COVID-19: Pharma giant Hetero begin supply of generic version of Remdesivir drug to states

Shortly after the Union Health Ministry allowed anti-viral drug Remdesivir for "restricted emergency use" on critical COVID patients, Indian pharmaceutical giant Hetero has started its first batch of delivery across the country.  About 20,000 vials of the drug which is still under investigational therapy are being supplied by Hetero, at a price of Rs 5,400/- per vial across the country. The drug is being supplied under the generic brand 'Covifor' and is available in a 100mg injectable vial. 

"The first set of 20,000 vials in two equal lots of 10,000 each, one of which, will be immediately supplied to Hyderabad, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra," said Hetero Company spokesperson adding that the other lot will be supplied to Kolkata, Indore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Cochin, Trivandrum and Goa within a week's time.

Read: Remdesivir Expected To Be Available For COVID-19 Patients From Next Week: Top Company Official

Read: Uddhav Govt Warns Ramdev Over Patanjali's Coronil; Won't Allow Sale Till Clinically Proven

The spokesperson added that Covifor would need to be administered intravenously in a hospital setting only under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner. The drug is expected to achieve a breakthrough in bringing down the mortality rates based on its performance in trials. 

"We are working closely with the government and medical community to make 'Covifor' quickly accessible to both public and private healthcare settings across the country," said M. Srinivasa Reddy, Managing Director, Hetero Healthcare Limited.

According to the Union Health Ministry, a patient can be administered with 200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV daily for 5 days. This drug can not be used in the treatment of a COVID positive patient who is either pregnant, lactating or below the age of 12 years. Doctors should also avoid injection of this drug in patients with a medical history of liver problems and renal complications, as per the Ministry. 

Last month, Jubilant Life Sciences Limited entered into an agreement with biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and received the rights to technology transfer of Remdesvir from Gilead to scale up production of the medication so as to expedite its access to the COVID patients. 

Read: Move Over Hydroxychloroquine? Remdesvir Trial Beats Placebo 11-15 In Covid Trial: Dr Fauci

Read: Jubilant Life Secures Rights To Produce Anti-viral Remdesvir, Touted As A COVID Treatment

(With Agency Inputs)