Hyderabad, June 21: In a significant development, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Saturday gave the nod to India-based pharma company Hetero for manufacturing and marketing of antiviral drug Remdesivir, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. COVIFOR is Hetero’s generic version of Remdesivir which will be sold in India. Dr. B Partha Saradhi Reddy, Chairman, Hetero Group of Companies said that the approval could prove a game-changer in the treatment of coronavirus patients amid rising cases.

“In the light of increasing Covid-19 cases in India, the approval of ‘COVIFOR’ (Remdesivir) can prove to be a game-changer given its positive clinical outcomes. Backed by strong backward integration capabilities, we can ensure that the product is immediately made available to patients across the country,” reported Hindustan Times Quoting Reddy as saying. Cipla, Hetero Get DCGI's Approval to Manufacture, Sell Anti-viral Remdesivir Drug to Fight COVID-19.

COVIFOR will be available in 100 mg vials (injectable). It will be administered in a hospital facility under the proper supervision of a doctor. The drug can be used for the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases. According to the report, the medicine will be launched in the country under a licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc.

Hetero group got approval a day after, Drug firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Saturday had said it had launched antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name FabiFlu, for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 at a price of about Rs 103 per tablet. The drug will be available as a 200 mg tablet at a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 3,500 for a strip of 34 tablets, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals said. FabiFlu is the first oral favipiravir-approved medication in India for the treatment of COVID-19, it said in a statement.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2020 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).