Aegate News

Aegate unveils latest development in the fight against counterfeit drugs in developing countries

12th March 2007

Aegate Ltd today announced that it will unveil an important new technology in the fight against counterfeit medicines especially for the developing world.

In a presentation to the World Health Organization's IMPACT (International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce) in Prague on Tuesday, the UK-based pharmaceutical authentication company will reveal how it has adapted its technology, currently being rolled out in Europe, to prevent the sale of counterfeit medicine to the consumer, to the needs of the developing world through the use of mobile phones.

"More than 30% of counterfeit medicines are to be found in the developing world; however we have long recognised that solutions that work for the developed world cannot just be extended to the developing world due to the differences in environment. Aegate's process of authentication is successful because it does not rely on a single technology solution meaning that counterfeit prevention can be achieved in any environmental condition", said Aegate CEO Gary Noon in announcing the new technology.

Aegate is the first company to roll-out a fully operational solution to medicines counterfeiting in Europe which relies on the individual package barcode to verify the authenticity of each medicine. The Aegate solution is based on an online patient safety communications network linking pharmaceutical manufacturers to pharmacies. This enables an authentication check of each medicine where it really counts - at the last moment before the drug is sold and handed over to the patient. This system means pharmacies can prevent the inadvertent distribution of substandard medicines - including counterfeit as well as expired and recalled products - to patients

Late last year the company introduced this authentication system in pharmacies across Belgium and has recently put in place agreements in Greece to start pharmacy roll-out within the next few months. In Belgium, agreements have been signed with pharmacy software providers, and several major pharmaceutical companies who represent a diverse cross section of products sold through traditional pharmacies, including generics and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. After only a few months in operation, more than 18 million products are now subject to authentication in Belgium, and the numbers grow daily.

Several major global pharmaceutical companies have recently agreed to work with Aegate in Belgium, notably Merck Sharpe and Dome and Lilly, but also major generics manufacturers including ratiopharm, Merck Generics and Boehringher Ingleheim OTC division.

Sales & Marketing Manager for ratiopharm Peter Rakers comments "ratiopharm sees Aegate's authentication system as a significant enhancement of good pharmacovigilance. From a worldwide production of 400 million units per year to a single box given over the counter, we take our responsibility of providing good quality products to the pharmacist and the patient very seriously".

Having successfully implemented this system in Europe, Aegate has now adapted its technology solution to the needs of the developing world. In its presentation tomorrow Aegate will show how a mobile phone and, a simple, cost effective 2D barcode, can increase patient safety in a broad range of environments.