Athens, July 15th, 2020
The DEMO Pharmaceutical Industry with 4 manufacturing units located in Kryoneri – Attica, shall be launching within the next few months, the formulation, aiming to armor the medical community with another weapon against an eventual second wave of COVID-19. The productive potential of the company is particularly important in this specific category of products, which are small volume injectable solutions in glass ampoules. In addition, the composition of the DEMO product, does not contain any preservatives (preservative-free formula), that are contained in other relevant injectable dexamethasone formulations.
Dexamethasone is a composite corticosteroid medication, widely used in everyday clinical practice in a wide range of conditions for its strong anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.
The World Health Organization (WHO), a few days ago, through its General Manager, expressed their satisfaction for the scientific achievement of British researchers who announced that dexamethasone reduces mortality of patients suffering from a severe form of Covid-19. This statement, which concerns the first evidenced treatment for the disease, was made at a moment when the number of deaths caused by the pandemic of the new coronavirus, has surpassed half a million.
A significantly large number of patients with severe Covid-19 develop a sort of systemic inflammatory response which leads to damages of the pulmonary parenchyma and to multiple organ failure. The early results of many studies indicated that the strong anti-inflammatory action of corticosteroids and in particular of dexamethasone, an old and inexpensive but in many cases, irreplaceable medication, can deter or at least, attenuate the severe and in many instances, deadly effects of the new coronavirus.
The processing of the prime results obtained from a polycentric, randomized, open clinical trial to hospitalized patients in the UK is particularly encouraging. Specifically, the RECOVERY study showed that patients with a severe form of Covid-19 and in particular those requiring mechanical ventilation and that were randomly chosen to receive dexamethasone, had a reduced mortality rate by 33% compared to patients receiving conventional treatment. The mortality rate of even non-intubated patients who only received oxygen was also significantly reduced by 20%. Based on the results of said study, the International Organizations (WHO, NIH etc.) authorized the use of dexamethasone to patients with a severe form of Covid-19.
DEMO as all Greek Pharmaceutical Industries, works 24/24 to ensure that doctors and nurses on the front line as well as pharmacies throughout the country, shall have the medications that patients need available. The Greek pharmaceutical industry is proven to be a sector of strategic importance for the survival of the country. In regards to basic medications Greece does not depend on the closure of the borders and the circulation restrictions. We make our own Greek medications and we ensure the patients’ unobstructed access to those.
The Company, as one of the major European factories in the production of injectables, since 1965, is basically involved in the local and international hospital market since it exports in 85 countries. It stands by the nursing and medical Staff/Personnel of the country but most importantly, next to the patients during these difficult times, wishing that we all remain healthy and make it through this critical situation that hit almost the entire planet and humanity.