India News | Cipla All Set to Launch Favipiravir Drug for Treatment of COVID Patients: CSIR
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Pharmaceutical firm Cipla is all set to launch Favipiravir, developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in a cost-effective process, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, according to an official statement on Thursday.
New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Pharmaceutical firm Cipla is all set to launch Favipiravir, developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in a cost-effective process, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, according to an official statement on Thursday.
An off-patent anti-viral drug, Favipiravir, originally discovered by Fuji Pharma in Japan, has shown promise in clinical trials for treatment of COVID-19 patients, especially in mild and moderate cases.
CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) developed a cost effective process using locally available chemicals to synthesise this Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and transferred the technology to Cipla.
"Cipla has scaled up the process in their manufacturing facility and approached DCGI (Drug Controller General of India) for permission to launch the product in India. Given that DCGI has given restricted emergency use for Favipiravir in the country, Cipla is now all set to launch the product to help patients suffering from COVID-19," the statement said.
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Commenting on the development, Director of CSIR-IICR S Chandrashekhar said the technology is very efficient and makes it affordable and allows Cipla to make large quantities of the product within a short span of time.
CSIR Director General Shekhar C Mande observed that they are working with the industry in developing quick solutions and products for mitigation of COVID-19 and this partnership with Cipla is an example of how CSIR is committed to bringing repurposed drugs soon.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)