3 Indian Companies Get Ready With COVID-19 Drugs

For the last few months, ever since the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus, pharmaceutical firms across the globe have been immersed in the research to develop a vaccine to counter the deadly virus. Meanwhile, in a major breakthrough, Indian pharma giants Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Hetero and Cipla have invented investigational antiviral drugs to fight COVID-19.

On Saturday, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals launched its oral antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name FabiFlu, to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 patients in India. Each Fabiflu tablet has been priced at Rs 103.

And on the same day, Hyderabad-based pharma company Hetero got the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approval to launch Remedesivir, an injectable drug, to treat the Coronavirus infected patients. The drug will first be available in the high risk zones like New Delhi and Mumbai under the brand name Covifor. A single dose injectable vial (100 mg) is likely to cost Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.

Currently, Hetero is manufacturing the drug at the company’s formulation facility in Hyderabad and the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is being made at Hetero’s Visakhapatnam facility. Hetero is determined to provide 1 lakh doses in the next few weeks.

On the other hand, yet another Indian pharma giant Cipla has launched its own Remedesivir under the brand name Cipremi, a lyophilized powder for injection (100mg). The drug has been approved for adult and pediatric patients infected with COVID-19 and it is most affective on those who need oxygen support. Cipla is yet to fix the price for its drug.