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As the holder of the first international value-added medicine patent – liquid Omeprazole, ready to use – Alkaloid sponsored the First International Conference on Modern Approaches to GERD Treatment in Pediatric Patients, held in Zagreb, Croatia.
Over 200 specialists in pediatrics, gastroenterohepatology, and nutrition, as well as experts in pharmacy and pharmacology, members of academia, and representatives of Alkaloid, attended the company’s inaugural global event, held under its auspices, showcasing the latest breakthroughs in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in infants and young children. The conference focused on the first patented liquid Omeprazole, an innovation which represents a significant advancement to pediatric treatment for this widespread condition.
Omeprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor and the standard first-line treatment for GERD, has traditionally been supplied as gastro-resistant tablets, capsules, or suspension powders. Such forms can be difficult to administer to infants over one month old, toddlers, patients with swallowing impairments or feeding tubes, and the elderly. For the first time in its history, Alkaloid has successfully developed omeprazole in a patented liquid form, delivering a novel, practical, and effective treatment tailored to these vulnerable populations.
“This product reaffirms Alkaloid’s commitment to pharmaceutical excellence and raises the bar in generic drug manufacturing through innovation and market differentiation. Alkaloid’s innovative value-added medicine is already opening new horizons in pediatric GERD treatment, particularly by improving therapy accessibility, which was previously lacking, yielding positive outcomes in these vulnerable populations and improving the quality of life for families affected by this prevalent condition,” said Zhivko Mukaetov, CEO and President of the Management Board of Alkaloid.
Patented in September 2023, liquid Omeprazole was first launched in February 2024 in Macedonia and the United Kingdom. This international conference offered an excellent platform to share clinical experiences and exchange best practices and innovative approaches to pediatric practice. Healthcare professionals from Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Kosovo discussed the challenges they face in treating GERD, as well as the benefits of introducing this innovative Omeprazole formulation, highlighting its efficacy, safety, and improved tolerability in young patients.
A multidisciplinary team of Alkaloid experts invested six years to develop liquid Omeprazole. The innovative concept features a dual-chamber, single-use bottle that separately holds two solutions – one with high pH and one diluent. Mixing the solutions immediately before administration yields a stable formulation with an optimal pH that protects the active ingredient from degradation by gastric acid, ensuring safe and effective therapy for pediatric and other sensitive patient groups. To meet the specific manufacturing requirements of this novel medicine, Alkaloid invested in custom-designed equipment, securing an efficient and sustainable global supply chain.
The оmeprazole solution is marketed in Macedonia, Great Britain, Ireland, Romania, and Croatia, and is currently undergoing marketing authorization procedures in several other countries.
