India will become the largest global hub for COVID-19 antiviral generic drug production after the drug controller granted emergency-use authorisation to several pharmaceutical companies in the country to manufacture and market generic versions of molnupiravir, Fitch Solutions said on Friday.
Increased access to molnupiravir will keep hospitalisations and deaths in India to a manageable level as Omicron infections rise, Fitch Solutions said in a report.
Those granted authorisation by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) include Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Natco Pharma, Viatris, Hetero Drugs and Mankind Pharma.
Following the authorisation, Cipla, Sun Pharma, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories are set to release molnupiravir capsules in the coming weeks, and the rest of the companies will follow.
“This will make India the largest global hub for COVID-19 antiviral generic drug production,” it said.
