Why it matters:
While EIKO has backed significant developments, including the production of 23 new medicines and scaling vaccine capacity, its leadership is signaling a commitment to enabling private sector growth rather than dominating the pharmaceutical market.
What he’s saying:
Speaking alongside the health minister during a visit to the pharmaceutical zone, Fattah told Iran Press that two EIKO-affiliated companies—Biosun Pharma and Shafaf Pharma—are now producing new and important drugs.
“If we’re producing 400,000 doses of the HPV vaccine this year, we can scale up in the coming years to meet domestic demand.”
“The technology used here is truly advanced and world-class. The Food and Drug Administration has approved all 23 newly unveiled drugs and are ready for distribution in pharmacies and hospitals.”
“We’re not here to replace the private sector—nor should we. We’ve initiated the effort, but we aim to hand over more of the work to private companies. Only two of the firms here are affiliated with us; the rest are fully private.”
Go deeper:
The expansion of Barkat Pharmaceutical Town is part of Iran’s broader push toward drug and vaccine self-sufficiency. Officials say this effort will not only reduce import dependency but also strengthen domestic biotech capabilities and preserve foreign currency reserves.
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