Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on Wednesday launched Avigan, a generic version of favipiravir (200 mg tablets), in India for treatment of Covid-19. Avigan has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 patients. Pricing it at Rs 99 a tablet in a therapy pack of 122 with a two-year shelf life, Dr Reddy’s has also made arrangements for free home delivery of the drug in 42 cities across India.
The launch is part of the global licensing agreement with Fujifilm Toyama Chemical and Global Response Aid that grants Dr Reddy’s exclusive rights to manufacture, sell and distribute Avigan in India.
Announcing the launch of Avigan, MV Ramana, CEO, branded markets (India and emerging markets), Dr Reddy’s, said the firm is currently taking up studies with GRA in Kuwait and is in talks with various regulators across the globe, including the USFDA, to seek fast-track approvals for Avigan. “We plan to complete multi-centric trials on over 700 patients in the next few weeks and submit them to various global drug regulators,’’ he said.
Currently, the firm is importing the drug from Japan and hopes to obtain the DCGI nod to commence manufacturing in India and has repurposed its existing facilities. The firm also plans to launch its own brand of remdesivir injection in the first week of September. In June, Dr Reddy’s signed a licensing pact with Gilead Sciences for the same.
