Glenmark plans to launch antiviral drug for Covid-19 in next few days

nNEW DELHI : Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited plans to launch its antiviral drug Favipiravir, which produced improvement of up to 88% in mild to moderate coronavirus disease cases during clinical trials, across India by early next week, the company said on Saturday, making it the first oral antiviral available under emergency use authorisation to treat Covid-19 patients in the country.

The drug, marketed under the brand name Fabiflu, will be marketed in some north Indian states by Saturday evening. Available in a pack of 34 oral tables of 200mg each for ₹3,500, the cost of the 14-day treatment will be around ₹14,000.

The dosage regimen is 3,600 mg on day one, and 1,600 mg from day two onwards for a maximum 14 days.

Emergency use means every patient must give his or her informed consent before starting treatment.

“The company has already started production of the drug. In some states that are closer to our manufacturing unit in Baddi (Himachal) the drug will be rolled out by this (Saturday) evening, and across India we should be able to supply by early next week,” said Sujesh Vasudevan, president, India formulations, Middle East and Africa, at Glenmark.

Experts in the field find the study results promising.

“The initial data looks promising, and we will get to see how well it works once we start using it,” said a senior doctor treating Covid-19 patients in a private hospital on condition of anonymity.

EMERGENCY USE MEANS EVERY PATIENT MUST GIVE HIS OR HER INFORMED CONSENT BEFORE STARTING TREATMENT