GILEAD TO DONATE 450K REMDISIVIR VIALS TO INDIA, RAMP UP OUTPUT

US pharma company Gilead Sciences on Tuesday announced that it will donate 450,000 vials of its injection remdesivir to India, and providing its voluntary licensing partners in the country with technical assistance to rapidly scale up production in the wake of the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country and the scramble for the antiviral drug.

“The recent surge of Covid-19 cases in India is having a devastating impact on communities and has created unprecedented pressure on health systems,” Johanna Mercier, chief commercial officer, Gilead Sciences, said.

Gilead Sciences holds patent for remdesivir that is one of the investigational drugs prescribed for emergency use in treating Covid-19 patients in India.

Gliead Sciences has seven licensing partners based in India, and all seven have significantly accelerated production of remdesivir.