Why it matters:
This development marks a significant step in Iran’s effort to achieve pharmaceutical self-sufficiency and expand access to critical vaccines, especially those aimed at preventing cancers caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
What they're saying:
Minister of Health, Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, stated that the Barakat Pharmaceutical Group has recently launched a product named Gardisan, developed by the Biosun Pharmed company.
He emphasized that this vaccine is priced at less than half the cost of imported alternatives and represents Iran’s first domestically produced quadrivalent vaccine targeting HPV.
Parviz Fattah, Head of the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order (EIKO), referred to the Health Minister's visit to the Biosun Pharmed and Shafa Pharmed companies and said these factories were fully established and 100% funded by the Headquarters.
"Thanks to government support over the past year and this year, they have now become operational," Fattah said.
Their products are entering the market after completing all licensing processes through the relevant ministries and fulfilling all technical requirements, He added.
Fattah expressed satisfaction in contributing to the production of effective and critical medicines domestically, which reduces the country's dependency on imports and significantly lowers foreign currency expenditures.
He highlighted that the medicines unveiled today are estimated to save over $43 million annually in foreign exchange by eliminating the need for imports.
He also pointed out that substantial investments have been made, especially in the production of sensitive vaccines, with all funding coming directly from the Executive Headquarters of Imam Khomeini’s Order.
Key points:
- Iran has produced its first quadrivalent HPV vaccine, marking a major advancement in local biotech capabilities and disease prevention efforts.
- The use of advanced Virus-like particle (VLP) technology and eukaryotic cell systems in producing Gardisan demonstrates Iran’s growing competence in high-tech biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Go deeper:
Iran’s move to produce a local HPV vaccine comes amid growing global attention to HPV-related cancers, especially cervical cancer, which affects hundreds of thousands of women annually.
With limited vaccine access in many developing countries, Gardisan could position Iran as a regional supplier of affordable, life-saving immunizations.
The unveiling of 23 new medical products further highlights the strategic role of EIKO and Barakat in Iran’s healthcare sovereignty agenda.
ahmad shirzadian
