La Universidad Nacional de Rosario It received approval from ANMAT to manufacture Zidovudine at its Pilot Drug Plant. This is the first drug developed by a public university in the country, intended for pregnant women and pediatric patients.
La Universidad Nacional de Rosario This marked one of the most significant chapters in his scientific and academic career. In a moving ceremony held at the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the syrup “Zidovudine” was formally presented. This key medication for the treatment of HIV/AIDS received authorization for registration in the National Registry of Medicinal Specialties of the National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT), enabling its public and free production for the most vulnerable sectors of society.
The Faculty's main auditorium was packed, reminiscent of the massive general chemistry classes, but this time the reason for the gathering was a collective achievement that had taken two decades of effort. Those present included Rector Franco Bartolacci; the Dean of the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andrés Sciara; the President of the Student Center, Nicolás Welschen; along with researchers, professors, non-teaching staff, students, and national, provincial, and municipal political authorities, who all agreed in describing the day as an "act of health sovereignty."
Zidovudine is considered an "orphan" drug or one whose production is discontinued in Argentina. Its main clinical function is vital: it drastically reduces vertical transmission of HIV, that is, transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, and the first months of the newborn's life. Because it is not a mass-produced or highly profitable product for multinational pharmaceutical corporations, its supply in the country has historically depended on a single private laboratory or on costly imports that were often distributed late through the primary healthcare network.
Currently, this syrup costs around $110.000 pesos on the private market, an unattainable price for low-income families. The intervention of the National University of Rosario (UNR) breaks this commercial logic by prioritizing the right to health over financial interests. The University estimates its initial production will be 15.000 240-milliliter bottles, and the primary destination for the medication will be public hospitals throughout the country.
The strategic value of the University
During the presentation, UNR Rector Franco Bartolacci was visibly moved and offered high praise for the scientific teams. “In terms of scientific and healthcare development, this is one of the most significant events in the entire history of our University. A milestone that demonstrates, like few others, the value of the public university, its purpose, and its profound commitment to society,” he emphasized.
Bartolacci directly linked this achievement to the current political and budgetary situation facing universities in the country. “We always say that the University is much more than just training professionals. That's why it's so strategic for the country to guarantee the minimum and essential investment required for these things to continue happening, just as all developed countries in the world do,” he reflected.
In a passage of his speech, the Rector invoked popular culture after learning of the death of the renowned artist Indio Solari: “There’s a song by Indio that says that when the night is darkest, the day appears in your heart. There is no better news at such a tremendously delicate moment for the national university and scientific system than to be able to share something that, from a concrete fact, demonstrates why we so vehemently defend what we believe in. We are here to reaffirm the public good, because for many people, the public good is all that exists.”
In turn, Dean Andrés Sciara, visibly moved, reviewed the long process of research, development, and innovation that culminated in this achievement. Sciara recalled that the Pilot Plant project began 20 years ago and went through multiple institutional administrations and economic fluctuations. He also gave special recognition to the pioneers in the field, such as Claudia Balagué and Esteban Serra, who laid the foundations for what is now a reality.
“We achieved this milestone in an extremely challenging context, marked by the defunding of science and the closure by decree of the National Agency of Public Laboratories (ANLAP), the organization with which we originally coordinated this project along with the HIV Response Directorate,” Sciara stated. The dean expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support of the Rector's Office and the science agencies of Santa Fe, emphasizing the value of the Faculty's human resources.
“I want to thank the team for their competence, technical expertise, and, above all, for their remarkable tenacity. That tenacity to persevere, adhering to the highest standards of rigor and safety, to develop a medication when everything seemed to be working against them. This pediatric syrup wasn't born in a corporation; it was born in our classrooms, in our laboratories, and in the hearts of scientists who never give up,” exclaimed Sciara, also evoking the healthcare legacy of former mayor and governor Hermes Binner.
The student sector also expressed its position through Nicolás Welschen, president of the Student Center of the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The student leader emphasized that the syrup is empirical proof that the budget allocated to higher education does not represent a financial loss for the State.
“In these times when the national government constantly attacks and questions investment in education, research, and public health, this is a heroic act that demonstrates that these resources are not an expense: they are a tool to improve the quality of life of our people and build a country with greater scientific and health sovereignty,” Welschen stated.
A state-of-the-art plant
The UNR's Pilot Plant for Pharmaceutical Production is a source of pride for the region. Located at 2900 Urquiza Street in the city of Rosario, it occupies approximately 200 square meters. It is the first plant within the national university system to be integrated into Argentina's Public Laboratory System, strictly adhering to the demanding international safety and quality standards set by ANMAT (National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology).
Originally opened in 2006, the plant boasts a remarkable daily operating capacity for manufacturing essential medicines in various pharmaceutical forms. It can produce up to 5.000 30ml bottles of liquid, 7.500 20ml bottles, and 400 250ml containers per day. For solid dosage forms, its facilities are equipped to manufacture up to 25.000 standard tablets and 15.000 coated tablets every 24 hours.
The registration and future commercialization of Zidovudine is the spearhead of an even more ambitious health project. Scientists at UNR are actively working on the development and certification of other orphan drugs that the private pharmaceutical industry often rejects due to their low profitability, but which are essential for public health.
Among the developments underway are Lamivudine (syrup indicated for the treatment of HIV and hepatitis B in pediatric patients over three months of age, whose first pilot batches were successfully produced in October 2025); Oseltamivir (oral antiretroviral); Atenolol and Sildenafil (intended for pediatric heart disease); and Benznidazole (essential for the treatment of Chagas disease in children aged 2 to 12 years).
With the ANMAT REM certificate for Zidovudine, the National University of Rosario (UNR) formally enters a third stage: processing the final marketing registration and starting production to supply public hospitals. In these challenging times, Argentina's public universities respond with more science, increased production, and an unwavering commitment to defending life and national sovereignty.
Journalists: Victoria Arrabal and Gonzalo J. García/Photographer: Camila Casero