OTS - Press Release
2020. February 26. 12:20
Budapest, 26 February, 2020 (OTS) - Kedrion issues this press
release to set the record straight regarding certain inaccurate
and, in some cases, defamatory statements made recently in the
Hungarian media concerning human blood plasma. Without speculating
as to the purpose of these media statements, Kedrion seeks to
improve the accuracy of the public discourse surrounding this issue
by calling attention to the facts set out below.
1. There is a surplus of human blood plasma collected by the
National Blood Transfusion Service ("NBTS" - in Hungarian: Országos
Vérellátó Szolgálat) in Hungary even beyond therapeutic use in
hospitals. This surplus - which is defined in Hungarian legal
terminology as "industrial plasma" - can be the source of precious
pharmaceutical product.
2. Kedrion's Hungarian subsidiary, HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. is
the only manufacturer in Hungary which is capable of turning
industrial plasma into medications.
3. Since 2008, NBTS, a state budget entity, has sold its
surplus industrial plasma to HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. (and not to
Kedrion) for processing, otherwise pursuant to a previous agreement
between NBTS and TEVA Gyógyszergyár Zrt., which agreement was
assigned to HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. kept paying a
market price set yearly by mutual agreement.
4. At the urging of Hungary's Government Control Office
("GCO" - in Hungarian: Kormányzati Ellenőrzési Hivatal), NBTS
interrupted this forwarding of industrial plasma to HUMAN BioPlazma
Kft. in 2017. Since then, the plasma has been processed into
medication outside Hungary.
5. Also, at the urging of the GCO, NBTS brought a
compensation lawsuit for HUF 11.5 billion against HUMAN BioPlazma
Kft. (but not Kedrion). The first instance court found against NBTS
on every single ground of the claim. NBTS' appeal is pending.
6. Neither Kedrion, nor HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. is in financial
distress, and we affirm that certainly neither of them is heading
towards bankruptcy or insolvency of any sort. Kedrion and the
wholly owned Hungarian subsidiary HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. are part of
a solid group and among its shareholders there is an Italian
government entity CDP Equity S.p.A.
7. It is simply untrue that Kedrion were in any quarrel with
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the US (see the latest
at:
https://www.kedrion.com/kedrion-announces-fda-approval-its-plasma-fractionation-facility-melville).
8. HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. and Kedrion always prioritized
Hungarian demand for the medication produced from NBTS's industrial
plasma. These medications were made available to Hungarian patients
at fair prices. Beyond the economic benefits to Hungary of
Hungarian industrial plasma being processed into medications at a
facility within Hungary until 2017, it resulted in medical
scientific benefits too. It is therefore untrue that either NBTS or
Hungary would have suffered any loss from this long-term deal.
9. HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. and Kedrion was always available
and ready to cooperate with the government of Hungary and its
agencies.
10. HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. and Kedrion refrain and will remain
away from engaging in the press and media commotion and will always
remain faithful to its primary mission: to secure patients care.
Corporate information:
HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. is the Hungarian subsidiary of the
Italy-based Kedrion Biopharma, existing since 2007. The Kedrion
Group's main pharmaceutical company, Kedrion S.p.A. is active in
100+ countries and employs more than 2,600 people at 4 production
sites worldwide (2 in Italy, 1 in US and 1 in Hungary) and is
capable to process over 2 million liters of plasma per year.
Kedrion S.p.A. purchased the business quota of TEVA Gyógyszergyár
Zrt. held in HUMAN BioPlazma (practically the biochemical branch of
the TEVA Gödöllő plant) at the end of 2007.
HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. employs over 330 workers today in its
production plant, logistic centre, and in its seven plasma centres
collecting human blood plasma around Hungary. Kedrion S.p.A.
invested more than HUF 12 billion in expansion and infrastructural
development in Hungary in the last decade and HUMAN BioPlazma Kft.
tripled the number of its employees.
The medicinal products of HUMAN BioPlazma Kft. and Kedrion
Biopharma are stable blood derivatives which provide treatment for
a number of different disorders such as haemophilia, angioedema,
autoimmune and chronic neurological diseases and in critical care.
The plasma-derived therapies manufactured by HUMAN BioPlazma Kft.
are life-saving medicaments in 40-50 thousand cases every year in
Hungary.
Further information: pressoffice_hu@kedrion.com
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