Novartis offers cut-price Lucentis to Nigeria to help in with AMD problems

Swiss drug major Novartis is stepping in to help Nigeria cope with its growing incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a medical condition which usually affects older adults, reports the local newspaper the Daily Champion.

At a scientific symposium organized recently at the Eye Foundation Hospital, Ilese, Ijebu-Ode, by the company to launch its new AMD drug Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) into the Nigerian market, the area office head of Novartis West Africa, Chris Ufomadu, revealed that the company would partner with all stakeholders to ensure that AMD does not become a major health problem among Nigerians aged 50 and above as it is now in western countries.

He announced that, as part of the partnership, Novartis was introducing the new drug to the Nigerian market at a reduced price to ensure that it will be affordable to a large number of patients in the country.