HYDERABAD: Repurposed anti-viral drug remdesivir, which promises to help reduce hospital time of COVID-19 patients, might take at least two more weeks to hit the Indian market.
A few Indian pharma companies, including two in Hyderabad, have license from the US-based Gilead Life Sciences to manufacture remdesivir, which has been allowed by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for emergency use for COVID-19 treatment.
While senior officials of Hetero Drugs and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories did not comment on details on their production capacity, they expect approval by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) by June-end for its manufacture.
After the CDSCO permit, it will take at least a couple of days for state government-level clearances to start manufacturing, pushing its market entry to July first or second week. In its updated Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19, ICMR included remdesivir as an investigational therapy. In TS, remdesivir is being tested at Gandhi Hospital.