the International Cooperation for Education in Science, Technology and Innovation in Health, Farmanguinhos signed an agreement for the internationalization of postgraduate activities and mobility for students and researchers. The aim is to create a single teaching program, valid in Brazil and Portugal, thus encouraging training, the generation of innovative products, processes and services and the transfer and dissemination of knowledge and technology.

"We are delighted to sign these partnerships, to combine our expertise in teaching, research and production of medicines with a prestigious institution like the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. I believe they will be highly fruitful projects for both parties," said the dean of the University of Coimbra, Amílcar Falcão.