Listed pharmaceutical firms told to withdraw drugs containing Valsartan

HÀ NỘI — Four of the eight companies that have been asked to revoke drugs made using the China-produced component Valsartan by the Drug Administration of Việt Nam are listed on the stock exchange.

The companies are Domesco Medical Impor-Export JSC (Domesco), Cửu Long Pharmaceutical JSC, Central Pharmaceutical JSC 2 (Dopharma) and Pymepharco JSC.

Valsartan is a raw material produced by the China-based Zhejian Huahai Pharmaceutical Company. It has been reported to contain a compound known as NDMA that can cause cancer.

The latest order follows decisions made by the European Union Medicines Agency (EMA), Canada and several other countries to revoke all drugs containing Valsartan from the market.

Domesco (DMC), Cửu Long Pharmaceutical (DCL) and Pymepharco (PME) are listed on the HCM Stock Exchange, while Dopharma (DP2) is trading on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM).

DMC and DP2 ended Tuesday flat at VNĐ82,900 (US$3.68) and VNĐ9,100, respectively, while DCL and PME fell 0.7 per cent each to close at VNĐ13,900 and VNĐ70,000. — VNS