Bengaluru: Cipla has received regulatory approval to sell anti-viral drug favipiravir to treat COVID-19, the drug maker said on Friday, as coronavirus infections in the world’s third worst-hit nation show no sign of abating. The Drug Controller General of India granted Cipla accelerated approval to make and sell favipiravir in an effort to meet the “urgent and unmet” need for COVID-19 treatment options in the country, the company said.
Indian drug makers including Glenmark Pharmaceuticals are racing to supply generic versions of favipiravir, originally developed by Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp as Avigan for treating influenza.
India reported over 49,000 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus with 740 new deaths on Friday, marking the biggest daily surge in cases, as officials in some states complained of shortages of vital drugs for those hospitalized.
