|
Zydus expands facility in Ahmedabad to produce 12,000 vials of lyophilized 100 mg remdesivir injection per day
|
|
Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
September 26 , 2020
|
|
|
Based on approvals from Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA), Zydus Cadila has further expanded its facility in Ahmedabad to produce 12,000 vials of lyophilized 100 mg remdesivir injection per day.
Zydus Cadila had last month upgraded its facility to produce 6 lakh vials of lyophilized 100 mg remdesivir injection per month at its Gujarat-based Vadodara and Ahmedabad facilities following regulatory approvals.
Because of the setting up of another unit in Ahmedabad, Gujarat today has the capacity to produce remdesivir and cater to COVID-19 patients in the country. Zydus is currently marketing lyophilized 100 mg remdesivir injection for Rs. 2,800, which is the cheapest version of remdesivir drug available today.
Lyophilized injection is considered as an alternative to oral solid dosage forms for better patient compliance especially in hospitalized patients. Lyophilized injections are also prescribed to attain maximum bioavailability and stability in patients suffering from a number of diseases.
Zydus Cadila has been granted licenses for both domestic manufacturing and for exports in the wake of growing demand of remdesivir lyophilized 100 mg injection.
“We can assure uninterrupted availability of remdesivir injection as the company is giving the medicine at government rate contract of Rs. 2,100 which is the cheapest remdesivir available in the country today,” according to Gujarat FDCA Commissioner Dr H G Koshia.
A patient generally requires a dosage of 6 injections for 5 days with 200 mg on the first day and remaining 100 mg daily each for five days. Remdesivir is prescribed for hospitalised patients who are on oxygen. The drug has to take for five days, 200 mg IV (intravenous) on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV daily for four days. Zydus is among the several Indian generic drug makers that have licensing agreements with US-based Gilead Sciences to produce remdesivir, the antiviral that has been approved in the country as an emergency treatment to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Cipla and Hetero remdesivir priced it at Rs. 5,400 and Rs. 4,800 respectively for 100 mg. Cipla, Hetero and Mylan have till now launched the generic versions of remdesivir in India. Jubilant Life Sciences, Dr Reddy's and Syngene are other companies that have licenses from Gilead to manufacture and distribute remdesivir generic versions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOPICS
|
That foods might provide therapeutic benefits is clearly not a new concept. ...
|
|
|
|
|