Regional leaders from Pfizer in Africa and the Middle East region (AfME) have announced plans on delivering breakthroughs to more patients across the region, aiming to impact over 45 percent of people in 2022.
“As we continue to raise the bar within science and patient impact in the region, we are seeking even stronger collaborations with healthcare professionals, communities, and governments to ensure greater access to our breakthroughs,” said Patrick van der Loo, Regional President of Pfizer AfME, disclosing that, “In 2021, we have reached more than 4.1 million patients across AfME, and inspire to increase patients access by more than 45 percent in 2022”.
According to Loo, the company will continue to play a leading role in the global fight against COVID-19, while having more than 50 product launches across AfME, thereby addressing unmet needs and critical public health challenges.
The roundtable also shed light on how Pfizer is driving health equity across the region through affordability programs for those who cannot afford their medicines, including enrollment models and flexible payment options.
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“In addition to the 100 breakthroughs available in the region to support patients across six therapeutic areas – vaccines, oncology, inflammation and immunology, internal medicine, rare diseases, and anti-infectives and sterile injectables, we are planning to have over fifty product launches this year,” said Loo.
The regional president of Pfizer AfME further said that the organisation is also working towards placing affordability at the heart of its business, and last year, the company managed to support the lives of over 4,500 patients suffering from various oncology, inflammatory, and rare diseases through its 30 access programs in 11 countries across the region.
“We are aspiring to launch more than five new programs, in addition to expanding some of our current ones to include new treatments in 2022. Our hope for this year is to support the lives of over 10,000 patients across AfME.
“Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our way of life but we soldiered on despite all odds, and proved that we were up to the challenge. Pfizer has pledged to provide 2 billion doses of our COVID-19 vaccine to low and middle income countries in 2021 and 2022 – at least 1 billion doses each year,” Loo stated.
Yasser El Dershaby, vice president and regional medical lead at Pfizer AfME, said patients and innovations are the driving force behind the company’s actions, which means that Pfizer is highly attuned to the needs of patients in the AfME region.
“We also stay laser focused on clinical excellence and local R&D efforts. In fact, in 2021, across AfME, we generated data in 44 publications, 20 non interventional studies (NIS) and 18 clinical trials. In Saudi Arabia alone, we have collaborated with research centers to conduct phase II and III clinical trials in hemophilia, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis,” El Dershaby said.
He posits that Pfizer AfME is planning to bring more Phase I and II clinical trials in South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries, and develop several programs to bolster research capabilities and develop the infrastructure.
According to El Dershaby, Pfizer is also leveraging innovation to place itself as a key catalyst in health and socioeconomic growth across the region. “The company continues to lead new programs in partnership with governments to create a nurturing environment for sustainable investments, including the cultivation and training of the next-generation workforce, enhancement of local R&D capability, appropriate technology transfer, as well as increased clinical trial efforts”.
