KYIV. June 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Actovegin medication is a drug registered in Ukraine in observation of all procedures foreseen in Ukrainian law, an official representative of Japan's Takeda – Takeda Ukraine LLC has said.

Takeda Ukraine LLC Director Natalia Zago said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday that "in response to groundless suspicions regarding the registration status of Actovegin the company states the following: Actovegin is a prescription medicine which has been registered in Ukraine as medicine for over 26 years. The efficiency and safety of the drug is confirmed by its use in treating millions of patients all over the world for many years."

She said that Actovegin is registered as medicine in 21 countries. The drug has been used in international practice for around 40 years: it was first registered in Germany in 1976. The drug was registered in 1989 in the USSR, and in Ukraine – in 1999.

"For 40 years the registration dossier, which contains legal, pharmaceutical information and information on clinic and pre-clinic tests, regularly passed the examination by regulatory agencies of various countries, including in the country that comply with the best standards for drugs," she said.

Zago said that Takeda strictly adheres to the best ethical principles, quality standards and legal requirements.

"This concerns the status of the registration of Actovegin as a drug in Ukraine. I want to say that Takeda would actively protect its position, cooperating with the relevant state agencies," she said.

She said that Actovegin is included in the list of medicines which can be bought using budget funds.

She said that the above-mentioned events did not affect the supplies to Ukraine and the access of patients to the medicine as it is sold in pharmacies.