RLS gets approval to manufacture Favipiravir

KHAMMAM: Khammam businessman Ponguleti Lohith Reddy’s pharma company Raghava Life Sciences Private Limited (RLS) has received Drug Controller General of India’s (DCGI) approval to manufacture the Covid-19 anti-viral drug Favipiravir.

RLS managing director Lohith Reddy said that Lupin, Hetero, Cipla, and Sun Pharma, have recently launched the oral pill under their own brand names at competitive prices.

“At present, Favipiravir is being prescribed to Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms. Flenmark’s data from clinical trials involving 150 subjects showed that around 70 per cent of the patients being treated with the drug achieved clinical cure by the fourth day of the study, compared with about 45 per cent in the standard care group,” he added.

Advanced stage trials of Favipiravir are currently underway in several countries including India.
RLS, which also specialises in Contract Research Organisation projects, received approval to supply the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) to formulation companies. “We are focussing on developing API with raw materials sourced from India to reduce dependency on procurement  of material from China,” Lohit added.