BENGALURU: Following a global demand for Hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ) as a possible prophylactic for COVID-19 healthcare workers and close contacts of the positive patients, the Central government has asked private pharmaceutical companies, which manufacture HCQ, to step up production. India is the leading manufacturer of HCQ in the world and IPCA Laboratories and Zydus Cadila manufacture 70 per cent of the drug in the country.
Alembic, Cipla and Wallace are the three other pharma majors, which manufacture HCQ. “We are stepping up our production of HCQ from 10 crore tablets per month to 13 crore tablets from next month,” Ajit Kumar Jain, Joint Managing Director, IPCA, told TNIE. “IPCA produces 20 tonnes of HCQ active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in a month, which can make 10 crore tablets. We are now increasing production of API from 20 tonnes to 26 tonnes, which will make 13 crore HCQ tablets,” said Jain. He added that IPCA has supplied five crore HCQ tablets to the Centre and will soon supply the drug to pharmacies.
“The Centre and states have enough buffer of HCQ. In the next 10 days, pharmacies will also have enough stocks. To further accelerate our production, the pharmaceutical companies producing HCQ will need government support for getting clearance from the pollution control board,” he said. He added that his company has launched a helpline for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, who need HCQ, to help them get the drug. Worldwide, there is a debate on HCQ’s efficacy as a prophylactic for COVID-19 after a recent study by French microbiologist Didier Raolt stated that HCQ and Azithromycin (AZ) are the “two most effective among available molecules against COVID-19.
” The international medical journal — The Lancet — countered the French claim citing opposition from the European Medicines Agency, the EU’s pharmaceutical regulator, and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which argue that studies have not yet documented the efficacy of the drugs. The US, China and South Korea have, however, gone ahead and allowed the use of HCQ as an emergency measure in treating COVID-19. Noted immunologist and rheumatologist Dr Chandrashekhar while agreeing that there is not adequate study and there is no time for clinical study to happen with reference to COVID-19 currently, said “HCQ can be safely used in prophylaxis only for COVID-19 healthcare workers under medical supervision. But along with HCQ they should be physically protected by PPE.” Dr Anil Pareek, president, Medical Affairs and Clinical Research of IPCA, explained how HCQ reduces the viral load.
“The mechanisms of HCQ are related to its effects on alkalinisation of the PH in the lysosomes and cell autosomes. The virus requires acidic atmosphere to thrive and alkalinisation possibly reduces the viral load. HCQ also reduces the cytokines storm due to its antiinflammatory effects benefiting pneumonia patients,” he said. An affordable drug for the treatment of two auto immune conditions –RA and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) -- and Type 2 diabetes, HCQ is now regulated and is a schedule H1 drug after it flew off the shelves in pharmacies and medical stores last month soon after the Indian Council of Medical Research suggested of its possible efficacy as a pre-exposure prophylaxis for healthcare professionals and close contacts of COVID- 19 positive patients.