Hepatitis C
Photo credit The Guardian
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver. The Hepatitis C virus is blood-borne. The most common modes of transmission are through unsafe injection practices, inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, transfusion of unscreened blood, blood products, tattooing, and hair & nail salons.
1 in every 45 seconds is the rate of people dying due to untreated hepatitis C that led to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer which means nearly 700 thousand patients die every year.
A short course of oral treatment is available today for hepatitis C patients with extremely high rates of success and very minimal side effects. HCV patients can now feel as good as new within just a few months.
Million 71 People infected worldwide and increased by 1.5 million each year.

10% HCV estimated prevalence in Egypt in 2015.
Million 4+ People were cured from Hepatitis C in Egypt.
Million 70 People were screened in Egypt.
Hepatitis C in Egypt
In 2015, Egypt had the highest prevalence rate of HCV patients worlwide and due to the lack of global access to affordable and effective DAAs, Pharco decided to aggressively address this national security issue. Before the emergence of oral Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) the treatment options that used to be available were of high price, poor response rate, and inconvenient dosage form (injection) with severe side effects causing non-compliance and early discontinuation of treatment.
Egypt Free of Hepatitis C by 2020
A simplified video showing
the steps taken to eliminate Hepatitis C in Egypt.
CONQUERING
Hepatitis C
In its pursuit to conquer HCV, Pharco started researching for a cure to Hepatitis C (HCV), completed the largest phase IIIb clinical trial on Genotype 4 HCV Egyptian patients which was published and admired in the annual conferences of the most reputable worldwide liver associations (AASLD Nov 2015, CROI Feb 2016 & EASL April 2016), contracted with an Italian research and development laboratory to manufacture an affordable HCV treatment.
The treatment was made on a bioequivalence study that was based on WHO guidelines; that proved bioequivalence with the unaffordable innovator. Pharco and DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative) have conducted clinical trials on the rest of Genotypes to reach pangenotypic regimen in Malaysia and Thailand. To safeguard a continuous supply of raw materials of HCV treatments in collaboration with Italian scientists, Pharco established the first GMP compliant Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) factory in Egypt starting with the production of Sofosbuvir with a non-infringing method.
Pharco Pharmaceuticals acquired 61% of Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a San Francisco-based clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of small-molecule antiviral therapeutics. Licensing a compound targeting the NS5A protein of HCV (Ravidasvir).
DNDi Licensed Ravidasvir in Low and Middle income countriess.
DNDi and Pharco conducted clinical trials in Malaysia and Thailand…
Tour n' Cure
Egypt’s latest initiative in medical tourism, offers the opportunity to treat Hepatitis C patients from all over the world, with an effective and advanced complete treatment program with no waiting time and at a fraction of the cost. What’s more, the treatment program offers you the opportunity to take in the beauty of Egypt and visit historic landmarks during the days of the treatment, while enjoying a relaxing stay at a 5-star hotel.
Lionel Messi, Dani Alves, Ahmed Hossam (Mido), Mohamed Hamaki are active program ambassadors.
Halel w Etamen
Eight mobile clinics were launched to identify all undetected patients across Egypt. They are fully committed to the Presidential National Screening Campaign (Egypt Free of Hepatitis C 2020) by focusing on the importance of awareness and reaching thousands of Egyptians every month.
The 8 mobile clinics became part of the presidential campaign, which had more than 3000 fixed clinics and 120 mobile clinics.. 8 of them are Pharco`s.
The result was Egypt celebrating with the Ministry of Health, 4,000,000 cured patients ending all Hepatitis C waiting lists, and 70,000,000 screened persons.
IHEPC
A local initiative with the mission of improving the health & the quality of life of people at risk for Hepatitis C by providing accessible preventive health services, assisting people affected by Hepatitis C through planning and executing on-ground campaigns that provide awareness, prevention measures, screenings, treatment options and patient counseling with the help university students and volunteers.
AfriCan
The alliance of Foundations in Africa affiliated with African top influencers to start a movement, to help raise awareness about Hepatitis C to prevent new patients from getting infected, and spread the awareness of the cure. We have a rare chance to send a message to the whole world: Africa is the first continent in the world to eliminate Hepatitis C.