Modern Russian pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of neurological diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive loss of specific types of nerve cells, accompanied by atrophy of corresponding regions of the spinal cord or brain, which clinically manifests as severe neurological and cognitive impairments. These diseases can present at any age and may be associated with genetic predisposition, as well as inflammatory and autoimmune processes. Neurodegenerative diseases are a common cause of disability and mortality among affected patients. Thus, the development of new effective domestic drugs for the treatment of neuropathology is a significant objective for the healthcare system of the Russian Federation. The majority of these are biosimilar drugs reproducing pharmacological substances of foreign (donepezil+memantine, ANB-4, GNR-093) and Russian (interferon beta-b) origin. However, original pharmaceutical substances have also been developed. Three of these, ANB-4, divosilimumab, and sampheginterferon beta-a, are classified as next-in-class drugs. This review article analyzes original and biosimilar organic and genetically engineered pharmaceutical drugs developed in Russia for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, which have either been registered in recent years or are currently undergoing clinical trials in the Russian Federation. The development of effective and safe Russian pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of neuropathology may increase the accessibility of therapy for a larger number of patients, significantly improve their health and quality of life, as well as reduce the burden on the healthcare system.