Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) launched the innovator brand of favipiravir Avigan, an antiviral used to treat mild to moderate Covid-19 patients, in India. Priced at Rs 99 per tablet, the drug would be imported from Japan now.
DRL plans to manufacture the drug here in India soon. M V Ramana, CEO, Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets), DRL said that the process of technology transfer is on with Fujifilm and DRL will be able to start manufacturing in India within a quarter or so. The company is also planning to ship it to patients who call its helpline directly in 42 cities apart from making it available at retail outlets.
DRL forged a global licensing deal with Fujifilm Toyama Chemical for the exclusive rights to manufacture, sell and distribute Avigan in India. DRL will also export the drug to markets other than China, Japan, and US. It has a tripartite agreement with Fujifilm and Global Response Aid for the same.
Already several brands of generic favipiravir are available in India with the country's largest drug maker Sun Pharmaceuticals pricing it as low as Rs 35 per tablet. DRL feels that it has a unique selling proposition in the longer shelf life of its drug Avigan. The other local makers in India have been granted a shelf life of three months by the drug regulator as it awaits more data on the drug's stability etc from the manufacturers. In comparison, DRL's Avigan, the innovator brand, has a shelf life of two years.
GV Prasad, co-chairman and managing director, DRL said that while they are a bit late to launch the product here, but they have some advantages over the other brands. "There are studies on over 2100 patients and around 6 years of safety data for this drug. It has more shelf life and we would be selling it in a single pack of 122 tablets to ensure better patient compliance," he said.
A study on 2158 patients showed that there was 74 per cent clinical improvement in Covid patients by day seven and 88 per cent by day 14. There are six ongoing studies in Japan, UK, France and Kuwait and a phase 4 study would be initiated in India.